Howard Kite is a CFP® and ChFC® with 44 years of industry experience. He is currently with Forum Financial Management, LP, where he has worked since 2009, and previously held roles at Purshe Kaplan Sterling Investment and PKS Advisory Services, LLC. Outside of his advisory work, he is a member of several non-investment-related business entities, including real estate management ventures. Forum Financial Management, LP provides fee-based wealth management, financial planning, and qualified plan services to individual and institutional clients. The firm also serves as a sub-advisor and turnkey asset management platform for other independent RIAs, offering model portfolios managed primarily with DFA institutional mutual funds and ETFs under a Modern Portfolio Theory approach.

James Niedermeier is a financial advisor at Ausdal Financial Partners, Inc. with 40 years of industry experience. He has been with Ausdal since 2009 and also owns Niedermeier Agency, through which he is involved in insurance sales. Ausdal Financial Partners is an SEC-registered investment adviser and FINRA-member broker-dealer managing approximately $2.13 billion in client assets. The firm offers a range of investment advisory programs, retirement plan services, and financial planning to individuals, trusts, corporations, pension plans, and charitable organizations.

Kevin Geiger is a financial advisor with Blackridge Asset Management, LLC, holding Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and 16 years of industry experience. He has worked with several firms, including The Retirement Guys Formula and Retirement Wealth Advisors. Geiger is also involved with Geiger Investments and Peak Brokerage Services, where he engages in brokerage and insurance-related activities. Blackridge Asset Management provides financial planning, investment management, and consulting services to individuals, high-net-worth clients, trusts, estates, corporations, retirement plans, and charitable organizations. The firm utilizes model-based portfolio management, third-party money manager referrals, and estate-planning support delivered through an online platform.

Emilija Ilic is a financial advisor at Mission Wealth Management, LP with a Series 65 designation and one year of industry experience. Her prior work includes roles at Krd Ltd, Byline Bank, BG 011 LLC, and the Law Offices of Lee Steinberg. Mission Wealth Management is a multi-team SEC-registered advisory firm serving affluent individuals, families, and institutional clients through a range of wealth management and financial planning services. The firm employs customized, long-term investment strategies incorporating ETFs, mutual funds, individual securities, and alternative investments, and offers advisory solutions that include tax-aware trading and risk management.

Anthony Lavarda is a financial advisor with World Equity Group, Inc. in Naperville, IL, holding a Series 63 designation and 40 years of industry experience. He has been with World Equity Group since 2009. Outside of his advisory role, he founded St Raphael Lame Ducks, a prayer and social service group. World Equity Group provides fee-based investment advisory and financial planning services to a broad client base, including individuals, pension plans, trusts, charitable organizations, and businesses. The firm offers managed portfolios through its wrap-fee programs, combining discretionary portfolio management, financial planning, and access to third-party money managers.

Jeffrey Menough is a CFP® professional with 34 years of experience in the financial industry. He has been with Highpoint Planning Partners since 2013 and also maintains a longstanding affiliation with LPL Financial beginning in 2010. Menough has established a home-based business entity for tax and investment purposes that he manages with limited monthly time commitment. Highpoint Planning Partners serves a diverse clientele including individuals, high-net-worth clients, pension and profit-sharing plans, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, and corporate entities. The firm provides asset management, financial planning, retirement plan advisory, and utilizes a range of investment vehicles and third-party platforms to deliver tailored advisory services.

Bradley Karkula is a CFP® with 17 years of experience in the financial services industry. He is currently with Calamos Wealth Management LLC and Calamos Financial Services LLC, having previously worked at Citibank, Morgan Stanley, and J.P. Morgan in various capacities. Calamos Wealth Management LLC provides discretionary wealth management and institutional advisory services to high-net-worth individuals, family offices, endowments, private foundations, and retirement plans. The firm’s investment process involves rigorous idea sourcing, evaluation, and portfolio construction, often utilizing affiliated Calamos Funds and investment vehicles within a comprehensive governance framework.

Christopher Peterson is a financial advisor at Highpoint Planning Partners with two years of industry experience. He holds a Series 66 designation and previously worked for St. Charles Bank & Trust Company N.A. for ten years before joining Highpoint Advisor Group and LPL Financial in 2024. Highpoint Advisor Group serves individuals, pension and profit-sharing plans, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, and corporate entities. The firm offers discretionary asset management and financial planning services, constructing client investment policies through personal consultations and implementing portfolios using fundamental analysis across a range of securities and third-party platforms.

Paul Kaczmarczyk is a financial advisor at World Equity Group, Inc. with 19 years of industry experience. He holds the Series 66 designation and has been with World Equity Group since 2010, also working with VestGen Advisors, LLC since 2026. Outside of his advisory role, he serves as treasurer for the Schaumburg Athletic Association United Soccer Club, a nonprofit youth soccer organization. World Equity Group, Inc. provides fee-based investment advisory and financial planning services to individuals, including high-net-worth clients, as well as various institutional clients. The firm offers managed portfolios through its wrap-fee programs, utilizing discretionary portfolio management and third-party money managers guided by clients’ risk tolerance.

Michael Manno is a financial advisor with World Equity Group, Inc. in Schaumburg, Illinois, holding Series 63 and Series 66 credentials and 42 years of industry experience. He has been with World Equity Group since 2003. World Equity Group, Inc. provides fee-based investment advisory and financial planning services to individuals, pension and profit-sharing plans, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, corporations, and other business entities. The firm offers managed portfolios through its Adhesion Money Management wrap-fee program and related advisory programs, combining discretionary portfolio management, financial planning, and access to third-party money managers.

Callie Just is a Series 66-licensed financial advisor at HighPoint Planning Partners with nine years of industry experience. She has previously worked at firms including LPL Financial, Foreside Financial Services, LLC, and Merrill. Outside of finance, she is the owner of Just Chic LLC, an event design and planning business. HighPoint Advisor Group serves a diverse client base including individuals, pension plans, trusts, and charitable organizations. The firm combines personal consultations and fundamental analysis to construct investment policies and manages portfolios through a range of securities and third-party platforms.

Jignesh Jain is a financial advisor at Belpointe Asset Management LLC with securities licenses Series 63 and Series 65. He has held positions at AFIN Wealth Management and Amplified Planning and worked at NEC Corporation of America for 13 years. Jain serves as a board member for the Jain Society of Metro Chicago, a religious non-profit organization. Belpointe Asset Management is a multi-team registered investment adviser with over 160 advisors and manages more than $7.5 billion for individuals, corporations, trusts, and other advisers. The firm offers discretionary investment management, financial planning, and retirement-plan consulting through customized portfolios, model strategies, and various affiliated funds and services.

Glenn Schwalje is a financial advisor at Financial Security Advisory, Inc. with 27 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has held roles at firms including Milliman Investment Management Services and Jackson National Life Distributors. Schwalje is also involved in compliance consulting through Oyster Consulting, LLC. Financial Security Advisory, Inc. provides investment advisory and financial planning services to individuals, trusts, estates, and employer-sponsored plans, focusing on asset allocation and long-term holdings. The firm uses quantitative and qualitative methods to select investments and manages accounts primarily on a limited discretionary basis.

Craig Wenger is a CFP® professional with 22 years of industry experience, currently serving at Ausdal Financial Partners, Inc. since 2009. Prior to that, he worked at Financial Planning Consultants from 2000 to 2017. He also serves as treasurer for the Hawthorne Place Condo Association in Chicago. Ausdal Financial Partners manages over $2 billion in client assets and offers investment advisory programs, retirement plan services, and financial planning to individuals, trusts, corporations, pension plans, and charitable organizations. The firm provides a range of investment strategies through both discretionary and non-discretionary accounts and combines advisory, brokerage, and insurance services.

Gary Richards is a CFP® professional with 32 years of experience at World Equity Group, Inc., where he has worked since 1994. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses. Richards is also involved as a co-owner of B&R Financial, a financial planning and investment advisory practice. World Equity Group, Inc. provides fee-based investment advisory and financial planning services to individuals, pension and profit-sharing plans, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, and corporations. The firm offers managed portfolios through its wrap-fee program and discretionary third-party money management, utilizing risk-tolerance assessments to guide asset allocation.

Eric Hrebic is a CFP® professional with six years of industry experience, currently serving as a financial advisor at Forum Financial Management, LP since 2020. His prior experience includes roles at 606 Wealth Management, LLC and Lowery Asset Consulting. Forum Financial Management, LP provides fee-based wealth management, financial planning, qualified plan services, and educational workshops to individual and institutional clients. The firm also serves as a sub-advisor and turnkey asset management platform for other independent RIAs, managing approximately $9 billion in assets with a focus on model portfolios grounded in Modern Portfolio Theory.

Luke Hofsommer is a financial advisor with Lasalle St. Investment Advisors, L.L.C., holding a Series 66 designation and 11 years of industry experience. He has worked at LaSalle St Securities LLC and Raymond James Financial Services Advisors. 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 management programs and supervises third-party managers across a diverse mix of asset classes.

Lissette Strefner is a financial advisor with World Equity Group, Inc. in Schaumburg, IL, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and having 23 years of industry experience. She has been with World Equity Group since 2015 and has previously been associated with AIG American General Life Insurance Company since 2002. Outside of her advisory role, she operates a small hobby business reselling used clothing online. World Equity Group, Inc. provides fee-based investment advisory and financial planning services to a range of clients including individuals, pension plans, trusts, and charitable organizations. The firm offers managed portfolios through its wrap-fee program, combining discretionary portfolio management with access to third-party money managers and employs a risk-tolerance questionnaire to guide asset allocation.

Chloe Fakhouri is a CFP® with five years of industry experience, currently serving as a financial advisor at JMG Financial Group Ltd in Downers Grove, IL. Prior to joining JMG Financial Group, she worked at Itasca Bank & Trust and was also employed by Depaul University. Outside of her financial advisory role, Chloe is a fitness instructor for Pike Lagree, a fitness center offering Lagree-style classes. JMG Financial Group provides comprehensive wealth management and consulting services to individuals, trusts, retirement plans, business entities, and charitable organizations. The firm employs a planning-based, long-term investment approach focused on strategic asset allocation and offers services including portfolio management, tax consulting, and access to private investment opportunities.

Sherry Salamone is a financial advisor with CliftonLarsonAllen Wealth Advisors, LLC in Oak Brook, IL, holding a Series 66 designation and 19 years of industry experience. She has been with CliftonLarsonAllen Wealth Advisors since 2016. CliftonLarsonAllen Wealth Advisors serves individuals, including high-net-worth clients, as well as corporate and institutional clients, providing wealth advisory, asset management, financial and estate planning, and business succession consulting. The firm employs a strategic asset allocation approach through model portfolios overseen by an Investment Committee, integrating multidisciplinary planning in coordination with its parent firm, CliftonLarsonAllen LLP.