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.

Jeff Kantor is a financial advisor at IP Financial Advisory Services LLC with 31 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has worked at firms including Creative Financial Designs and Ash Brokerage. Kantor also sells Medicare Advantage Plans through Aetna, dedicating part of his time to this activity. IP Financial Advisory Services LLC primarily serves individual retail clients and offers portfolio management, financial planning, consulting, and access to third-party investment managers. The firm focuses on non-high-net-worth investors and retirement plan participants, employing various analytical approaches and offering a broad range of consulting services.

Christopher Janc is a financial advisor with Northern Trust Securities, Inc. in Chicago, IL, holding Series 63 and Series 66 credentials and 12 years of industry experience. His prior experience includes roles at Merrill, Wells Fargo, and J.P. Morgan. Outside of his advisory work, he serves as secretary and member of Duneland 1 LLC, an entity formed with his spouse to own a dual-use vacation and rental property. Northern Trust Securities, Inc. is an SEC-registered investment adviser and FINRA-registered broker-dealer serving high-net-worth individuals, retail investors, and institutional clients. The firm offers discretionary portfolio management through model-driven strategies including Separately Managed Accounts and Fund Strategist Portfolios, utilizing both proprietary and third-party investment products.

Christopher Martella is a financial advisor with First Advisors National, LLC in Chicago, IL, holding Series 63 and Series 65 designations and two years of industry experience. Outside of his advisory role, he is involved in real estate and energy consulting through Domain Properties, Keystone Property Management, and Navigate Power. First Advisors National provides investment management, asset allocation advice, and retirement plan consulting primarily to individual clients, implementing strategies mainly via third-party money managers and employing both tactical and strategic asset allocation methodologies.

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.

Eric Fasse is a financial advisor at Northern Trust Securities, Inc. in Chicago, IL, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses with four years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at Cabrera Capital Partners, Cabrera Capital Markets, and American Trust Investment Services. Northern Trust Securities, Inc. provides investment advisory and model-based managed account services to high-net-worth individuals and institutional clients, utilizing a model-driven approach that combines proprietary mutual funds and ETFs with third-party managers. The firm is affiliated with a large banking holding company, offering custody and broker-dealer services alongside its advisory programs.

Connor Garrigus is a financial advisor with Chicago Partners Investment Group LLC holding a Series 65 designation. He joined the firm in 2026 and previously held positions related to education at Wake Forest University and Loyola Academy. He has no prior industry experience before joining Chicago Partners Investment Group. Chicago Partners Investment Group LLC provides discretionary and non-discretionary investment advisory services to high-net-worth individuals, trusts, not-for-profit plans, endowments, corporations, and other business entities. The firm employs a long-term, diversified, asset-allocation oriented investment approach that incorporates fundamental analysis and quantitative optimization across various asset classes including mutual funds, ETFs, direct indexing, and fixed income.

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 VestGen Advisors, LLC with 19 years of industry experience. He holds the Series 66 designation and has worked at World Equity Group since 2010 before joining VestGen Advisors in 2026. Outside of his advisory role, he serves as treasurer for the Schaumburg Athletic Association United Soccer Club, a nonprofit youth soccer organization. VestGen Advisors, LLC is an SEC-registered investment adviser managing approximately $6.66 billion for nearly 22,790 clients. The firm provides discretionary and non-discretionary investment management, financial planning, and ERISA 3(21) retirement plan services, utilizing a variety of analytical approaches and occasionally partnering with third-party managers as part of portfolio implementation.

Callie Just is a financial advisor with HighPoint Planning Partners and holds a Series 66 credential. She has nine years of industry experience, including prior roles at PPM America, Inc., Jackson National Life Distributors LLC, and Merrill. Outside of her advisory work, she owns Just Chic LLC, an event design and planning business. HighPoint Advisor Group serves a diverse client base including individuals, pension and profit-sharing plans, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, and corporate entities. The firm provides discretionary asset management, financial planning, retirement plan advisory, and manages a wrap-fee program, constructing client portfolios through fundamental analysis across various investment vehicles.

John Zielinski is a CFA® charterholder based in Chicago, IL, with 21 years of industry experience. He currently works at VestGen Advisors, LLC and has been there since 2025, following a tenure at Optimum Investment Advisors, LLC from 2016. Outside of his advisory role, he manages several farming operations through his ownership of multiple LLCs. VestGen Advisors, LLC manages approximately $6.66 billion for nearly 22,800 clients across 53 advisors, offering discretionary and non-discretionary investment management, financial planning, and ERISA 3(21) retirement plan services. The firm uses a blend of fundamental, technical, quantitative analysis, and modern portfolio theory to develop client-specific strategies and serves a diverse client base including institutional entities.

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.

William Edwards Jr. is a financial advisor at Realta Investment Advisors, Inc. in Chicago, IL, holding Series 63 and Series 65 designations with four years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at LBMZ Securities, Inc. and Zacks Investment Management, as well as over a decade at Zacks Investment Research. Realta Investment Advisors provides discretionary and non-discretionary investment advisory and financial planning services to individuals, pension and profit-sharing plans, and various institutional clients. The firm emphasizes individualized advice based on client goals and risk tolerance, utilizing diversified asset allocation strategies and offering platforms that include third-party manager programs and aggregation tools.

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.

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.

Brent Newcomb is a financial advisor at Northern Trust Securities, Inc. with three years of industry experience. He holds the CFP® and ChFC® designations. Prior to joining Northern Trust Securities in 2025, he worked at JPMorgan Chase Bank, NA and JPMorgan Securities LLC from 2023 to 2025. Northern Trust Securities, Inc. is an SEC-registered investment adviser and FINRA-registered broker-dealer that serves high-net-worth individuals, retail investors, and institutional clients. The firm offers discretionary portfolio management through model-driven, periodically rebalanced portfolios combining proprietary and third-party investment products.

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.

Richard Allen is a financial advisor at Beacon Capital Management, Inc. in Chicago, IL, holding Series 63 and Series 65 credentials with 25 years of industry experience. He has been with Beacon Capital Management since 2015 and has also worked with Sammons Financial Network and BIC Distributors. Beacon Capital Management provides investment advisory services primarily to retail investors through third-party financial intermediaries, serving individuals, high-net-worth clients, retirement plans, trusts, and registered investment companies. The firm offers tactical, data-driven investment strategies using ETFs and mutual funds, managing most accounts via model portfolios with discretionary trading authority.