Brian Carlson is a CFP® with 22 years of industry experience, currently serving as Senior Vice President at Alera Investment Advisors, LLC. His prior experience includes roles at Securian Financial Services, Minnesota Life Insurance Company, and Triad Advisors, Inc. He is also a board member and grade director for the Arlington Heights Youth Basketball Association, a local nonprofit organization. Alera Investment Advisors, LLC provides investment management, financial planning, and retirement plan advisory services to individuals, families, businesses, and institutions. The firm employs a long-term investment approach using internal management, affiliate platforms, and independent managers, and offers comprehensive ERISA-focused services for retirement plans.

Brendan Donlevy is a financial advisor at VestGen Advisors, LLC with three years of industry experience. He holds a Series 66 designation and has worked at several firms, including Triad Advisors, Northwestern Mutual, and Capital Forensics Inc. Brendan is based in Chicago, IL. VestGen Advisors, LLC is a multi-team registered investment adviser managing approximately $3.47 billion for about 9,453 clients. The firm serves individual and high-net-worth clients with discretionary and non-discretionary investment management, financial planning, wrap-fee programs, and retirement plan services. Their approach integrates client-specific goal setting with various analytical methods and may include third-party managers or affiliate strategies.

Jessica Nieminski is an investment advisor representative at Fortis Capital Advisors, LLC with 13 years of industry experience. She has held positions at multiple firms, including Cetera and Network 1 Financial Securities, and operates ClearPath Financial LLC, a financial services DBA. Nieminski also sells health, life, property, and casualty insurance through ClearPath Financial Insurance, LLC. Fortis Capital Advisors serves individuals, families, businesses, retirement plans, institutional clients, and other advisers with portfolio management, financial planning, and retirement-plan consulting. The firm employs a range of investment strategies, including discretionary management and ESG options, and manages over $1.6 billion in discretionary assets.

Daniel Zolet is a CFA® charterholder with eight years at Riverfront Investment Group, LLC and four years of overall industry experience. Prior to joining Riverfront in 2018, he worked at IBM and spent time with Extended Travel. Riverfront Investment Group provides discretionary portfolio management and model-based investment solutions primarily to individual investors, as well as trusts, pension, and institutional clients. The firm operates a multi-advisor platform and employs a “Price Matters” investment approach that combines strategic and tactical asset allocation with security selection and risk management.

John Kwasigroch is a financial advisor at Alera Investment Advisors, LLC with 31 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and has worked at firms including Securian Financial Services, Inc. and Triad Advisors, Inc. He is also involved with GCG Financial, providing fixed insurance products and investment advisory services. Alera Investment Advisors offers investment management, financial planning, and retirement plan advisory services to individuals, families, businesses, and institutions. The firm combines internal management with affiliate and independent managers, focusing on long-term allocations to mutual funds, ETFs, equities, and fixed income, while providing ERISA-related services for retirement plans.

Daniel Zarzynski is a CFP® and holds a Series 65 license, currently serving as a financial advisor at Robertson Stephens. He has one year of industry experience, with prior roles at CAFG Wealth Management, Camping World, Brunswick Corporation, and CBS Radio. Robertson Stephens Wealth Management provides investment advisory services to individuals, families, trusts, estates, family offices, charitable organizations, and retirement plans. The firm combines individualized advice with centrally developed model portfolios and oversight, managing over $7 billion in client assets as of December 31, 2024.

Carlos Coutinho Maia is a financial advisor at Navy Federal Investment Services, LLC with five years of industry experience. He holds the Series 66 designation and has previously worked at firms including JP Morgan Securities, Equitable Advisors, Prudential Insurance Company of America, and Edward Jones. Outside of finance, he was involved in operating Carambola Gelato and Coffee Shop LLC for two years. Navy Federal Investment Services primarily serves members of Navy Federal Credit Union, individual investors, and trusts, offering portfolio management, financial planning, and retirement-plan fiduciary services. The firm utilizes model portfolios managed by third-party advisers on platforms such as Envestnet, providing account monitoring, rebalancing, and optional tax and impact overlay services.

Kevin Geiger is a financial advisor at Blackridge Asset Management, LLC with 16 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has worked with firms including Retirement Wealth Advisors, Alchemy Advisors, and LPL Financial. Geiger also operates Geiger Investments, a separate investment-related business. Blackridge Asset Management is a multi-advisor firm serving individuals, trusts, retirement plans, charitable organizations, and small businesses. The firm provides financial planning and portfolio management services, employing a structured investment process that combines client input with third-party and advisor-created model portfolios, and offers sub-advisory services to unaffiliated registered investment advisers.

Allison Tregoning is a financial advisor at Gladstone Wealth Partners with eight years of industry experience. She holds the Series 66 designation and has worked at firms including LPL Financial, Cetera Financial Specialists LLC, and Wells Fargo Clearing Services LLC. Prior to her advisory career, she was employed at Azzip Pizza and the University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign. Gladstone Wealth Partners serves a diverse client base including individuals, high-net-worth investors, corporations, and charitable organizations, offering investment management, financial planning, and retirement-plan consulting. The firm operates through a network of independent advisers who tailor strategies using discretionary management, third-party managers, and model portfolios, and also provides ERISA-related services for qualified plans.

Robert Peterson is a financial advisor at Crescent Grove Advisors with 23 years of industry experience. He holds a Series 66 designation and has worked at Crescent Grove Advisors since 2018, following a 17-year tenure at Ayco/Goldman Sachs. Crescent Grove Advisors serves individuals, high-net-worth families, family offices, and institutional clients, providing integrated wealth management, family office services, OCIO solutions, and portfolio advisory. The firm manages approximately $5 billion in assets and employs a customized investment process that combines long-term strategic allocations with tactical adjustments, supported by an investment committee and access to a broad range of investment options.

Paul Kaczmarczyk is a financial advisor with World Equity Group, Inc. in Schaumburg, Illinois. He holds a Series 66 designation and has 19 years of industry experience. He has been with World Equity Group since 2010 and also worked at VestGen Advisors, LLC. Outside of advising, he serves as treasurer for the Schaumburg Athletic Association United Soccer Club, a nonprofit youth soccer organization. World Equity Group provides fee-based investment advisory and financial planning services to individuals, pension plans, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, and businesses. The firm offers managed portfolios through wrap-fee programs and uses a risk-tolerance questionnaire to guide asset allocation, with discretionary authority granted to third-party managers and investment adviser representatives.

Michael Manno is a financial advisor with WORLD EQUITY GROUP, Inc. in Schaumburg, IL, holding Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and bringing 42 years of industry experience. He has been with World Equity Group since 2003. WORLD EQUITY GROUP, Inc. offers fee-based investment advisory and financial planning services to a broad client base including individuals, pension and profit-sharing plans, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, and businesses. The firm provides managed portfolios through its Adhesion Money Management wrap-fee program and related advisory services, utilizing risk-tolerance questionnaires and third-party discretionary money managers.

Gary Richards is a CFP® professional with over 31 years of experience in the financial industry. He has been with World Equity Group, Inc. since 1994. Outside of his advisory role, Richards is involved in the sale of fixed life insurance and annuities. World Equity Group serves individual and high-net-worth clients, business entities, non-profit organizations, and financial institutions, offering a range of investment advisory and brokerage services. The firm employs both model-based and customized investment approaches and manages approximately $945 million in assets.

Luke Hofsommer is a financial advisor at LaSalle St. Investment Advisors, L.L.C. with 11 years of industry experience. He holds a Series 66 designation and has worked at LaSalle St. Securities LLC and Raymond James Financial Services. LaSalle St. Investment Advisors provides fee-based financial planning and investment supervisory services to individuals, trusts, estates, pension and profit-sharing plans, charitable organizations, and small businesses. The firm offers both non-discretionary and discretionary investment approaches and manages a predominance of non-discretionary assets through a variety of programs and third-party manager relationships.

Benjamin Heizer is a Series 65-licensed financial advisor with Foundations Investment Advisors LLC, based in Lincolnshire, IL. He has three years of industry experience and has been with Foundations since 2022. Prior to this, he was the principal and owner of Thrive Wealth Group (formerly Heizer Financial Group, Inc.) where he provided insurance and retirement planning services. Foundations Investment Advisors is a multi-advisor registered investment adviser managing approximately $10.1 billion for over 29,000 clients. The firm supports individuals, trusts, estates, and registered investment companies through locally based advisers who offer customized portfolio management and financial planning services.

Robert Davit is a financial advisor with Gladstone Wealth Partners in Schaumburg, IL, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and bringing 32 years of industry experience. He previously worked at UBS Financial Services for 12 years and has been with Gladstone Wealth Partners and LPL Financial since 2021. Gladstone Wealth Partners offers investment management, financial planning, and retirement-plan consulting to a diverse client base including individuals, corporations, pension and profit-sharing plans, and charitable organizations. The firm operates through a network of independent advisers who utilize discretionary portfolio management, third-party managers, and technology solutions to service client needs, including qualified plan advisory roles under ERISA.

Lissette Strefner is a financial advisor at World Equity Group, Inc. with 23 years of industry experience. She holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has worked at World Equity Group since 2015. Prior to that, she has been associated with AIG American General Life Insurance Company since 2002. Outside of her advisory role, she engages in reselling used clothing as a hobby. World Equity Group provides investment advisory and brokerage services to individual and high-net-worth clients, business entities, non-profit organizations, and financial institutions. The firm offers a range of portfolio management and financial planning services, utilizing both model-based and customized investment approaches.

Zachary Lansburgh is a Wealth Advisor at Alera Investment Advisors, LLC with two years of industry experience. He holds a Series 66 designation and has worked at OSAIC, Alera Group, and Triad Advisors. 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, planning, consulting, and ERISA-focused plan services with a long-term investment approach utilizing mutual funds, ETFs, individual equities, and fixed income.

Glenn Hansen is a financial advisor with Advisory Alpha, LLC, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and bringing 10 years of industry experience. He has worked at Advisory Alpha and Hansen Financial Management since 2020 and previously spent seven years at Noble Marketing. Outside of his advisory roles, Hansen is a licensed insurance agent engaged in insurance and annuity sales. Advisory Alpha serves a diverse retail client base, including individual and high-net-worth investors, offering portfolio management, financial planning, and specialty solutions such as retirement plan services and donor-advised funds. The firm also provides subadvisory and co-advisory services to other registered investment advisors and manages a broad range of managed portfolio strategies.

Zak Sandeman is a financial advisor at LaSalle St. Investment Advisors, L.L.C., holding a Series 66 designation. He has worked at LaSalle St. Securities, LLC since 2017 and has prior experience at VillageMD and Oranj. LaSalle St. Investment Advisors provides fee-based financial planning and investment supervisory services to individuals, trusts, estates, pension plans, charitable organizations, and small businesses. The firm offers both non-discretionary and discretionary management programs, utilizing a mix of mutual funds, ETFs, equities, fixed income, and options, with a notable emphasis on non-discretionary asset management.