Mark Hughes is a financial advisor with Principal Financial Services in Downers Grove, IL, holding the ChFC® designation along with Series 63 and Series 65 licenses. He has 38 years of industry experience, including roles at Hughes Financial since 2000 and positions at Principal Life Insurance Company and Principal Securities INC dating back to the late 1980s. In addition to advisory services, he is involved in selling and servicing fixed life, fixed annuities, and health insurance products through an outside insurance business. Principal Securities provides brokerage and registered investment advisory services to a diverse client base, including individual investors, retirement plans, trusts, businesses, and active-duty military personnel overseas. The firm offers financial planning, retirement consulting, and access to third-party money manager solutions through various advisory and promoter arrangements.

Pavel Yurevich is a CFP® professional at PNC Wealth Management with eight years of industry experience. He has previously worked at Fidelity Investments, Bank of America, Merrill Lynch, and Capital One. Outside of his advisory role, Pavel is an owner and operator of residential rental properties. PNC Wealth Management offers retail brokerage and advisory services through model-based programs, including an online discretionary model account available by invitation to employees. The firm employs algorithm-driven risk assessments and external portfolio delegates, focusing on mutual funds and ETFs with annual rebalancing.

Scott Biestek is a financial advisor with Commonwealth Financial Network in Palatine, IL, holding Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and 15 years of industry experience. He has worked at Commonwealth since 2010 and also operates The Law Office of Scott A. Biestek, J.D., where he serves as an attorney and owner. Commonwealth Financial Network is a registered investment adviser supporting a national network of approximately 2,950 advisors with a variety of advisory programs and services. The firm provides operational, trading, technology, investment management, compliance, and practice-management support while advisors maintain discretion in portfolio construction.

Brian Rapacki is a financial advisor with TIAA-CREF in Wheaton, IL, holding Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and having 19 years of industry experience. He has been with TIAA-CREF since 2015. TIAA-CREF Individual & Institutional Services, LLC’s Advice & Planning Services division offers financial planning and discretionary managed account programs to individuals and various entities, often serving clients connected through TIAA-administered retirement plans. The firm operates a fiduciary advisory model with a mix of model and customized portfolios and acts as adviser to a donor-advised fund.

Michael Warren is a CFP®-designated financial advisor with Commonwealth Financial Network, based in Lombard, IL, with 39 years of industry experience. He has been affiliated with Commonwealth and Garrett Consulting since 2008 and has been self-employed since 1985. His additional business activity includes work in fixed insurance. Commonwealth Financial Network is a dual-registered broker/dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser serving a national network of approximately 2,900 advisors and managing around $212.7 billion in client assets. The firm provides a comprehensive adviser-support platform, including managed-account programs, third-party asset manager access, and custody services.

Robert Blanford is a financial advisor with Commonwealth Financial Network in Lombard, IL, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and five years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at Garrett Consulting, Rockstar Rodeo, and The Clubhouse. Outside of finance, he is also a musical performer. Commonwealth Financial Network is a dual-registered broker/dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser serving a national network of nearly 2,900 advisors and managing approximately $213 billion in client assets. The firm provides a comprehensive adviser-support platform with discretionary and nondiscretionary managed-account programs, third-party asset manager access, and custodial services.

Christopher Karam is a financial advisor with Independent Financial Partners, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and bringing 18 years of industry experience. He has worked at Independent Financial Partners since 2011 and previously held roles at LPL Financial and Sheridan Road Financial, LLC. Outside of his advisory work, Karam serves as a Supervisor for Cuba Township in Barrington, Illinois, overseeing its operations and finances. Independent Financial Partners offers investment advisory, financial planning, trust, and retirement-plan services through a nationwide network of independent representatives. The firm supports a multi-advisor platform with over $12.5 billion in assets under management and provides specialized retirement-plan advisory and pension consulting services.

Jordan Flowers is a Series 65-registered advisor with Brookstone Capital Management LLC in Wheaton, IL, where he has worked for 10 years. He has a decade of industry experience and maintains a licensed insurance agent role, offering life insurance and annuities through Wealth Financial Services & Tax Advisory. Brookstone Capital Management provides fee-based asset management and financial planning services to individuals, retirement plans, corporations, trusts, and other entities. The firm employs a range of investment strategies including strategic and dynamic asset allocation models, Unified Managed Accounts, and options-enhanced strategies, supported by proprietary funds and external sub-advisors.

Kyle Odeshoo is a financial advisor at CWM, LLC with a Series 65 credential. He has been in the industry since 2026, with prior experience at Carson Wealth and March McLennan Agency. CWM, LLC is an SEC-registered investment adviser serving individuals, high-net-worth families, foundations, endowments, corporations, and institutional clients through a network of partner offices and more than 600 advisors. The firm manages discretionary accounts using model portfolios overseen by an in-house Investment Committee and offers a range of services including portfolio management, financial planning, and retirement-plan solutions.

Tyler Glover is a CFA® charterholder with 17 years of industry experience, currently serving as a financial advisor at William Blair since 2014. He holds the Series 63 designation and is based in Geneva, Illinois. William Blair’s Private Wealth Management division offers discretionary and non-discretionary investment management, financial planning, and wealth services to individuals, foundations, pension, and corporate clients. The firm employs an active, research-driven approach across equities, fixed income, and alternative strategies, providing proprietary models and access to private funds through its MB Investments Program.

Elise Rand is a financial advisor with Commonwealth Financial Network in Batavia, IL, holding a Series 66 designation and three years of industry experience. Her work history includes roles at Crabtree Financial Group, LLC and Melton & Associates. She also engages in fixed insurance sales as a secondary business activity. Commonwealth Financial Network serves a national network of approximately 2,950 advisors, providing a range of advisory programs, technology, and operational support. The firm offers discretionary model portfolios and various program structures, supporting advisors who deliver customized investment solutions under Commonwealth’s supervision.

Peter Conway is a financial advisor with Brookstone Capital Management LLC in Buffalo Grove, IL, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and bringing 22 years of industry experience. He has worked at Brookstone since 2017 and has been president and owner of Conway Tax Advisors since 2005, where he is involved in insurance and annuity sales as well as tax preparation through a co-owned tax advisory firm. Brookstone Capital Management is an SEC-registered adviser that provides fee-based asset management and financial planning through a turnkey asset management platform and wrap-fee programs. The firm serves a diverse client base, including individuals, retirement plans, corporations, charitable organizations, other RIAs, sovereign wealth funds, and banking institutions, offering primarily discretionary investment management across various strategies and model portfolios.

Sharon Zumstein is a financial advisor with Empower Advisory Group holding a Series 66 designation and six years of industry experience. Her prior roles include positions at Fidelity Investments, Bank of America, Merrill, and TD Ameritrade. Outside of financial advising, she is an independent contractor at Century 21, holding an Illinois real estate license. Empower Advisory Group provides financial planning and investment management primarily to employer-sponsored retirement plan sponsors and their participants, as well as Empower Premier IRA and retail brokerage clients. The firm emphasizes long-term portfolio returns through integrated services tied to Empower’s administrative platforms.

Courtney Bonstrom is a Series 65-licensed advisor with Brookstone Capital Management LLC, based in Wheaton, IL, and has 15 years of industry experience. She has been with Brookstone Capital Management since 2011. Outside of her advisory role, she serves as an adjunct professor at Aurora University in a part-time, non-investment-related capacity. Brookstone Capital Management provides fee-based asset management and financial planning for a diverse client base, including individuals, retirement plans, corporations, and trusts. The firm employs a range of strategic and dynamic asset-allocation models and offers discretionary portfolio management through various programs and sub-advisory relationships.

David Mcfeggan Jr. is a financial advisor with NewEdge Advisors, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and bringing 26 years of industry experience. He has worked with LPL Financial since 2006 and joined NewEdge Advisors in 2023. In addition to his advisory work, he is involved in tax preparation and bookkeeping through Midwest Small Business Accounting and manages Midwest Insurance Partners, which offers property, casualty, and non-variable insurance. NewEdge Advisors serves a diverse client base including individuals, trusts, pension plans, corporations, and charitable organizations. The firm offers discretionary and non-discretionary portfolio management through a wrap fee program, employing asset allocation across mutual funds, ETFs, and individual securities with regular portfolio reviews and rebalancing.

James Follstad is a financial advisor with Principal Financial Services in Downers Grove, IL, holding a Series 66 designation and 18 years of industry experience. His prior work includes roles at Union Financial Inc., Washington Avenue Advisors, The Centennial Group, and Principal Life Insurance Co. He is involved in outside business activities related to group benefits and fixed insurance products. Principal Securities provides brokerage and registered investment advisory services to a diverse client base, including individual investors, retirement plans, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, corporations, and active-duty U.S. military personnel abroad. The firm offers financial planning, retirement plan consulting, and access to third-party money managers through various advisory and promoter arrangements.

Joseph Daly is a financial advisor at Brookstone Capital Management LLC with 17 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and previously worked at Red Hawk Advisors, Inc. and Brookstone Capital Management. Daly is also president of OMH Partner Group, where he provides financial aid and retirement planning services outside of securities trading hours. Brookstone Capital Management is an SEC-registered adviser offering fee-based asset management and financial planning through a turnkey asset management platform and wrap-fee program. The firm serves a diverse client base, including individuals, retirement plans, corporations, charitable organizations, other RIAs, sovereign wealth funds, and banking institutions, delivering investment management primarily on a discretionary basis via various model portfolios and managed accounts.

Mara Lombardi is a financial advisor at Benjamin F. Edwards & Company, Inc. with three years of industry experience. She holds the Series 66 designation and has worked at Benjamin F. Edwards since 2018. Her prior roles include positions at Hope International and the Council for Christian Colleges & Universities. Benjamin F. Edwards & Company provides investment advice and related services to a wide range of clients, including individuals, retirement plans, trusts, estates, and corporations. The firm offers both model-based and customized investment strategies and combines brokerage, trading, and advisory services through an integrated platform.

Marcia Gregory is a financial advisor with Benjamin F. Edwards & Company, Inc. She holds a Series 66 designation and has 22 years of industry experience. Prior to joining Benjamin F. Edwards in 2018, she worked at Wells Fargo Clearing and Wells Fargo Advisors LLC. Gregory serves as a trustee for family investment matters. Benjamin F. Edwards & Company is an SEC-registered investment adviser and broker-dealer with approximately 436 advisors managing around $15.7 billion in client assets. The firm serves individuals, corporations, retirement plans, trusts, foundations, and nonprofit organizations, offering a range of advisory programs and investment strategies that include both firm-developed and third-party models with periodic strategic reviews.

Allison Swanson is a financial advisor at Creative Planning with one year of industry experience. She holds the ChFC® and Series 63 designations. Prior to joining Creative Planning, she worked at Sageview Advisory Group and Cetera Wealth Services, LLC. Outside of financial advising, she provides private softball pitching lessons through her business, Coach A Softball Stars. Creative Planning provides wealth management, financial planning, and retirement-plan advisory services to a diverse client base, including high-net-worth individuals, pension plans, and corporations. The firm employs a financial-planning-led approach that integrates low-cost indexing, tax-loss harvesting, and selective private market exposure.