Kimberly Spence is a CFA® charterholder with nine years of industry experience. She has worked at Merit Financial Advisors since 2026 and previously held roles at Savant Wealth Management, Savant Capital Management, and Huber Financial Advisors. Merit Financial Advisors is a multi-team registered investment adviser with 264 advisors serving over 20,000 clients across 66 offices and managing approximately $23.9 billion in assets. The firm offers coordinated wealth-management services, emphasizing long-term, diversified portfolios managed through centrally overseen models, with flexibility for advisor customization.

Mark Garapolo is a financial advisor at MissionSquare Retirement with 37 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 designations and has been with ICMA-RC Services, LLC since 1995. Mark is based in Libertyville, Illinois. MissionSquare Retirement serves state and local government employers, their employees, and certain nonprofit entities by administering deferred compensation and qualified retirement plans. The firm provides plan administration, recordkeeping, education, and advisory services, including Guided Pathways Advisory Services that offer both discretionary Managed Accounts and nondiscretionary Fund Advice developed by Morningstar Investment Management.

Austin Righeimer is a CFP® and CFA® affiliated with NorthRock Partners, LLC, with two years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at Northern Trust and Beacon Pointe Advisors LLC. NorthRock Partners is a full-service wealth management firm serving individuals, trusts, estates, retirement plans, and private funds. The firm employs a tailored, holistic investment approach emphasizing broad asset allocation and diversification, managing portfolios through discretionary and non-discretionary strategies that include both public and private market investments.

Robert Karstenson is a financial advisor with Ausdal Financial Partners, Inc., holding Series 65 and Series 63 designations and bringing 11 years of industry experience. He has been with Ausdal Financial Partners since 2014 and also operates Karstenson Financial Services. In addition to his advisory role, he is an insurance sales agent focusing on life, health, and accident insurance. Ausdal Financial Partners serves individuals, trusts, estates, retirement plans, and business entities, managing approximately $3.73 billion for over 16,000 clients. The firm offers a range of services including advisor-managed accounts, separately managed accounts, unified managed accounts, retirement-plan advisory, and financial planning, with investment strategies tailored at the advisor level and accounts managed on discretionary or non-discretionary bases.

June Dinardo is a financial advisor with Arkadios Wealth Advisors in Barrington, IL, holding Series 63 and Series 65 designations and 16 years of industry experience. She has worked at Arkadios Capital since 2024 and Wayne Hummer Investments since 2008. Arkadios Wealth Advisors provides investment and wealth management services to individuals, trusts, businesses, and retirement plans using a combination of advisor-managed accounts, a wrap program, third-party money managers, and financial planning. The firm supports discretionary account management through its internal portfolio team and employs fundamental, technical, and cyclical analysis in its investment approach.

John Fisher is a financial advisor with Alera Investment Advisors, LLC, holding the CFP® and Series 66 designations and bringing 15 years of industry experience. His career includes roles at OSAIC, Triad Advisors, Minnesota Life Insurance Company, and Securian Financial Services. He is also involved with GCG Financial, providing fixed insurance products to clients. Alera Investment Advisors, LLC offers investment management, financial planning, and retirement plan advisory services to individuals, families, trusts, businesses, institutions, and retirement plans. The firm uses a combination of internal management, affiliate platforms, and independent managers to construct portfolios focused on mutual funds, ETFs, equities, and fixed income with a long-term approach.

Kenneth Loebel is a financial advisor with Madison Avenue Securities, LLC, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and bringing 29 years of industry experience. He has been with Madison Avenue Securities since 2013. Outside of his advisory role, he serves as an adjunct faculty instructor at Judson University and performs as a keyboardist and musician. Madison Avenue Securities provides investment advisory and related services to individual clients, charitable institutions, foundations, trusts, and employer-sponsored retirement plans. The firm manages approximately $2.0 billion in assets and offers a variety of portfolio management, financial planning, and consulting services through a broad network of investment adviser representatives.

David Bossov is a financial advisor at Quartz Partners Investment Management with 15 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and has worked previously at Fifth Third Bank, Fifth Third Securities, Wells Fargo Clearing, and Morgan Stanley in various capacities. Quartz Partners serves individual investors, retirement plans, institutions, and financial intermediaries by providing model-based investment management through separately managed accounts, model portfolios, and advisory services. The firm combines top-down macro analysis with bottom-up stock selection and offers discretionary portfolio management monitored by an investment committee.

Andrew Mitchell is a financial advisor at Sound Income Strategies, LLC with five years of industry experience. He holds Series 65 and Series 63 licenses and previously worked at Charles Schwab and TD Ameritrade. Outside of his advisory role, he is involved with Crystal Lake Tax and Finance, where he provides investment advisory and fixed insurance services. Sound Income Strategies is a fee-based investment adviser serving individuals, corporate and pension clients, registered advisors, and retirement plans. The firm focuses on fixed-income and income-oriented strategies, offering customized portfolios and co-/sub-advisory services, while also providing insurance planning and educational workshops through affiliated entities.

Matthew Reinhardt is a CFA® charterholder affiliated with Merit Financial Advisors in Mount Prospect, IL. He has prior experience at Biggs Mansion, CIBC Private Wealth, CIBC Bank USA, and DePaul University Athletics. Reinhardt joined Merit Financial Advisors in 2026. Merit Financial Advisors is a multi-team registered investment adviser with 264 advisors serving approximately 20,040 clients across 66 offices and managing about $23.9 billion in client assets. The firm offers coordinated wealth-management services focused on long-term, diversified portfolios supported by an internal Investment Management team and customizable investment models.

Ryan Birch is a CFP® professional with 24 years of industry experience. He has been with Kingsview Wealth Management, LLC and Kingsview Partners, LLC since 2025, following a 23-year tenure at Edward Jones. Kingsview Wealth Management serves a diverse client base including individuals, retirement plans, trusts, foundations, and corporate entities, providing wealth management, financial planning, and asset management through a network of Investment Adviser Representatives and an internal portfolio group. The firm offers tailored portfolio management, model strategies, and access to third-party managers and alternative investments.

Daniel Smyczynski is a CFP®-certified financial advisor with Ausdal Financial Partners, Inc. in Arlington Heights, IL, and has 43 years of industry experience. He has been with Ausdal since 2009. Outside of his advisory role, he is also involved in the sale of insurance products. Ausdal Financial Partners is an SEC-registered investment adviser and FINRA-member broker-dealer managing approximately $2.13 billion in client assets through a network of 152 advisors. The firm serves individuals, trusts, corporations, pension plans, and charitable organizations, offering a range of advisory programs and brokerage services that include investment management, retirement planning, and insurance products.

Ross Cohen is a CFP® with 12 years of industry experience. He currently serves at Ritholtz Wealth Management and Bartlett Wealth Management, having also worked at Ausdal Financial Partners, Nadler Financial Group, and B.C. Ziegler and Company. Ritholtz Wealth Management serves individual, high-net-worth, and institutional clients through comprehensive portfolio management, financial planning, and retirement plan consulting. The firm employs a goal-based investment process that incorporates asset allocation and behavioral finance, using diversified, low-cost ETFs alongside tactical overlays and alternative investments where appropriate, and offers both advisor-led and digital platforms for portfolio management.

Linda Diebold is a Series 65-licensed financial advisor with Avantax Planning Partners, Inc. in Bloomingdale, IL, where she has worked for 27 years. Her industry experience spans 34 years, including roles at Honkamp Krueger Financial Services and her own firm, Diebold & Associates. Avantax Planning Partners, Inc. provides portfolio management, financial planning, and managed retirement plan services to individuals, charitable organizations, and businesses. The firm utilizes style allocation models overseen by an investment advisory committee and offers tax-intelligent strategies, working primarily through a network of CPA firms and registered Advisor Representatives.

Benjamin Carlson is a financial advisor at Arete Wealth Advisors, LLC with 23 years of industry experience. He holds the Series 66 designation and has worked previously at Brighthouse Securities, LLC and METLIFE Investors Distribution Company. Outside of his advisory role, Carlson serves as an alpine ski coach during the winter months. Arete Wealth Advisors provides investment advisory and financial planning services to a diverse client base, including individuals, pension and profit-sharing plans, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, and other business entities. The firm manages assets primarily on a discretionary basis, using both advisor-driven and proprietary rule-based model allocations, and integrates its services with affiliated financial businesses and product channels.

Eric Mesko is a financial advisor with VestGen Advisors, LLC, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and bringing 22 years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at Triad Advisors, LPL Financial, and Waddell & Reed. He serves on the board of Bartlett Learning Centers, a school for children with mental challenges. VestGen Advisors, LLC is a multi-team registered investment adviser managing approximately $3.47 billion for over 9,400 clients. The firm serves individual and high-net-worth clients, offering discretionary and non-discretionary investment management, financial planning, and retirement plan services, utilizing a blend of analytical approaches and third-party managers.

Jaime Herrera is a financial advisor at Alera Investment Advisors, LLC with 10 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and has worked at firms including JP Morgan Securities LLC and B. Riley Wealth Management. Herrera currently serves as a senior investment service coordinator within the Alera Group. Alera Investment Advisors, LLC provides investment management, financial planning, and retirement plan advisory services to individuals, families, trusts, businesses, institutions, and retirement plans. The firm offers discretionary portfolio management and ERISA-focused plan services, utilizing a combination of internal management, affiliate platforms, and independent managers with a long-term investment orientation.

James Barnash is a CFP® with over 31 years of industry experience, currently serving at Invst, LLC since 2025. His prior roles include positions at Ns Capital, LLC and several other advisory and tax-related firms. Outside of his advisory work, he has been involved in tax accounting and insurance services since 1988. Invst, LLC provides financial planning, consulting, investment management, and retirement plan services to individuals, including high-net-worth clients, as well as pension and profit-sharing plans. The firm manages approximately $1.565 billion in assets and employs a multi-disciplinary investment approach that combines fundamental, technical, and cyclical analysis.

Alex Schoenbrun is a financial advisor with Lifemark Securities Corp. and holds a Series 66 designation. He has 2 years of industry experience and has been with Lifemark Securities since 2013. In addition to his advisory role, he is also involved with Midwest Benefit Consultants, Ltd., where he works as an independent insurance agent and pension administrator, focusing on life, disability, long-term care, and group insurance, as well as fixed annuities and 401(k) profit-sharing plan design and servicing. Lifemark Securities Corp. provides fee-based investment advisory and financial planning services primarily to individual investors and retirement plan sponsors. The firm offers customized investment solutions including Unified Managed Accounts, Separately Managed Accounts, and other portfolio management programs, with a suitability-driven approach and accounts managed on either a discretionary or non-discretionary basis.

Stanley Nieminski is a financial advisor at Fortis Capital Advisors, LLC with 35 years of industry experience. He holds the CFP® and PFS™ designations and has worked at firms including Clearpath Financial LLC and Cetera. In addition to his advisory role, he is president of a mortgage brokerage and provides tax and accounting services through his CPA firm. Fortis Capital Advisors offers investment advisory and financial planning services to individuals, trusts, businesses, and institutional clients. The firm focuses on customized portfolio construction and ongoing monitoring, employing a range of strategies including passive, active, tactical, blended, and ESG-integrated approaches.