Austin Righeimer is a CFP® and CFA® with three years of industry experience. He is currently with NorthRock Partners, LLC, where he previously worked from 2023 to 2025 and returned in 2026. His work history also includes positions at Beacon Pointe Advisors LLC, Northern Trust, Anixter, and Duff & Phelps. NorthRock Partners provides wealth management and advisory services to individuals, trusts, estates, retirement plans, charitable organizations, and business entities. The firm employs a tailored investment approach centered on asset allocation, diversification, and periodic rebalancing, integrating private market allocations and using AI-driven tools alongside human oversight.

Robert Karstenson is a financial advisor with Ausdal Financial Partners, Inc. in Palatine, IL, holding Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and 11 years of industry experience. He has been with Ausdal Financial Partners and operates Karstenson Financial Services since 2014. In addition to advisory work, he is licensed as an insurance sales agent, selling life, health, and accident insurance on a commission basis. Ausdal Financial Partners serves individuals, trusts, retirement plans, and business entities, managing approximately $3.73 billion for over 16,000 clients. The firm offers a variety of services including advisor-managed accounts, separately managed accounts, financial planning, and brokerage and insurance products, with investment strategies tailored to each client’s goals and risk profile.

June Dinardo is a financial advisor at Arkadios Wealth Advisors with 17 years of industry experience. She holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has worked at Wayne Hummer Investments since 2008 and Arkadios Capital since 2024. Arkadios Wealth Advisors is a multi-team SEC-registered firm serving individuals, trusts, businesses, corporations, and retirement plans. The firm offers customized investment plans that incorporate fundamental, technical, and cyclical analysis, using a range of internally managed and third-party solutions.

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 over 30 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 is also active as a musician, performing as a keyboardist. Madison Avenue Securities provides investment advisory and brokerage services primarily to individual and high-net-worth clients, offering a range of services including pension consulting and college-savings assistance. The firm manages approximately $2.0 billion for nearly 14,000 clients and employs a variety of portfolio management strategies through multiple platforms and third-party manager relationships.

David Bossov is a financial advisor at Quartz Partners Investment Management with 16 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 66 designations and has previously worked at Morgan Stanley, Wells Fargo Clearing Services, and Fifth Third Bank. Quartz Partners serves individual investors, retirement plans, institutions, and financial intermediaries through model-based investment management, combining top-down macro analysis with bottom-up stock selection across distinct portfolio series. The firm manages accounts on a discretionary basis and delivers models via multiple channels, supported by ongoing committee oversight.

Bruce Berman is a financial advisor with Silver Oak Securities, Inc., holding Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and bringing 44 years of industry experience. He has worked at multiple firms including Cetera Advisors LLC, Bright Futures Wealth Management, LLC, and has been associated with Lifetime Financial Group since 1997. Outside of his advisory work, he is involved with Lifetime Financial Group, an independent financial professional business. Silver Oak Securities, Inc. serves individuals, pension and profit-sharing plans, corporations, trusts, estates, and other entities through a network of over 100 financial professionals, managing approximately $2.4 billion in discretionary assets. The firm offers a range of advisory programs with a primarily discretionary investment management approach tailored to client objectives and risk tolerances.

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® with 24 years of industry experience. He joined Kingsview Wealth Management, LLC in 2025 after spending 23 years at Edward Jones. His other business activities include managing a rental property in Barrington, Illinois. Kingsview Wealth Management is a multi-advisor firm serving individuals, retirement plans, endowments, trusts, and state or municipal clients. It offers financial planning and asset management through a combination of in-house strategies, third-party managers, and alternative investments across various portfolio types.

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.

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 credentials and with 22 years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at Triad Advisors, LPL Financial, and Waddell & Reed among others. Outside of his advisory work, he serves on the Board of Directors for Bartlett Learning Centers, a school for mentally challenged children. VestGen Advisors, LLC provides investment management, financial planning, and retirement plan services to individuals, high-net-worth clients, small businesses, trusts, and pooled investment vehicles. The firm combines advisor-level client relationships with centralized portfolio construction utilizing third-party managers and home office investment strategies.

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.

Erich Fischer is a financial advisor at Harbour Investments, Inc. with eight years of industry experience. He holds a Series 66 designation and has previously worked at The Tranel Financial Group and 818 Capital Group, LLC. Fischer also has experience with a customer service and payroll company where he worked part-time. Harbour Investments serves a diverse client base including individuals, trusts, pension and 401(k) plans, and institutional entities. The firm offers portfolio management, financial planning, and various investment platforms with approaches that range from fundamental and technical analysis to modeling and macroeconomic strategies.

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.

Adam Saltzman is a CFP® with 24 years of industry experience, currently serving at Northern Trust Securities, Inc. in Skokie, IL, where he has worked since 2003. He holds a Series 63 license and has spent his entire career at Northern Trust Securities. Northern Trust Securities, Inc. is a multi-team SEC-registered investment adviser and FINRA-registered broker-dealer that provides discretionary portfolio management primarily for high-net-worth individuals, retail investors, and institutional clients. The firm uses a model-driven approach with portfolios that include proprietary and third-party funds, offering advisory, brokerage, and custody services through a wrap fee program.

Alexus Patterson is a financial advisor at William Joseph Capital Management, Inc. with Series 63 and Series 65 licenses. Patterson has prior experience at Merrill, where they worked for six years, and has been involved in the restaurant industry through roles at Greenwoods Restaurant and Lettuce Entertain You’s Big Bowl. Additionally, Patterson is associated with Unified Companies. William Joseph Capital Management, Inc. provides investment advisory and financial planning services to individuals, charitable organizations, businesses, and retirement plans. The firm integrates portfolio management with financial planning and offers ERISA plan consulting and fee-based insurance product services.

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.

Michael Gregory is a financial advisor with Advisory Solutions Group in Libertyville, Illinois, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and bringing 40 years of industry experience. His career includes roles at Wealth Enhancement Group, Gladstone Wealth Partners, J.P. Morgan Securities, UBS Financial Services, and Oppenheimer. Outside of advisory work, he serves as a FINRA arbitrator. Advisory Solutions Group serves retail clients and supports other registered investment advisory firms by providing financial planning, consulting, portfolio management, and back-office services. The firm employs a diversified investment approach incorporating quantitative, momentum, and fundamental analysis and offers both discretionary and non-discretionary strategies with regular client reviews.