Anupama Gupta Ortiz is a financial advisor with Fifth Third Securities, Inc. in Hoffman Estates, IL, holding a Series 66 designation and 25 years of industry experience. She has been with Fifth Third Securities and Fifth Third Bank since 2005. Outside of her advisory role, she is involved in cosmetic sales as an administrative assistant and participates occasionally as a mystery diner for a Chicago-based restaurant. Fifth Third Securities, Inc. provides brokerage and investment advisory services through its Passageway Managed Account Program to individuals, charitable organizations, corporate clients, and institutional investors. The firm offers multiple discretionary managed-account programs and features such as direct indexing and a tax-overlay service, operating as a wholly owned subsidiary of Fifth Third Bank.

Adam Simoncelli is a CFA® charterholder and holds a Series 65 license, with two years of industry experience. He has worked at Mariner since 2025 and previously was employed at Cerity Partners LLC, Seabold Capital Management LLC, the National Futures Association, and Northwestern Mutual. Mariner serves a wide range of clients including individuals, pension and profit-sharing plans, trusts, estates, and corporations, offering investment management, financial planning, retirement plan consulting, and coordinated tax services. The firm combines in-house research with third-party managers to implement customized discretionary portfolios and provides integrated tax and accounting services alongside traditional portfolio management.

Erin Bonucchi is a CFP® professional with six years of experience in financial advising. She has been with Mariner Wealth Advisors since 2018, following three years at Capstone Financial Advisors, Inc. Erin is based in Oakbrook Terrace, IL. Mariner serves a diverse client base, including high-net-worth individuals, pension plans, trusts, and charitable organizations, providing investment management, financial planning, retirement plan consulting, and tax services. The firm uses discretionary, customized portfolios supported by an internal investment team and third-party managers, and offers integrated tax, accounting, and family office services alongside traditional portfolio management.

John Smith is a CFP® professional with 25 years of industry experience. He has worked at Balasa Dinverno Foltz LLC for 22 years prior to his current roles at Corient and its affiliates since 2022. Corient provides investment advisory and financial planning services to a diverse client base, including individuals, trusts, pension plans, and charitable organizations. The firm uses a goals-based, team investment approach that integrates in-house strategies with third-party managers and employs risk management tools and alternative investments when appropriate.

Maria Fessler is a financial advisor at Ameritas Advisory Services, LLC with 28 years of industry experience. She holds Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and has previously worked at Mass Mutual Investors Services, MetLife Securities Inc, Wells Fargo Clearing, and Old Mutual Capital. Ameritas Advisory Services, LLC provides investment advisory and financial planning services to a diverse client base including individual investors, retirement plans, charitable organizations, and corporate clients. The firm offers a variety of managed account programs and fee-based management of variable annuity and variable universal life subaccounts, supported by integrated custodial platforms and third-party tools.

Christopher Larrabee is a CFP® with 38 years of industry experience and is currently affiliated with Benjamin F. Edwards & Company, Inc., where he has worked since 2016. He holds a Series 63 license and is based in Wheaton, Illinois. Outside of his advisory role, he acts as an agent for his step-mother in an investment-related capacity. Benjamin F. Edwards & Company is an SEC-registered investment adviser and broker-dealer serving a wide range of clients including individuals, pension plans, charitable organizations, and corporations. The firm offers fee-based wrap programs, financial planning, retirement consulting, and investment management, utilizing a variety of discretionary and non-discretionary strategies monitored by an Investment Strategy Committee.

William Parrilli is a financial advisor at Benjamin F. Edwards & Company, Inc. with 44 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and has worked previously at Wells Fargo Advisors and Wells Fargo Clearing. Outside of his advisory role, he serves as a board member of the Northern Illinois Shooters Association, organizing matches and overseeing scoring. Benjamin F. Edwards & Company is an SEC-registered investment adviser and broker-dealer serving a diverse client base including individuals, institutions, and charitable organizations. The firm offers a range of investment strategies and wrap programs supported by an internal trading desk and an investment committee.

Jacob See is a financial advisor at NewEdge Advisors with three years of industry experience. He holds the Series 66 designation and has previously worked at LPL Financial, Napa Auto Parts, North Central College, and Hampshire High School. Outside of advising, he provides tax preparation and accounting support through Midwest Small Business Accounting and Tax. NewEdge Advisors is an enterprise-scale registered investment adviser serving individuals, pension and profit-sharing plans, corporations, trusts, estates, and charitable organizations. The firm offers comprehensive portfolio management, financial planning, retirement consulting, and access to third-party managers through multiple program structures supported by centralized due diligence and technology tools.

Alexander Fernbach is a CFP® professional with three years of industry experience, currently affiliated with Benjamin F. Edwards & Company, Inc. He has previously worked at Schumann Financial, CETERA Financial Specialists LLC, JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., and J.P. Morgan Securities. Prior to his financial advisory roles, he worked at Bowling Green State University and Monarch Landing. Benjamin F. Edwards & Company is an SEC-registered investment adviser and broker-dealer serving individuals, pension and profit-sharing plans, charitable organizations, corporations, and other institutions. The firm offers a range of managed investment strategies through fee-based wrap programs and provides custody, execution, and trading services supported by an internal investment strategy committee.

Marta Krupa is a financial advisor with PNC Wealth Management in Elgin, IL, holding Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and 17 years of industry experience. She previously worked at PNC Investments LLC for 10 years before joining PNC Wealth Management in 2021. PNC Wealth Management offers retail brokerage and advisory services through model-based programs, including the Portfolio Solutions Strategist Digital Offering, an invitation-only, discretionary model account available to select employees that uses algorithmic risk assessment and approved model strategies managed by PNC or third parties.

Jesse Szlaga is a CFP® professional with 11 years of experience in financial advising, currently with Mariner Wealth Advisors since 2015. He is based in Oakbrook Terrace, IL. Mariner serves a wide range of clients, including individuals, pension and profit-sharing plans, trusts, and corporations, offering investment management, financial planning, retirement consulting, and coordinated tax services. The firm employs discretionary, customized portfolios supported by both in-house research and third-party managers, along with integrated tax and accounting services uncommon at its enterprise scale.

Sandra Gentry is a financial advisor with Bankers Life Advisory Services, Inc. She holds a Series 65 designation and has five years of industry experience. She has worked at Bankers Life Advisory Services since 2020 and has been with Bankers Life & Casualty since 2014. In addition to her advisory role, she serves as a unit field trainer agent for Bankers Life and Casualty. Bankers Life Advisory Services, Inc. provides discretionary portfolio management, investment consulting, and retirement plan consulting primarily to mass-affluent and high-net-worth individuals. The firm focuses on customized asset allocation, periodic rebalancing, and a combination of fundamental, technical, and cyclical analysis to guide investment decisions.

Brian Vanderlugt is a CFP® with 19 years of industry experience, currently serving as a financial advisor at Benjamin F. Edwards & Company, Inc., where he has worked since 2010. His credentials include the Series 66 license. Benjamin F. Edwards & Company is an SEC-registered investment adviser and broker-dealer that serves individuals, pension and profit-sharing plans, charitable organizations, corporations, and other institutions. The firm offers fee-based wrap programs, financial planning, retirement plan consulting, and investment management services, utilizing a variety of discretionary and non-discretionary strategies monitored by an Investment Strategy Committee.

Michael Lawrence is a CFA® charterholder with five years of industry experience. He has worked at CWM, LLC, Carson Wealth, and Carson Group since 2021, and previously spent 23 years at Chicago Equity Partners. 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 accounts primarily on a discretionary basis using model portfolios and provides services including portfolio management, financial planning, retirement-plan solutions, and sub-advisory offerings.

Steven Jesanis is a financial advisor with William Blair in Glen Ellyn, Illinois. He holds a Series 66 designation and has 22 years of industry experience, having worked at William Blair & Company, L.L.C. since 2003. 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 utilizes an active, research-driven management approach across multiple asset classes and provides proprietary models and access to private funds and co-investment opportunities.

Suzanne Fickle is a financial advisor with Transamerica Retirement Advisors, LLC in Wheaton, IL. She holds Series 63 and Series 66 credentials and has 10 years of industry experience. Her prior roles include positions at Morgan Stanley, E*TRADE Capital Management, Bank of America, and Merrill. Transamerica Retirement Advisors serves participants in employer-sponsored retirement plans and IRA owners through programs focused on asset allocation, contribution guidance, and retirement planning, utilizing proprietary software and portfolio oversight from Morningstar Investment Management.

Dominic Ruggerio Jr. is a financial advisor with Bankers Life Advisory Services, Inc. He holds Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and has 10 years of industry experience. Dominic has held multiple roles within the Bankers Life organization since 2013, including managing a team of insurance agents responsible for hiring and training. Bankers Life Advisory Services, Inc. is an SEC-registered investment adviser serving mass-affluent and high-net-worth individuals with discretionary portfolio management, investment consulting, and retirement plan consulting. The firm utilizes fundamental, technical, and cyclical analysis to create tailored asset allocations across various securities, often incorporating affiliated broker-dealer and insurance services.

Ryan Swiatek is a financial advisor with Wealth Enhancement Advisory Services, LLC and holds a Series 65 designation. He has three years of industry experience, having previously worked at FourStar Wealth Advisors, Brookstone Capital Management, and Independent Financial Resources. Wealth Enhancement Advisory Services provides financial planning, asset management, retirement-plan consulting, and referrals to managed account investment managers for individuals, high-net-worth clients, corporations, and retirement plans. The firm manages over $122 billion in regulatory assets under management and employs a diversified, risk-class based investment approach that blends passive and active management, overseen by an internal Investment Committee.

Chastity Peterson is a financial advisor at Benjamin F. Edwards & Company, Inc. with 19 years of industry experience. She holds the Series 66 designation and previously worked at Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC for 16 years. Outside of her advisory role, she owns a wellness and weight loss business, Plexus Worldwide. Benjamin F. Edwards & Company is an SEC-registered investment adviser and broker-dealer serving a diverse client base including individuals, pension plans, charitable organizations, and corporations. The firm offers a range of advisory services through fee-based wrap programs and employs a variety of investment strategies monitored by an Investment Strategy Committee.

William Paton is a financial advisor at LPL Financial with 21 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and has worked at LPL Financial since 2011, following four years with Edward Jones. LPL Financial is a national broker-dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser serving individuals, retirement plan participants, banks, trust companies, and other institutions. The firm offers a range of advisory and brokerage services including financial planning, model portfolio programs, third-party asset management, and institutional platforms.