Charles Williams is a CFP® professional with 35 years of experience in the financial services industry. He has worked with Independent Financial Partners since 2010 and previously served at LPL Financial and IFP Securities, LLC. Williams is also an adjunct professor at Northwestern University School of Continuing Studies, where he teaches a retirement planning and employee benefits course. Independent Financial Partners provides investment advisory, financial planning, trust, and retirement-plan services through a nationwide network of independent Investment Adviser Representatives. The firm supports a multi-advisor platform serving individual, charitable, corporate, and high-net-worth clients, with a focus on retirement-plan advisory and pension consulting services.

Jeffrey Perkins is a financial advisor with Transamerica Financial Advisors, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and bringing 16 years of industry experience. He has been with Transamerica Financial Advisors since 2012 and also serves on the board of Marengo Area Outreach Enterprises. Outside of finance, he manages Perkins Farm, which sells hay and beef. Transamerica Financial Advisors provides investment advisory, brokerage, and retirement-plan services to a wide range of clients, including individuals, employer-sponsored plans, trusts, and charitable organizations. The firm employs a model portfolio approach using third-party managers and proprietary solutions delivered through multiple platforms.

Kahina Kherbouche is a financial advisor with Fifth Third Securities, Inc., holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and one year of industry experience. She has worked in various roles within Fifth Third Bank since 2019, with prior experience at MB Financial Bank, Liberty Tax, and Joson's Deli. Fifth Third Securities, Inc. provides brokerage and investment advisory services through its Passageway Managed Account Program to a range of clients, including individuals, charitable organizations, and institutional investors. The firm offers multiple discretionary managed-account programs and features such as direct indexing and tax-overlay services, operating as a wholly owned subsidiary of Fifth Third Bank.

Giacomo Palazzolo is an investment advisor representative with TLG Advisors, Inc. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has 30 years of industry experience. He has worked at The Leaders Group, Inc. since 2013 and Resource Insurance and Financial Group since 2003. In addition to his advisory role, he is involved in insurance and group benefits businesses and serves as a notary public. TLG Advisors serves individuals, high-net-worth clients, trusts, charitable organizations, corporations, pension and retirement plans, and other institutional investors. The firm offers investment supervisory services, portfolio management, financial planning, and fiduciary services, with an investment approach centered on manager selection and ongoing monitoring using fundamental analysis and Modern Portfolio Theory.

John Kraunelis is a financial advisor at Allworth Financial, L.P. with eight years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and has previously worked at Nuveen Securities, LLC and Charles Schwab. Allworth Financial serves a diverse client base including individual and high-net-worth investors, pension and profit-sharing plans, trusts, corporations, and charitable organizations. The firm offers comprehensive financial planning and portfolio management, utilizing both quantitative and qualitative analysis to tailor investment strategies across a range of asset classes and specialized portfolios.

Calla Gorman is a Series 66-licensed financial advisor with 11 years of industry experience. She currently works at Independent Financial Partners and has held roles at several firms including Sheridan Road Advisors, LPL Financial, and Merrill. Independent Financial Partners provides investment advisory, financial planning, trust, and retirement-plan services through a nationwide network of independent advisors. The firm supports a multi-advisor platform serving individual, charitable, corporate, and high-net-worth clients, with a notable focus on retirement-plan advisory and pension consulting.

Mary Claire Meehan is a financial advisor with Eagle Strategies (NY Life) in Deerfield, IL, holding Series 63 and Series 65 designations and five years of industry experience. She has worked with Eagle Strategies and NYLIFE Securities LLC since 2021 and has prior experience at Gary A Erickson dating back to 2009. Outside of her advisory role, she is a Notary Public in Illinois. Eagle Strategies serves a diverse client base including individuals, institutions, and retirement plans, offering financial planning, investment management, and advisory services primarily focused on fee-based and non-discretionary solutions tailored to client objectives.

Anthony Scott is a financial advisor with Citigroup Global Markets, holding Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and bringing 17 years of industry experience. He has been with Citigroup Global Markets since 2008. Citigroup Global Markets serves individual and institutional clients across various wealth segments, offering a wide range of advisory programs and execution services. The firm combines large institutional scale with specialized market roles, including in-house research and derivative services, providing multi-asset, multi-manager strategies implemented through discretionary and non-discretionary programs.

Robert Duwa is a CFA® charterholder with 28 years of industry experience. He has been with William Blair & Co LLC since 2010. William Blair’s Private Wealth Management division provides investment management, financial planning, and wealth services to individuals, foundations, pension, and corporate clients. The firm emphasizes active, research-driven management across multiple asset classes and offers proprietary model portfolios along with access to private funds and co-investment opportunities.

Joel Hochman is a CFP® with 42 years of industry experience and is currently with MAI Capital Management, LLC, where he has worked since 2021. He previously held roles at Hochman Cole Investment Advisors, Inc. and Cetera Financial Specialists LLC. Outside of his advisory work, he also engages in independent consulting through the Gerson Lehrman Group and receives referral commissions related to a prior health insurance business. MAI Capital Management provides discretionary and non-discretionary investment management, wealth management, retirement plan consulting, and family-office services to a diverse client base including high-net-worth individuals, families, sports professionals, trusts, and institutional clients. The firm offers a range of portfolio strategies and integrates financial planning, tax, and bill-pay services, managing $72.3 billion in assets as of May 2026.

Valbona Ceci is a CFP® professional with nine years of industry experience, currently with Mariner in Oakbrook, IL. Her prior experience includes roles at BMO Private Bank and Mariner Wealth Advisors. Mariner serves a diverse client base including individuals, pension and profit-sharing plans, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, corporations, and private funds. The firm offers investment management, financial planning, retirement plan consulting, and coordinated tax and family office services, implementing customized portfolios overseen by an Investment Committee and supported by both in-house and third-party managers.

Benjamin Audley is a CFP® professional with eight years of experience in financial advising. He currently works at Integrated Wealth Concepts LLC and previously held roles at Hightower Advisors, LLC and Mesirow Financial, Inc. prior to joining his current firm. Integrated Wealth Concepts serves individuals, families, trusts, estates, businesses, and retirement plans through a network of independent advisors. The firm primarily constructs customized portfolios using mutual funds, ETFs, individual equities, and fixed income with a primarily long-term approach, while also offering discretionary investment management and family office services.

Sharon Santopadre is a financial advisor at Integrated Wealth Concepts LLC with 19 years of industry experience. She holds the Series 66 designation and previously worked at Wayne Hummer Investments for 10 years before joining Integrated Wealth Concepts in 2021. Outside of her advisory role, she dedicates a portion of her time to activities involving fixed annuities, fixed life insurance, and long-term care insurance. Integrated Wealth Concepts serves a range of clients including individuals, high-net-worth clients, families, trusts, estates, businesses, and retirement plans through a network of independent financial advisors. The firm offers discretionary investment management, financial planning, family office and retirement plan advisory services, and sponsors wrap-fee programs that emphasize customized portfolios primarily composed of mutual funds, ETFs, equities, and fixed income.

Sarah Taylor is a financial advisor at Benjamin F. Edwards & Company, Inc. She holds a Series 66 designation and has six years of industry experience, including prior roles at TD Ameritrade and Benjamin F. Edwards. Before entering the financial services field, she spent over a decade as a homemaker. Benjamin F. Edwards & Company is an integrated broker-dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser serving individuals, high-net-worth clients, pension plans, charitable organizations, and corporations through more than 500 advisors. The firm offers a range of services including advisory programs, financial planning, investment management, brokerage, insurance products, and M&A advisory services.

Lihua Zhu is a financial advisor with Transamerica Financial Advisors, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and bringing 10 years of industry experience. Her work history includes roles at Prime Planners Inc and HR-Block, along with her position as an IRS Enrolled Agent providing tax preparation services. She has also been involved with the Xilin Northwest Chinese School and co-owns a small business with Frank Liu. Transamerica Financial Advisors, LLC offers investment advisory, brokerage, and retirement-plan services to a diverse client base, utilizing model portfolios and third-party managers. The firm serves individual investors, employer-sponsored plans, trusts, estates, and charitable organizations through a large network and multiple advisory platforms.

Zachary Bohlin is a financial advisor at Sanctuary Advisors, LLC with a Series 66 designation. He has one year of industry experience and previously worked for Robert Bosch LLC for 11 years. Sanctuary Advisors, LLC provides investment advisory and financial planning services to individuals, corporations, pension and profit-sharing plans, trusts, estates, and charitable organizations through a network of over 400 independent investment adviser representatives. The firm offers portfolio management, financial planning, retirement plan consulting, and access to various managed account platforms, employing multiple analytical approaches and acting as a fiduciary when advisory agreements are in place.

Jennifer Lyons is a financial advisor with William Blair, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and bringing 28 years of industry experience. She has been with William Blair & Company since 2000. William Blair’s Private Wealth Management division offers discretionary and non-discretionary investment management, financial planning, and wealth services to individuals, foundations, pension, and corporate clients. The firm employs an active, research-driven approach across equities, fixed income, and alternative strategies, with proprietary models and access to private funds and co-investments.

Anthony Jones is a CFP® professional with two years of experience at Corient. Prior to joining Corient, he worked at Industrial Federal Credit Union and Regions Bank, and he also spent six years at Purdue University. Corient provides investment advisory and financial planning services to individual and high-net-worth clients, trusts, pension and profit-sharing plans, charitable organizations, and corporate entities. The firm employs a goals-based, team investment approach combining in-house strategies with third-party manager solutions, supported by continuous portfolio monitoring and risk management tools.

Matthew Mikula is a CFP® with 16 years of industry experience, currently serving at Corient. His career includes nearly two decades at Balasa Dinverno Foltz LLC before joining Corient and its related entities. Corient provides investment advisory and financial planning services to a diverse client base, including individuals, trusts, pension plans, and corporate entities. The firm employs a goals-based, team-driven investment approach that integrates in-house strategies with third-party managers and uses advanced risk management and stress testing tools.

Kristina Baumann is a financial advisor at T. Rowe Price Advisory Services, Inc. with 17 years of industry experience. She holds Series 63 and Series 66 licenses. Prior to joining T. Rowe Price in 2025, she worked at Principal Securities Inc. and Principal Life Insurance Company. Outside of her advisory role, she owns a real estate investment company focused on short-term rental properties. T. Rowe Price Advisory Services, Inc. provides retirement-focused financial planning and discretionary investment management to individual investors and households. The firm uses model portfolios invested exclusively in T. Rowe Price mutual funds and ETFs, employing tax-aware strategies and Monte Carlo simulations to support retirement income planning.