Christopher Burke is a financial advisor with Apollon Wealth Management, LLC, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and 20 years of industry experience. He previously worked at Podesta Capital Advisors, Podesta & Co., and J.P. Morgan Securities. Outside of Apollon, he serves as Managing Partner at Podesta Capital Advisors (PCA), LLC. Apollon Wealth Management is a multi-team SEC-registered adviser managing approximately $11.56 billion in assets through a network of 145 advisors. The firm serves individuals, families, family offices, trusts, businesses, and other entities, employing a combination of fundamental analysis, tactical allocations, ESG models, and technology tools within a hybrid investment approach that includes pooled vehicles, sub-advisory services, and portfolio management for insurance-dedicated funds.

Stephen Meskan is a financial advisor at CL Wealth Management LLC with 36 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and has held roles at several firms including Purshe Kaplan Sterling Investments, Feltl & Company, and B. Riley Wealth Management. He also serves as president of Meskan Capital, where he educates clients on the merits of 1031 exchanges. CL Wealth Management LLC provides portfolio advisory and financial planning services to a diverse client base including individuals, pension plans, trusts, and charitable organizations. The firm employs both discretionary and non-discretionary management strategies, utilizing fundamental and technical analysis, model portfolios, and a range of mutual funds and ETFs.

Philip Telpner is an investment advisor representative with Lifeworks Advisors, LLC, holding Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and bringing 24 years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at Breakout Private Wealth LLC, JPMorgan Chase & Co., and Morgan Stanley. Outside of advisory services, he is involved in insurance sales, dedicating approximately 10% of his time to this activity. Lifeworks Advisors serves individuals, charitable organizations, trusts, estates, retirement plans, and businesses with wealth management, financial planning, and portfolio management services. The firm employs a planning-based or risk-based investment approach, utilizing model strategies that combine low-cost funds, individual securities, options, and third-party managers, supported by quantitative and fundamental analysis and AI decision tools.

Brian Kearns is a CFP®-designated financial advisor with 14 years of industry experience. He is currently with Mutual Advisors, LLC, where he has worked since 2019. His prior roles include positions at Twombly Asset Management, Emberhouse, Morgan Stanley, and Mass Mutual Investors Services. Outside of advisory work, Kearns serves as Co-Chair of the Personal Financial Planning Forum for the Illinois CPA Society and is Treasurer for the Sons of the American Legion Post 42; he also leads a tax preparation service business. Mutual Advisors, LLC serves a diverse range of clients, including individual investors, trusts, retirement plan participants and sponsors, and institutional investors. The firm offers asset management and financial planning services, employing a blend of active and passive strategies tailored to client objectives, and is notable for its scale of institutional work and use of specialized platforms and third-party manager relationships.

Annirose Womack is a CFP® professional with 16 years of industry experience, currently serving with Capital Analysts. Her career includes roles at Lincoln Investment, Astraios Financial-East, LLC, and Horace Mann Investors, Inc. She is also the owner of Womack Enterprises LLC, an entity used for tax and accounting purposes. Capital Analysts provides investment management services to a diverse client base, including individual and high-net-worth investors, trusts, foundations, businesses, and charitable organizations. The firm offers portfolio management through both discretionary and non-discretionary approaches, supported by an in-house Investment Management & Research team and a proprietary mutual-fund screening process called CAPSL.

Braden Monahan is a financial advisor with Simplicity Wealth in Lincolnshire, IL, holding a Series 65 designation and two years of industry experience. He has worked at Simplicity Wealth since 2024 and previously held roles at Ehlert Financial Group and the University of Illinois. In addition to his advisory work, Monahan is a registered insurance agent and presents life insurance policies alongside his financial advisory services. Simplicity Wealth serves a diverse clientele including individual and high-net-worth investors, retirement plans, corporate and institutional investors, and other financial firms. The firm employs a fund-of-funds investment approach using ETFs, mutual funds, and individual securities, offering model portfolios and discretionary management combined with technology and operational support for other advisers.

Christa Madison is a CFP® with two years of industry experience, currently serving as a financial advisor at Ascentis Independent Advisors, LLC. Her prior experience includes roles at Curi RMB Capital, Sebold Capital Management, Americana Financial Group, MML Investors Services, Inc., and MassMutual Financial Group. Outside of financial advising, she is involved in officiating soccer matches and participates in a family-run craft business, Loom Designs. Ascentis Independent Advisors serves individuals, high-net-worth clients, trusts, estates, and various business entities by providing comprehensive portfolio management, financial planning, and retirement consulting. The firm employs a combination of discretionary management, third-party managers, and platform solutions, including a Private Direct Investments program, to tailor investment strategies to client objectives.

Michael Kreusch is a CFA® charterholder with seven years of industry experience. He is affiliated with First Advisors National, LLC and has held positions at Asylum Trading LLC, TD Ameritrade, Marquette Partners, and Celtic Trading LLC. First Advisors National provides investment management and retirement plan consulting primarily to individual clients, including ERISA plan participants, utilizing third-party money managers alongside advice on individual equities, ETFs, and mutual funds. The firm emphasizes tactical and strategic asset allocation through discretionary portfolio management and formal annual reviews.

Clay Hessel is a financial advisor at Alera Investment Advisors, LLC with 31 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has worked at firms including Securian Financial Services, Minnesota Life, Triad Advisors, and GCG Financial. He is also involved in providing life insurance and protection solutions to clients. Alera Investment Advisors, LLC offers investment management, financial planning, and retirement plan advisory services to individuals, families, businesses, and institutions. The firm employs a long-term, fundamentally driven investment approach and serves both retail investors and plan sponsors with discretionary portfolio management and ERISA-focused plan services.

Mary Ehlert is a CFP® professional with 28 years of experience in the financial industry, currently affiliated with Simplicity Wealth. She has held roles at Forum Financial Management and founded Ehlert Financial Group. Ehlert is involved in several nonprofit and advocacy organizations focused on disabilities and special needs, including serving as CEO of Protected Tomorrows Inc. and participating on the boards of multiple related charities. Simplicity Wealth serves a diverse client base, including individual investors, retirement plans, and institutional clients. The firm employs a fund-of-funds investment approach primarily using ETFs and mutual funds, and offers technology and operational services to other advisers alongside its advisory solutions.

Stephen Dudas is a financial advisor at World Equity Group, Inc. with 21 years of industry experience. He holds the Series 66 designation and has previously worked at firms including Insigneo Advisory Services, Securities America Advisors, and Triad Advisors. World Equity Group, Inc. provides fee-based investment advisory and financial planning services to individuals, pension and profit-sharing plans, trusts, estates, and business entities. The firm offers managed portfolios through its wrap-fee program, combining discretionary portfolio management with access to third-party money managers.

Nicholas Rossetti is a CFP® and Series 66 registered advisor with Merit Financial Advisors, based in Deerfield, IL, and has four years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at Great Lakes Advisors, Wintrust Investments, Northern Trust Corporation, and The Pinnacle Financial Group. Merit Financial Advisors is a multi-team SEC-registered firm serving individual investors, employer-sponsored retirement plans, ESOPs, and other institutional clients. The firm employs a long-term, diversified investment approach with centrally managed portfolios overseen by an internal team, while offering customizable options through a network of investment adviser representatives.

Eric Rosenbloom is a Senior Vice President at Alera Investment Advisors, LLC with 23 years of industry experience. He holds the ChFC® and Series 66 credentials. His prior experience includes roles at Securian Financial Services Inc., Minnesota Life, Triad Advisors, Inc., and GCG Financial, where he continues to serve as a financial advisor. Rosenbloom is also involved in life settlements through the Ashar Group. Alera Investment Advisors, LLC provides investment management, financial planning, and retirement plan advisory services to a diverse client base including individuals, families, trusts, businesses, and institutions. The firm employs a long-term, fundamental analysis-driven investment approach utilizing mutual funds, ETFs, equities, and fixed income, and offers ERISA-focused services for retirement plans.

Arthur Pedgrift III is a financial advisor with Ausdal Financial Partners, Inc., holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and bringing 32 years of industry experience. He has been with Ausdal since 2009 and is also associated with Choices Brokerage since 1997. In addition to his advisory work, he is a self-employed insurance agent focusing on life, health, disability insurance, and fixed annuities. 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 offers investment advisory programs, retirement plan services, and financial planning to individuals, trusts, corporations, pension plans, and charitable organizations, with a range of investment strategies implemented on both discretionary and non-discretionary bases.

Todd Balber is a CFP® with over 31 years of experience in financial advisory services. He has been with World Equity Group, Inc. since 1997. Outside of his primary role, he is a co-owner and partner of B&R Financial, LLC, which provides financial planning and investment advisory services along with insurance products. World Equity Group, Inc. offers fee-based investment advisory and financial planning services to a diverse client base, including individuals, pension plans, trusts, and corporations. The firm employs a risk-tolerance questionnaire to guide asset allocation and utilizes discretionary authority granted to third-party managers and representatives for portfolio management.

Steven Nivens is a CFP® professional with 37 years of experience in the financial services industry. He has been with Ausdal Financial Partners, Inc. since 2011. In addition to his advisory role, he is involved in outside insurance sales, including fixed life, health, and disability insurance, and provides referrals for Medicare and travel 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 offers investment advisory programs, retirement plan services, and financial planning to individuals, trusts, corporations, pension plans, and charitable organizations, utilizing both discretionary and non-discretionary strategies across a range of investment products.

Robert Cheney is a financial advisor at Diversify Advisory Services, LLC with 27 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 designations and has worked at firms including DFPG Investments, Inc., First Allied Advisory Services, Inc., and Greenbook Investment Management, Inc. He also serves on the Board of Governors for the Lowe Institute of Political Economy, a nonprofit research institute. Diversify Advisory Services is an SEC-registered adviser serving individuals, corporations, retirement plans, trusts, foundations, and small business owners. The firm employs a tactical diversification and individualized asset allocation approach, offering a variety of portfolio management options and financial planning services tailored to client goals and risk tolerance.

Christopher Jauch is a financial advisor at Crescent Grove Advisors with 19 years of industry experience. He holds the Series 66 designation and has been with Crescent Grove Advisors since 2015. Crescent Grove Advisors serves individuals, high-net-worth families, family offices, and institutional clients by providing integrated wealth management, family office services, outsourced chief investment officer solutions, and portfolio advisory across discretionary and non-discretionary mandates. The firm manages approximately $5 billion in client assets and employs a customized investment process that combines long-term strategic allocations with tactical adjustments, supported by a dedicated investment committee.

Carlene Abraham is a financial advisor with Harbour Investments, Inc., holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and bringing two years of industry experience. She has previously worked at Money Concepts Capital Corp. and currently maintains roles with The Tranel Financial Group and 818 Capital Group, LLC. Outside of her primary advisory work, she has experience as an independent insurance agent. Harbour Investments serves a diverse client base including individual investors, trusts, pension and 401(k) plans, and institutional entities. The firm offers a range of portfolio management and financial planning services, utilizing various investment approaches tailored by individual advisers and approved third-party managers.

Elizabeth Watkins is a financial advisor at Crescent Grove Advisors with 32 years of industry experience. She holds the Series 66 designation and has previously worked at Stifel Nicolaus & Co Inc and Ziegler Capital Management. Crescent Grove Advisors serves individuals, high-net-worth families, family offices, and institutional clients by providing integrated wealth management, family office services, OCIO solutions, and portfolio advisory. The firm manages approximately $5 billion in client assets and employs a customized investment process combining long-term strategic allocations with shorter-term tactical adjustments.