Douglas Stepansky is a CFP® with 26 years of experience in the financial industry. He is currently affiliated with Strategic Investment Solutions, Inc., where he has worked for 16 years, and has held prior roles at Purshe Kaplan Sterling Investments, LPL Financial, Waterstone Financial Group, and Heritage Capital Management. He serves as a board member of the Orland Park Police Pension Board, providing oversight of the pension fund’s investments and administration. Strategic Investment Solutions is an SEC-registered advisory firm serving individuals, pension and profit-sharing plans, and trustees with discretionary portfolio management and proprietary model portfolios. The firm employs a long-term, diversified investment approach based on Modern Portfolio Theory and the Efficient Markets hypothesis, incorporating institutional research and funds from Dimensional Fund Advisors.

Wendy West is a Series 66-licensed financial advisor with Harvest Investment Services, LLC, bringing 28 years of industry experience. She has worked at Double W Financial Group, Inc. since 2014 and Harvest Financial Planning since 2012, with prior experience at Proequities from 2000 to 2018. West serves on the boards of the DeKalb Area Retirement Center and Kishwaukee United Way and chairs the IHSA Destination DeKalb, coordinating state high school football championships. Harvest Investment Services, LLC provides portfolio management, financial planning, pension consulting, and other advisory services to a diverse client base including individuals, retirement plans, and institutions. The firm employs an actively managed tactical investment strategy and offers a multi-advisor team structure with several offices.

Michael Russo is a financial advisor with Chicago Investment Advisory Group, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and 32 years of industry experience. He has been with the firm since 2006 and serves as president of its independent insurance sales division. Chicago Investment Advisory Group offers discretionary portfolio management and pension consulting to individuals, high-net-worth investors, trusts, estates, corporations, and employer retirement plans. The firm utilizes diversified, asset-allocation driven portfolios informed by fundamental, technical, and cyclical analysis, employing both long-term and active trading strategies tailored to client suitability.

Andrew Buttimer is a financial advisor with M.Brown Financial Advisors in Naperville, IL, holding Series 63 and Series 65 designations and bringing 29 years of industry experience. He has been with M.Brown Financial Advisors since 2021 and also works with Ausdal Financial Partners, Inc. since 2010. Outside of advisory work, he is involved in community business networking as a member of the BNI A.I.M. Naperville chapter, where he participates in referral building and member relations. M.Brown Financial Advisors primarily serves as a sub-advisor to Ausdal Financial Partners and other registered investment advisers, offering discretionary portfolio management, retirement plan consulting, and participant education. The firm uses a combination of active tactical allocation and diversified allocation models, employing various analytical methods and investment vehicles to manage client accounts on a discretionary basis.

Robert Byrns is a Certified Financial Planner (CFP®) with 36 years of industry experience. He is affiliated with Strategic Investment Solutions, Inc., where he has worked since 2005. His prior experience includes roles at Purshe Kaplan Sterling Investments, LPL Financial, and Cetera. Outside of advisory work, he engages in tax preparation and accounting services through his related business activities. Strategic Investment Solutions is an SEC-registered advisory firm serving individuals, including high-net-worth clients, pension plans, and trustees. The firm provides discretionary portfolio management with an investment approach based on Modern Portfolio Theory and the Efficient Markets hypothesis, employing diversified, primarily passive, long-term strategies combined with proprietary model portfolios.

Gregory Bruno is a CFP® with 19 years of experience in the financial services industry. He has been with M. Brown Financial Advisors since 2021 and also has ongoing roles at Ausdal Financial Partners, Inc. and M Brown & Associates. Bruno serves as a board member of KUZA Project, a charitable organization. M. Brown Financial Advisors acts primarily as a sub-advisor to Ausdal Financial Partners and other registered investment advisers, providing discretionary portfolio management, customized accounts, and retirement plan consulting. The firm employs active tactical allocation combined with diversified models and utilizes a range of strategies including options and alternative investments, typically managing accounts on a discretionary basis.

Daniel Hamburger is a CFP® and holds a Series 66 license, with nine years of experience in the financial advisory industry. He is currently with Sikich Financial and has held positions at firms including UBS Financial Services and Wells Fargo Clearing. His background also includes self-employment and roles at several other advisory firms. Sikich Financial is an SEC-registered multi-team advisory firm serving individuals, retirement plans, trusts, estates, and business entities. The firm provides integrated wealth management through financial planning and portfolio management, utilizing an asset-allocation approach supported by both in-house and third-party managers.

Alexandra Nelson is a financial advisor at Strategic Investment Solutions, Inc. with three years of industry experience. She holds a Series 65 designation and previously worked at Price Waterhouse Coopers and Northern Illinois University. Strategic Investment Solutions is an SEC-registered advisory firm serving individuals, including high-net-worth clients, as well as pension and profit-sharing plans and trustees. The firm provides discretionary portfolio management and model portfolio programs, using a diversified, largely passive, long-term investment approach based on Modern Portfolio Theory and the Efficient Markets hypothesis.

Laura Fasan is a financial advisor at Providence Wealth Advisors, LLC with 29 years of industry experience. She holds a Series 66 designation and has worked at firms including First Midwest Bank, LPL Financial, infinex Investments, Inc., and Standard Bank & Trust. She is also licensed in variable, life, and health insurance. Providence Wealth Advisors, LLC is an SEC-registered advisory firm serving individuals, trusts, retirement plans, and state or municipal government entities. The firm uses asset-allocation models based on modern portfolio theory and offers portfolio management, financial planning, and estate planning services.

Brigid Toothman is a financial advisor at Interactive Financial Advisors with four years of industry experience. She holds a Series 65 designation and previously worked at Sarver Vrooman Wealth Advisors and Git N Go. Interactive Financial Advisors provides financial planning and discretionary portfolio management to individuals, retirement plans, and institutional clients. The firm utilizes fundamental analysis and Modern Portfolio Theory to build diversified model portfolios and operates a large multi-advisor network with multiple branch offices.

Johnathan Irions is a CFP®-certified financial advisor at Facet with six years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at firms such as Lincoln Investment, J.P. Morgan Securities LLC, and New York Life Insurance. Facet Wealth provides subscription-based financial planning and discretionary investment management to individual clients, serving a range of households primarily through phone, video, and a proprietary web platform. The firm employs model-based asset allocations with a technology-driven approach and offers a flat subscription pricing model that includes investment management services.

Paul Graffy is a financial advisor at IP Financial Advisory Services LLC with 35 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 designations and has previously worked at firms including Piper Jaffray & Co. and Advisory Research Inc. Since 2015, he has served in a strategic advisory role at Mathsights Corporation, a software firm focused on retirement planning, where he is a non-paid board member. IP Financial Advisory Services LLC primarily serves individual retail clients, focusing on personalized portfolio management and financial planning for non-high-net-worth investors. The firm offers a range of advisory and consulting services, including actuarial analysis and benefits consulting, and utilizes various analytical approaches and operational tools to manage client portfolios.

Steven Bruno is a financial advisor with Ausdal Financial Partners, Inc. based in Naperville, IL, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and having one year of industry experience. His prior work history includes roles at M. Brown Financial Advisors and Thumbprint, Inc. Ausdal Financial Partners serves individuals, trusts, estates, retirement plans, and business entities, managing approximately $3.73 billion for over 16,000 clients through a network of investment advisor representatives. The firm offers a range of services including advisor-managed accounts and retirement plan advisory, with investment strategies tailored to clients’ objectives and risk tolerance.

Russell Luce is a financial advisor with Chelsea Advisory Services, Inc. and holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses. He has 31 years of industry experience, with prior roles at Silver Oak Securities, Lifemark Securities Corp., and other firms. Outside of advisory work, he serves as president of Planning Legacies Financial Group, a full insurance firm. Chelsea Advisory Services provides financial planning, investment advisory, and consulting services to individuals, trusts, and some corporate clients. The firm employs a fundamental, long-term investment approach and generally manages accounts on a discretionary basis with diversified portfolios.

Dennis Breier is a financial advisor with Foundations Investment Advisors LLC, holding Series 65 and Series 66 licenses and 12 years of industry experience. He has worked at several firms including Guardian Estate Solutions, where he serves as president, and has been involved in insurance and estate planning services. Outside of advisory work, he manages funeral pre-planning and pre-paid contracts for a family-owned funeral home. Foundations Investment Advisors LLC provides financial planning and portfolio management services to a diverse range of clients, including individuals, high-net-worth investors, and employer-sponsored retirement plans. The firm uses a combination of fundamental, technical, and cyclical analysis, model portfolios, and third-party sub-advisers to tailor investment strategies.

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.

Jeremy Ftacek is a financial advisor with United Advisor Group and holds a Series 66 designation. He has 25 years of industry experience, including roles at Purshe Kaplan Sterling Investments, Cambridge Investment Research Advisors, and Invest Financial Corp. He is also a founding partner and investment advisor representative of Ftacek Financial Services, LLC. United Advisor Group serves individuals, small businesses, trusts, charities, and broker-dealer customers through a network of independent investment adviser representatives. The firm offers discretionary and non-discretionary investment management, financial and retirement planning, family office services, and financial education, utilizing proprietary model portfolios, custom-traded accounts, and third-party money managers.

Margherita Johnson is a CFP®-certified financial advisor with 24 years of industry experience. She is affiliated with Capital Analysts and has held roles at Lincoln Investment Planning, Inc. for 15 years. In addition to her advisory work, she operates as an independent insurance agent, selling life, health, disability, and long-term care insurance. Capital Analysts serves a diverse client base including individual and high-net-worth investors, trusts, foundations, businesses, and charitable organizations. The firm offers portfolio management, advisor-managed portfolios, access to third-party managers, and retirement-plan advice, utilizing both discretionary management by an in-house team and non-discretionary services through advisors and external managers.

Jack Hinkleman is an advisor at First Advisors National, LLC with a Series 65 designation. He has experience working at Larry Burger, CPA, PC and Hansen, Plahm & Company, as well as a five-year period at Illinois State University. Jack joined First Advisors National in 2026. First Advisors National provides investment management, asset allocation advice, and retirement plan consulting primarily to individual clients, including ERISA plan participants, managing approximately $506.8 million in discretionary assets. The firm uses tactical and strategic asset allocation methodologies and focuses on third-party money manager selection and oversight.

Mark Essenfeld is a CFP® with 21 years of industry experience. He is currently with Soltis Investment Advisors, LLC and previously worked at HUB International, TCG Advisors, and Mass Mutual Investors Services. He serves as Treasurer for the Board of Trustees at Life's Plan Inc., a not-for-profit organization involved in investment-related activities. Soltis Investment Advisors serves individual investors, institutions, corporations, charitable organizations, and pension/401(k) plans. The firm employs a manager selection and portfolio construction process that integrates Modern Portfolio Theory, quantitative screening, and qualitative due diligence, offering discretionary portfolio management, financial planning, consulting, and retirement plan services.