Joshua Da More is a financial advisor with Strive Financial Group, LLC, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and four years of industry experience. He previously worked at Wellington Wealth Strategies LLC, TrustWealth Strategies, MML Investors Services, Mass Mutual Life Insurance Company, and Assurance Technologies, Inc. He is also licensed as an insurance agent and engages in fixed insurance sales. Strive Financial Group, LLC is a registered investment adviser serving individual and high-net-worth clients, as well as qualified retirement plans, with discretionary asset management, financial planning, and ERISA retirement-plan services. The firm employs both quantitative and qualitative analysis across a range of strategies, including long-term allocations, trading, options, and alternative investments, with regular portfolio monitoring and rebalancing.

David Andrews is a CFP® professional with 27 years of industry experience. He is currently with Sequoia Wealth Management, LLC, where he has worked since 2015, and also maintains a role at LPL Financial. Sequoia Wealth Management advises individuals, trusts, estates, corporations, and employer retirement plans with services including asset management, financial planning, and retirement-plan consulting. The firm combines quantitative optimization, third-party research, and manager selection to tailor portfolios and offers both discretionary management and third-party strategist models.

Linda Grizely is a CFP® and holds a Series 66 license with four years of industry experience. She is currently with Nectarine, a financial planning firm, and has held roles at multiple firms including Fidelity Investments and Sageview Advisory Group. Outside of advisory work, she owns Linda Grizely Ventures, LLC, through which she engages in public speaking and writing, and she also operates Mindset & Money, LLC, a mindset coaching business. Nectarine serves individual and high-net-worth clients by providing consultative financial planning through advisor representatives selected via the firm’s website. The firm emphasizes long-term asset allocation with low-cost, index-based funds and offers a proprietary financial-aggregation app, providing advice without managing or monitoring client portfolios.

Lisa Zarkin is a CFP® professional with 34 years of industry experience. She is currently with Sequoia Wealth Management, LLC, where she has worked since 2017, and has previous experience at LPL Financial and PlanSmart Financial Services. Outside of financial advising, she is an author and self-publishes her own book. Sequoia Wealth Management advises individuals, trusts, estates, corporations, and employer retirement plans, providing asset management, financial planning, and retirement-plan consulting. The firm offers access to third-party money managers and model portfolios, using a combination of quantitative optimization and third-party research to tailor portfolios to clients’ goals.

Robert Tutela is a financial advisor at Essex, LLC with nine years of industry experience. He holds a Series 65 designation and has been with Essex since 2016. Tutela serves as a SmartAsset Ambassador, consulting as an independent contractor to generate sales leads for his firm. Essex, LLC is a registered investment adviser managing approximately $649.3 million across about 576 client accounts. The firm offers discretionary and non-discretionary portfolio management, financial planning, and consulting services to a diverse client base, including high-net-worth individuals, trusts, retirement plans, and charitable organizations. Investment decisions are made by a multi-member committee using a blend of fundamental, technical, and sector analysis.

Thomas Quinn is a CFP® professional with over 23 years of experience in financial advising. He is currently a financial advisor and vice president at American Community Wealth Management, LLC, where he has worked since 2003. Prior to that, he spent 16 years with Triad Advisors, Inc. Quinn serves as a successor trustee for a family trust, managing its investments and cash flow. American Community Wealth Management, LLC provides investment advisory and financial planning services to individuals, business owners, corporations, charitable organizations, trusts, estates, and retirement plans. The firm uses asset-allocation driven portfolios combining advisor-managed accounts and third-party managers, offering multiple platform choices and wrap program strategies.

Kathleen Dixon is a financial advisor with American Community Wealth Management, LLC, holding a Series 66 designation and bringing 26 years of industry experience. She has worked at American Community Wealth Management since 2016 and has prior experience with Triad Advisors. In addition to advising clients, she serves as operations manager at the firm, providing administrative support to other advisors. American Community Wealth Management LLC offers investment advisory and financial planning services to individuals, business owners, charitable organizations, trusts, and pension plans. The firm employs asset-allocation driven portfolios that combine advisor-managed accounts and third-party managers, and provides multiple platform options, including wrap programs that integrate trading, custody, and advisory services.

Katherine Hagedorn is a CFP® and holds a Series 66 license with 10 years of industry experience. She has worked at Chicory Wealth since 2021 and previously spent eight years at Ameriprise Financial Services, Inc. Chicory Wealth offers financial life planning and discretionary portfolio management to individuals, high-net-worth clients, trusts, estates, and charitable organizations, while also providing tax preparation, estate planning assistance, and business consulting. The firm employs a blend of fundamental analysis, modern portfolio theory, quantitative methods, and ESG metrics to construct diversified, long-term portfolios and financial life plans.

Terri Rau is a financial advisor with Midwest Professional Planners, Ltd., holding the ChFC® designation and Series 66 license, with 18 years of industry experience. She has worked primarily with Midwest Professional Planners, Ltd. since 2013, with additional experience at APW Capital, Inc. Outside of advisory work, Rau is involved in health and insurance wholesaling and participates in divorce financial planning workshops and consulting. Midwest Professional Planners, Ltd. manages approximately $649 million for about 710 clients, offering services to individuals, businesses, trusts, and other entities. The firm employs discretionary, model-driven portfolio management and provides comprehensive financial planning, business consulting, retirement-plan consulting, and insurance placement.

Bryson Cioni is a financial advisor at Midwest Professional Planners, Ltd. He holds the Series 65 designation and has one year of industry experience. His prior work includes roles at Amcor and Iowa State University. Midwest Professional Planners, Ltd. serves individuals, businesses, trusts, retirement plans, charities, and other legal entities, managing approximately $649 million for about 710 clients. The firm offers a range of services including financial planning, discretionary portfolio management, and business consulting, utilizing a model-driven investment approach with proprietary strategies and third-party sub-advisers.

Robert Lyman is a financial advisor at Sequoia Wealth Management, LLC, with 42 years of industry experience. He holds the ChFC® designation and Series 63 and 65 licenses. Prior to joining Sequoia Wealth Management in 2014, he worked at LPL Financial LLC starting in 2009. He serves on the board of directors for Friends of Shalom for Uganda, a community and charitable organization. Sequoia Wealth Management provides asset management, financial planning, and retirement-plan consulting to individuals, trusts, estates, corporations, and employer retirement plans. The firm utilizes a combination of quantitative optimization, third-party research, and manager selection to tailor portfolios and offers both discretionary management and implementation of third-party strategist models.

Patrick Gierke is a financial advisor with Acrylic Financial, Inc. in Crystal Lake, IL, holding Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and bringing 33 years of industry experience. He has worked at Acrylic Financial since 2019 and previously at Brooklight Place Securities, Inc. and The Leaders Group Inc. Outside of his advisory role, Gierke owns Revolutionary Financial, a fixed insurance sales business. Acrylic Financial, Inc. provides portfolio management and financial planning services to individuals, including high-net-worth clients, other investment advisers, corporations, and pooled investment vehicles. The firm offers tailored investment programs combining asset-allocation frameworks with active momentum and technical analysis, and manages discretionary and non-discretionary accounts, including a private hedge fund.

Arthur Freedman is a financial advisor with Essex LLC, holding a Series 65 designation and 23 years of industry experience. He has been with Essex LLC since 2000. Essex LLC is a team-based registered investment adviser managing approximately $563 million for around 600 clients, including individuals, employer-sponsored retirement plans, pension and profit-sharing plans, trusts, and charitable organizations. The firm employs a model portfolio approach using equities, fixed income, ETFs, and investment company shares, informed by fundamental, technical, and sector analysis.

Sean Hendricks is a financial advisor at Hendricks Wealth and Estate Management with 9 years of industry experience. He holds Series 65 and Series 66 licenses and is also a licensed attorney in the State of Illinois, practicing separately through Hendricks Law Office. His prior experience includes work at Hero Investment Planners LLC and Foote, Meyers, Mielke & Flowers, LLC. Hendricks Wealth and Estate Management serves individuals, trusts, retirement plans, and business entities, managing approximately $536 million in client assets. The firm offers discretionary asset management, financial planning, and retirement plan consulting, using a multi-asset allocation approach that incorporates fundamental, technical, and cyclical analysis.

Patrick Lyman is a CFP® and holds a Series 66 license with five years of industry experience. He has been with Sequoia Wealth Management and LPL Financial since 2020. Outside of financial advising, he serves as president of the BNI Referral Champions nonprofit board and is a board member of the Chicago Illini Club; he also works as an online tutor in economics, math, and beginner finance. Sequoia Wealth Management advises individuals, trusts, corporations, and employer retirement plans, offering asset management, financial planning, and retirement plan consulting. The firm employs a hybrid advisory approach combining discretionary and non-discretionary management, utilizing quantitative optimization, technical analysis, and option strategies, and reported approximately $600 million in assets under management.

Teri Shaw is a financial advisor at Carter Financial Group, Inc. with 20 years of industry experience. She holds Series 63, Series 65, and Series 66 designations and has worked at Carter Financial Group since 2021 and previously at Voya Financial Advisors. Outside of her advisory role, she serves as the Chief School Business Official for Mokena Public Schools, managing multiple departments including business operations and transportation. Carter Financial Group provides investment management and financial planning services to individuals, high-net-worth clients, trusts, corporations, and retirement plans. The firm employs proprietary model portfolios and combines quantitative analysis with third-party managers to implement and rebalance client strategies.

Gene Hiser is a financial advisor with Sequoia Wealth Management, LLC in Barrington, IL, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and bringing 41 years of industry experience. He has been with Sequoia Wealth Management since 2018 and also maintains an affiliation with LPL Financial since 2012. Outside of his advisory role, Hiser serves on the executive committee of Chicago Baseball Cancer Charities and is a trustee for Friends of HE Parks, Hoffman Estates Park District Foundation. Sequoia Wealth Management advises individuals, trusts, estates, corporations, and employer retirement plans, offering asset management, financial planning, and retirement-plan consulting. The firm combines quantitative optimization, third-party research, and manager selection to tailor portfolios and provides access to LPL-sponsored programs including algorithm-based Guided Wealth Portfolios.

Jennifer Karch is a CFP® with 13 years of industry experience, currently serving as an advisor at Carter Financial Group, Inc. She previously worked at Voya Financial Advisors for five years and has been with Carter Financial Group since 2011. Outside of her advisory role, she also works as a model under the name Jennifer Yune. Carter Financial Group is a five-advisor team managing approximately $382 million for individual and institutional clients. The firm utilizes proprietary model portfolios and a combination of quantitative, technical, and statistical analysis to guide investment decisions, offering both discretionary and non-discretionary management along with financial planning services.

Mantas Tautkus is a CFP® professional with 15 years of industry experience, currently serving at Origin Investment Advisory LLC since 2021. He previously worked at Edward Jones from 2014 to 2020 and owns MT Financial Planning, Inc., an investment advisory firm. Origin Investment Advisory primarily serves individual retail clients through a subscription model and employer-sponsored workplace programs, offering budgeting tools, access to CFP® professionals, thematic Stock Bundles, and an Automated Index Investing robo-style service. The firm’s investment approach uses Modern Portfolio Theory and behavioral finance principles, employing rules-based model portfolios and tax-aware implementation, and operates on a subscription fee structure rather than traditional AUM fees.

Edward Connolly is a CFP® and holds a Series 65 license with 15 years of experience in the financial industry. He has worked at IRON Financial LLC since 2006. Connolly is part of Essex LLC, a team-based registered investment adviser located in Deer Park, IL. Essex manages approximately $563 million for around 600 clients, including individuals, high-net-worth clients, employer-sponsored retirement plans, pension and profit-sharing plans, trusts, and charitable organizations. The firm employs model portfolios and uses fundamental, technical, and sector analysis to guide asset selection and rebalancing, offering both discretionary and non-discretionary portfolio management along with financial planning services.