Christopher Patras is a financial advisor at Ausdal Financial Partners, Inc. with 42 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has been with Ausdal since 2011. In addition to his advisory role, he owns an insurance sales business specializing in life, disability, and long-term care insurance, as well as group medical and dental plans for small businesses. Ausdal Financial Partners manages approximately $2.13 billion in client assets through a network of about 152 advisors. The firm offers investment advisory programs, retirement plan services, and financial planning to individuals, trusts, corporations, pension plans, and charitable organizations, combining brokerage, advisory, and insurance services.

Richard Orr is a financial advisor at Ausdal Financial Partners, Inc. with 37 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 registrations and has worked previously with BCU Wealth Advisors, CUSO Financial Services, and Baxter Credit Union. Outside of his advisory role, he is involved in insurance sales through MVP Financial Services, Inc. and provides accounting and financial services at KMETZ Financial Group. 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, delivering strategies across various account types with access to multiple custodians and a range of investment products.

Patrick Wagner is a financial advisor with LaSalle St. Investment Advisors, L.L.C. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has six years of industry experience. Outside of his advisory role, he is the owner of KT Colors, a custom framing and art supply retail store. LaSalle St. Investment Advisors provides fee-based financial planning and investment supervisory services to individuals, trusts, pension plans, charitable organizations, and small businesses. The firm offers both non-discretionary and discretionary investment programs and manages a significant portion of assets on a non-discretionary basis.

Donald Wade is a CFP® with 47 years of experience in the financial industry. He is currently affiliated with Capital Analysts and has worked at Lincoln Investment since 2017, following a 28-year tenure at Legend Equities Corporation. Wade also serves as president of his own S Corporation used for tax and accounting purposes. Capital Analysts provides portfolio management and retirement-plan advisory services to a diverse client base, including individuals, high-net-worth investors, trusts, and institutional clients. The firm combines in-house discretionary investment management with third-party offerings and uses a proprietary mutual fund screening process called CAPSL to construct model portfolios.

John Stitt Jr. is a financial advisor at World Equity Group, Inc. with 34 years of industry experience. He holds a Series 63 designation and has been with World Equity Group since 2002. In addition to his advisory work, he operates an independent insurance agency focused on business group health, dental, life, long-term care, and disability insurance. World Equity Group, Inc. provides fee-based investment advisory and financial planning services to a range of clients including individuals, pension plans, trusts, and corporations. The firm offers managed portfolios primarily through its wrap-fee program, combining discretionary portfolio management, financial planning, and third-party money managers.

Scott Uebelhoer is a financial advisor with LaSalle St. Investment Advisors, L.L.C., holding a Series 66 credential and 17 years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at Securities America Advisors, Invest Financial Corporation, and Guardian Life. Outside of his advisory work, he is involved in insurance sales focusing on life and disability products and manages a holding company related to an outside business activity. 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 investment programs, with a notable focus on non-discretionary asset management, employing asset-allocation models and a diversified mix of investment vehicles.

Kyle Schroeder is a CFP® with six years of industry experience, currently serving as a financial advisor at Forum Financial Management, LP since 2020. Prior to joining Forum, he worked at Prospect Partners and Merrill. 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 acts as a sub-advisor and turnkey asset management platform for independent RIAs, utilizing model asset-allocation portfolios managed primarily with DFA institutional mutual funds and ETFs following a Modern Portfolio Theory approach.

Michael Lichtfuss is a financial advisor with Ausdal Financial Partners, Inc. in Downers Grove, IL, holding Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and possessing 17 years of industry experience. He has been with Ausdal Financial Partners since 2012 and previously worked at Safety Service Sys for 17 years. Outside of his advisory role, Lichtfuss assesses national referee candidates and keeps score for high school basketball games. Ausdal Financial Partners serves individuals, trusts, estates, retirement plans, and business entities, overseeing approximately $3.73 billion across more than 16,000 clients. The firm offers a range of advisory and financial planning services, employing tailored investment strategies developed at the advisor level and integrating multiple custodians and third-party managers.

Alfred Marwede is a financial advisor at Forum Financial Management, LP with 27 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has been with Forum Financial Management since 2012. Outside of his advisory role, he is a member of F.A.M. LLC, which provides management services under a service agreement with Forum Financial Management. Forum Financial Management, LP offers 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, utilizing model portfolios aligned with Modern Portfolio Theory and a mix of institutional mutual funds, ETFs, and fixed income strategies.

Andrew Palomo is a CFP® with 17 years of industry experience, currently serving as a financial advisor at LaSalle St. Investment Advisors, L.L.C. He has held positions at several firms including Arbor Point Advisors, Osaic Advisory Services, and LPL Financial. Palomo serves as a board member at large for the American Legion Post 42 Charitable Foundation. LaSalle St. Investment Advisors provides personalized, 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 investment programs, with a notable predominance of non-discretionary assets under management.

Michael Kennedy is a CFP® and holds a Series 66 license with 21 years of industry experience. He has been with Forum Financial Management, LP since 2010. Outside of his advisory role, he is also a licensed insurance producer specializing in life, health, and long-term care insurance. Forum Financial Management, LP provides fee-based wealth management, financial planning, and qualified plan services to individual and institutional clients, while also serving as a sub-advisor and turnkey asset management platform for other independent RIAs. The firm utilizes model portfolios managed primarily with DFA mutual funds and ETFs within a Modern Portfolio Theory framework, overseeing approximately $9 billion in assets under management.

Robert Sweas is a CFP® professional with 17 years of industry experience. He is currently with Lifeworks Advisors, LLC and has previously worked at Arete Wealth Advisors, Ausdal Financial Partners, and operated his own firm, Sweas Financial Services, LLC. Outside of advising, he performs independent auditing services without compensation and is involved in life, health, and accident insurance sales on a commission basis. Lifeworks Advisors serves individuals, charitable organizations, trusts, retirement plans, and businesses with wealth management, financial planning, and portfolio management. The firm uses both planning-based and risk-based investment approaches, incorporates quantitative and fundamental analysis, and offers integrated tax and insurance services through affiliated entities.

Shaun Eck is a financial advisor with Realta Investment Advisors, Inc who holds a Series 66 designation and has 18 years of industry experience. His career includes roles at firms such as Merrill Lynch, Bank of America, and Kestra Private Wealth Services. He is also the owner of Quantas Group, LLC, a marketing and advisory business focused on transactional services and tax benefits related to life insurance products. Realta Investment Advisors provides investment advisory and financial planning services to individuals, pension and profit-sharing plans, and institutional clients. The firm utilizes a range of strategies including asset allocation across various investment vehicles and offers both discretionary and non-discretionary portfolio management.

Dennis Michon is a financial advisor with Forum Financial Management, LP, holding a Series 65 license and 13 years of industry experience. He has been with Forum Financial since 2012 and concurrently operates as a partner and attorney at Michon & Buckley, a law firm specializing in estate planning and real estate services. Additionally, he serves as president of Tax & Financial Solutions, Inc., a tax and accounting firm. Forum Financial Management, LP provides fee-based wealth management, financial planning, and qualified plan services to individual and institutional clients. The firm also acts as a sub-advisor and turnkey asset management platform for other RIAs, employing model portfolios based on Modern Portfolio Theory and primarily utilizing DFA institutional mutual funds and ETFs.

Dar Baruchim is a financial advisor with Mariner Independent in Schaumburg, IL, holding Series 63 and Series 65 registrations. Baruchim has been with Mariner Platform Solutions and Kadima Wealth since 2026 and has prior experience at Northwestern Mutual and ATN Inc. Mariner Independent serves individuals—including high-net-worth clients—as well as pension and profit-sharing plans, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, and business entities. The firm offers financial planning, portfolio management, retirement plan consulting, insurance solutions, and access to alternative investments through a network of advisors using a wide range of investment tools and affiliated businesses.

Teresa Young is a financial advisor with First Advisors National, LLC, holding Series 63, 65, and 66 licenses and bringing 18 years of industry experience. Her prior roles include positions at W&S Brokerage Services, Western Southern Life, Alliant Credit Union, and LPL Financial. She volunteers as a tax preparer and quality examiner for Ladder Up in Chicago, assisting low-wage earning families with pro bono tax preparation. First Advisors National manages discretionary assets for individual and high-net-worth clients, offering investment management, third-party portfolio recommendations, and retirement plan consulting. The firm emphasizes manager selection and tactical allocation, utilizing fundamental analysis and formal annual reviews to guide its investment process.

Brandon Lilly is an advisor at Highpoint Planning Partners with Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and three years of industry experience. He has worked at LPL Financial, J.P. Morgan Securities, and DeRose Financial Planning Group. Prior to his financial advisory career, he spent several years at Advocate Christ Medical Center. Highpoint Planning Partners serves individuals, pension and profit-sharing plans, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, and corporate entities. The firm offers discretionary asset management, financial planning, retirement plan advisory, and manages wrap-fee programs, implementing portfolios through fundamental analysis and a range of investment vehicles.

Martin Pomrehn is a CFP® and PFS™ with 37 years of industry experience. He has been with Forum Financial Management, LP since 2016 and previously worked at Purshe Kaplan Sterling Investments, Inc. from 2016 to 2020. In addition to his advisory role, he is president and shareholder of MP360° Tax Services, Ltd., a CPA firm providing accounting and tax planning services. Forum Financial Management, LP offers investment advisory and related services to individuals, retirement plan sponsors, charitable organizations, and institutional clients. The firm utilizes model asset-allocation portfolios based on Modern Portfolio Theory and serves a significant number of independent advisors and RIAs through its turn-key asset-management platform.

Cody Maxwell is a CFP® with six years of industry experience, currently serving as a financial advisor at OnePoint BFG Wealth Partners. His prior roles include positions at Northwestern Mutual Investment Services LLC, Charles Schwab, and Kevin Spahn. OnePoint BFG Wealth Partners offers customized financial planning and wealth management services to a diverse client base, including individuals, retirement plans, charitable organizations, trusts, estates, and corporate entities. The firm employs a variety of proprietary models and third-party managers, managing most client assets on a discretionary basis.

Matthew Frederick is a financial advisor with Pure Financial Advisors, LLC in Wheaton, IL, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and bringing 35 years of industry experience. His prior work includes roles at Wells Fargo Advisors, Pacific Life Insurance Company, UBS Financial Services, and Merrill. He also holds life and health insurance licenses. Pure Financial Advisors, LLC is a multi-team registered investment adviser managing approximately $11 billion in assets for individual and high-net-worth clients. The firm emphasizes a financial-planning-centered approach using academic frameworks and offers comprehensive services including discretionary portfolio management, pension consulting, and donor-advised fund solutions.