Stevany Williamson is a financial advisor with Empower Advisory Group in Arlington Heights, IL. She holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has three years of industry experience. Her prior work includes roles at JPMorgan Chase Bank, J.P. Morgan Securities, and various mortgage-related firms. Before entering financial services, she operated Stevany Thomas Salon and Spa for three years. Empower Advisory Group provides financial planning and investment management primarily to employer-sponsored retirement plan sponsors and their participants, as well as certain IRA and brokerage account holders. The firm’s integrated model supports services through Empower’s recordkeeping and administrative platforms, offering point-in-time financial plans and optional managed account solutions.

Richard Kuzniar is a CFP® with 34 years of industry experience, currently serving at Fifth Third Securities, Inc. since 2017. Prior to that, he worked at BMO Harris Financial Advisors for over a decade. Fifth Third Securities, Inc. offers brokerage and investment advisory services through its Passageway Managed Account Program to a diverse client base including individuals, charitable organizations, and institutional investors. The firm combines its municipal-advisor registration with its affiliation to Fifth Third Bank, providing a range of discretionary managed-account options and features such as direct indexing and tax-overlay services.

Terrence Crowley is a financial advisor with NewEdge Advisors who holds Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and has 42 years of industry experience. He has worked at several notable firms, including LPL Financial LLC, Wells Fargo Clearing, A. G. Edwards & Sons, Inc., and Merrill. Outside of his advisory role, he serves as a caregiver for his disabled son. NewEdge Advisors is an enterprise-scale registered investment adviser serving individuals, institutions, and charitable organizations through independent investment adviser representatives. The firm offers a wide range of portfolio management, financial planning, and consulting services, utilizing multiple program structures and technology tools to support client and advisor needs.

Amanda Czosek is a financial advisor with AE Wealth Management, LLC, holding a Series 65 credential and bringing 10 years of industry experience. She also holds ownership roles in Guardian Wealth Advisory Group and Jager Financial Services. Amanda serves as a board member of the National Alliance on Student Loan Debt. AE Wealth Management provides fee-based portfolio management, financial planning, and retirement-plan consulting to a diverse client base, including individual households, corporations, and trusts. The firm utilizes discretionary model portfolios and combines fundamental, technical, and cyclical analysis to implement investment strategies.

Brian Sutherland is a financial advisor with AE Wealth Management, LLC, holding a Series 66 designation and four years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at Oxbow Financial, TSFG, LPL Financial, and Perdoceo Education Corporation. AE Wealth Management is an SEC-registered investment adviser serving a diverse client base, including individual investors, retirement plan sponsors, trusts, charitable organizations, and businesses. The firm offers a platform-centered approach with model portfolios, discretionary asset management, financial planning, and plan services, supported by an internal Investment Consulting Group and various licensing and sub-advisory programs.

John Sias is a financial advisor with NewEdge Advisors, holding Series 63 and Series 66 credentials and over 24 years of industry experience. His career includes roles at Edward Jones from 2002 to 2018 and LPL Financial since 2018. He provides investment advisory services through NewEdge Advisors, an independent registered investment advisor firm. NewEdge Advisors is an enterprise-scale registered investment adviser serving individuals, pension and profit-sharing plans, corporations, trusts, estates, and charitable organizations through a network of independent representatives. The firm offers a broad range of services including portfolio management, financial planning, retirement consulting, and access to sponsored advisory programs, utilizing multiple program structures and technology tools to support advisor and client needs.

Gerald Gilbertson is a CFP® with 38 years of industry experience, currently serving at Fifth Third Securities, Inc. since 2010. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and is based in Mount Prospect, IL. Fifth Third Securities, Inc. provides brokerage and investment advisory services through its Passageway Managed Account Program to a range of clients including individuals, charitable organizations, corporate and business clients, and institutional investors. The firm offers multiple discretionary managed-account programs and features such as direct indexing and tax-overlay services, operating as a wholly owned subsidiary of Fifth Third Bank.

Connor Simios is a CFP® and Series 65-licensed advisor with Wealth Enhancement Advisory Services, LLC. He has six years of industry experience, including prior roles at Vermillion Financial Advisors and Willow Creek Community Church. He joined Wealth Enhancement Advisory Services in 2025. Wealth Enhancement Advisory Services, LLC is an SEC-registered enterprise advisory firm serving individuals, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, corporations, and retirement plans. The firm offers financial planning, asset management, and specialized retirement consulting through a network of advisors, employing a strategic investment process that combines passive and active management guided by an internal Investment Committee.

Donald Cafero Sr. is a ChFC® credentialed financial advisor with 42 years of industry experience, currently affiliated with TLG Advisors, Inc. He has worked at several firms including The Leaders Group Inc and Highland Capital Brokerage. Outside of his advisory role, he is involved in insurance brokerage through The Cafero Group and works as a point of sale and wholesale specialist with FSG. TLG Advisors, Inc. is an SEC-registered investment adviser managing approximately $2.0 billion in discretionary client assets. The firm serves individuals, retirement plans, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, businesses, and institutional investors, offering services such as portfolio management, comprehensive financial and estate planning, and ERISA fiduciary services. Their investment approach combines fundamental analysis and Modern Portfolio Theory, with a direct-to-consumer program called Starlight Portfolios that tailors portfolios based on client risk profiles.

Brian Marshall is a financial advisor at William Blair with 32 years of industry experience. He has been with William Blair & Company L.L.C. since 1994 and holds Series 63 and Series 65 designations. William Blair’s Private Wealth Management division provides investment management, financial planning, and wealth services to individuals, foundations, pension, and corporate clients. The firm employs an active, research-driven approach across multiple asset classes and offers proprietary models and access to private funds through its MB Investments Program.

Eric Freckman is a CFP® professional with 26 years of industry experience. He has worked at Private Advisor Group, LLC since 2015 and previously spent over two decades at LPL Financial, LLC. In addition to his advisory role, Mr. Freckman serves as a notary public. Private Advisor Group serves individuals, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, businesses, and retirement plans by offering discretionary and non-discretionary portfolio management, financial planning, retirement plan consulting, and managed account solutions. The firm employs a fiduciary-based model, utilizing a variety of strategies and technology platforms while often implementing advice through third-party managers and tactical asset management programs.

Candace Vondra is a CFA® charterholder with 23 years of industry experience, currently serving at William Blair since 2006. She holds the Series 63 designation and is based in Des Plaines, IL. William Blair’s Private Wealth Management division provides investment management, financial planning, and wealth services to individuals, foundations, pension, and corporate clients. The firm employs an active, research-driven approach across multiple asset classes and offers proprietary models, third-party sub-advisers, and access to private funds and co-investment opportunities.

Ryan Begley is a financial advisor at &PARTNERS with 10 years of industry experience. He holds a Series 66 designation and previously worked at Merrill and Wells Fargo Advisors. &PARTNERS serves a diverse range of individual and institutional clients, offering investment management, financial and tax planning, and retirement-plan services through a combination of fundamental, technical, and quantitative analysis. The firm operates as both a registered investment adviser and broker-dealer, providing discretionary and non-discretionary portfolio management and municipal advisory services.

Grace Bossert is a CFP® professional at Mercer Global Advisors Inc. with two years of industry experience. Her work history includes roles at Mercer Global Advisors since 2021, as well as positions at MOKA and T. Anton Investment House. Outside of finance, she was involved with Rags Consignments for five years. Mercer Global Advisors provides investment advisory and planning services to a diverse client base, including individuals, high-net-worth families, small business owners, corporate plan sponsors, foundations, and nonprofits. The firm’s investment approach is based on Modern Portfolio Theory, focusing on globally diversified, risk-appropriate portfolios using low-cost index vehicles and multi-factor tilts, complemented by financial planning, retirement consulting, tax support, and estate-planning coordination.

Joshua Walters is a CFP® with 14 years of industry experience, currently advising at Voya Financial Advisors, Inc. He has held roles at several firms including LPL Financial LLC, Calamos Wealth Management, and J.P. Morgan Chase Bank. Walters holds Series 63 registration and operates out of Arlington Heights, IL. Voya Financial Advisors, Inc. is an enterprise-scale advisory and broker-dealer affiliate of Voya Financial serving individuals, pension and profit-sharing plans, charitable organizations, and corporate clients. The firm offers financial planning, portfolio management, and retirement advisory services using a combination of in-house and outside strategists, model portfolios, and technology-enabled tools, with a significant focus on non-discretionary client relationships.

Jonathan Baker is a CFA® charterholder with 10 years of industry experience. He is currently with Corient, where he has worked since 2022, following prior roles at Balasa Dinverno Foltz and CIPW Service Company. Corient provides investment advisory and financial planning services to a diverse client base, including individuals, trusts, pension plans, and corporate entities. The firm uses a goals-based, team investment approach that combines in-house strategies with third-party managers and specialized offerings such as family office and trustee services.

James Vanderbilt is a Certified Financial Planner® with 39 years of industry experience, currently serving as an advisor at Independent Advisor Alliance, LLC. His prior work includes over 25 years with Securities America Advisors, Inc. and two years at LPL Financial. Vanderbilt also holds Series 63 and Series 65 registrations. Independent Advisor Alliance serves a diverse client base including individuals, small businesses, charitable organizations, and retirement plans, offering asset management, financial planning, and retirement consulting. The firm employs a network model of advisory representatives and leverages technology platforms to provide portfolio management, estate planning, and third-party referrals.

Heather Locus is a CFP®-certified financial advisor with 25 years of industry experience. She is currently with Corient, where she has worked since 2022, following a 22-year tenure at Balasa Dinverno Foltz LLC. Corient provides investment advisory and financial planning services to a diverse client base, including individual and high-net-worth clients, trusts, pension plans, and charitable organizations. The firm employs a goals-based, team investment approach that integrates in-house strategies with third-party manager solutions and utilizes various risk management tools to align portfolios with client objectives.

Benjamin Krotky is a financial advisor with Bankers Life Advisory Services, Inc., holding a Series 66 credential and beginning his industry experience in 2026. Prior to joining Bankers Life, he worked in various roles including positions at United Parcel Service and educational institutions. In addition to his advisory role, he is licensed as an insurance agent, brokering Medicare-related health insurance plans through Blue Cross Blue Shield. Bankers Life Advisory Services, Inc. provides discretionary portfolio management and investment consulting primarily to mass-affluent and high-net-worth individuals. The firm’s investment approach focuses on customized asset allocation, periodic rebalancing, tax efficiency, and a combination of fundamental, technical, and cyclical analysis.

Rod Russell is a financial advisor at Farther with 13 years of industry experience. He holds Series 65 and Series 63 licenses and has previously worked at BNY Mellon and J.P. Morgan. Outside of his advisory role, he coordinates property development activities for Lake Roots Holdings, LLC. Farther provides discretionary investment management and advisory services primarily to individual investors, trusts, and estates through a web and mobile platform supplemented by in-person meetings. The firm employs a Modern Portfolio Theory-based approach using proprietary model portfolios, algorithmic rebalancing, and a range of investment vehicles including ETFs, mutual funds, and individual equities.