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.

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.

Brian Plain is a CFP® with 20 years of industry experience and has been with Gradient Advisors, LLC since 2014. He provides consulting services focused on business management and growth to small business owners. Gradient Advisors offers investment management, financial planning, and consulting services to individuals, retirement plans, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, corporations, and other business entities. The firm operates primarily through third-party money managers and Investment Advisor Representatives, using a largely non-discretionary approach that incorporates multiple analytical methods to align portfolios with client objectives and risk tolerance.

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, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and bringing 34 years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at Wells Fargo Advisors and Pacific Life Insurance Company. He is also licensed in life and health insurance. Pure Financial Advisors provides financial planning and portfolio management primarily for individual and high-net-worth clients, as well as services for trusts, estates, charitable organizations, and pension and profit-sharing plans. The firm’s investment approach is planning-centered and overseen by an Investment Committee, incorporating modern portfolio theory, tax-aware strategies, and the use of sub-advisers for specialized investment sleeves.

Patrick Donohue is a financial advisor at Ausdal Financial Partners, Inc. with three years of industry experience. He holds the Series 65 designation and has worked in various roles including as an agent providing life and health insurance services. Donohue’s background includes experience with BCH Wealth Management, LLC, and involvement in non-investment business activities such as managing insurance needs for individuals and small businesses. Ausdal Financial Partners serves a diverse client base including individuals, trusts, estates, retirement plans, and business entities, managing approximately $3.73 billion across more than 16,000 clients. The firm offers tailored investment strategies through advisor-managed and separately managed accounts, leveraging multiple custodians and third-party managers in both discretionary and non-discretionary formats.

Gregory Whitehead is a financial advisor at Calamos Wealth Management LLC with 13 years of industry experience. He holds a Series 66 designation and previously worked at Charles Schwab & Co., Inc. and Charles Schwab Bank, SSB. Outside of his advisory role, he is a partner in ADK Escapes, LLC, a vacation rental development, and co-owner of a rental property in Chester, NJ. Calamos Wealth Management LLC provides discretionary wealth management and institutional advisory services to high-net-worth individuals, family offices, endowments, private foundations, and retirement plans. The firm’s investment process includes customized asset allocation, portfolio construction, and ongoing monitoring, often utilizing affiliated investment vehicles and maintaining governance controls to manage conflicts of interest.

Alejandro Pastrana is a financial advisor with Packerland Brokerage Services, Inc. He holds Series 65 and Series 63 licenses and has nine years of industry experience. Prior to joining Packerland in 2025, he worked at Northwestern Mutual and Serene Financial Group. He is the sole owner of Serene Financial Group, LLC, where he dedicates time to life, health, long-term care, and disability insurance services. Packerland Brokerage Services, Inc. serves individual and institutional clients, including high-net-worth individuals, trusts, corporations, and retirement plan sponsors, through a network of 176 advisors with $1.358 billion in assets under management. The firm offers financial planning, portfolio management, wrap-fee and unified managed account programs, and retirement-plan consulting, providing investment solutions directly and via third-party managers.

Lawrence Skibo is a financial advisor at KCD Financial, Inc. with 34 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has worked at multiple firms, including Moloney Securities Co., Inc. and Fisher Investments. Outside of finance, he owns a piano tuning business and is involved in photography and real estate activities. KCD Financial, Inc. is a multi-team registered investment adviser and broker-dealer with 38 advisors managing approximately $202 million in assets. The firm serves individuals, corporate pension plans, and charitable organizations, offering asset management, financial planning, and access to third-party management programs.

Terrance Gaertner is a CFP® professional with 41 years of industry experience, currently serving at Ausdal Financial Partners, Inc. since 2009. He holds a Series 63 license and is based in Park Ridge, IL. Outside of his advisory role, he is involved in term life insurance sales with various carriers on a commission basis. 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, utilizing a range of investment strategies and custodial platforms.

Kyle Buffo is a financial advisor at Mission Wealth Management, LP with 11 years of industry experience. He holds the CFP® designation and has worked at firms including LPL Financial LLC, Cadaret Grant & Co., Inc., and Q3 Advisors LLC. Outside of financial advising, he is also a self-employed musician. Mission Wealth Management is a multi-team advisory firm that serves affluent and high-net-worth individuals, families, and institutional clients through customized wealth management, financial planning, and portfolio management services. The firm employs long-term strategies across a diverse range of investments and incorporates tax-aware trading and rebalancing in its discretionary account management.

Maxwell Cinnamon is a financial advisor with HighPoint Planning Partners, holding a Series 66 designation and two years of industry experience. He previously worked at the University of Kansas Athletic Department and State Bank of Herscher. Mr. Cinnamon is also a licensed insurance agent and splits his time between advisory and registered representative roles. HighPoint Advisor Group serves individuals, pension and profit-sharing plans, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, and corporate entities, offering discretionary asset management, financial planning, and retirement plan advisory. The firm constructs investment policies through personal consultations and implements portfolios using fundamental analysis across various asset classes and platforms.

David Frohlichstein is a CFP® professional with 39 years of experience in the financial industry. He has been with Ausdal Financial Partners, Inc. since 2009 and also operates Frolicstein Financial, a financial advisory business he has managed since 1999. In addition to his advisory work, he has been a self-employed professional musician for over 50 years. Ausdal Financial Partners is an SEC-registered investment adviser and FINRA-member broker-dealer serving individuals, trusts, corporations, pension plans, and charitable organizations. The firm offers a range of investment advisory programs and financial planning services, utilizing both discretionary and non-discretionary strategies across various asset classes and account types.

David Paske is a financial advisor with Saxony Capital Management, LLC, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and bringing 34 years of industry experience. He has been with Saxony Securities since 2003. Outside of his advisory work, he serves as a special education teacher at Lyons Township High School. Saxony Capital Management provides portfolio management and financial planning services to individuals, including high-net-worth clients, as well as institutional clients such as retirement plans, trusts, charitable organizations, and corporations. The firm operates with a multi-team model and employs a range of investment strategies, including technical and fundamental analysis, while also offering third-party advisory services.

Kirk Hackbarth is a CFP®, PFS™, and Series 63 registered advisor with 16 years of industry experience. He currently works at JMG Financial Group Ltd and has previously been employed at Strategic Wealth Partners, Guidant Wealth Advisors, and Liberty Financial Group, Inc. He is based in Downers Grove, IL. JMG Financial Group advises individuals, trusts, retirement plans, business entities, and charitable organizations, offering comprehensive wealth management, portfolio management, and financial consulting. The firm employs a planning-based, long-term investment approach with strategic asset allocation and utilizes a variety of investment vehicles including ETFs, mutual funds, individual equities, fixed income, separately managed accounts, and private investments.

Matthew Fitzgerald is a financial advisor with Altitude Capital Management LLC in St. Charles, IL, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses. He has 29 years of industry experience, including prior roles at Brighthouse Financial and Invesco Advisers, Inc. Outside of advising, he is an equity partner in a rental property business. Altitude Capital Management LLC provides investment advisory and financial planning services to individuals and high net worth clients. The firm customizes strategies based on client objectives and risk tolerance, managing accounts through a multi-team structure while employing approaches such as asset allocation and technical analysis.

Christopher Gruchacz is a financial advisor at Calamos Wealth Management LLC with eight years of industry experience. He has held roles at Calamos Wealth Management since 2019 and previously worked at Wells Fargo Bank from 2013 to 2019. Outside of his advisory work, he serves as Chairman of the Investment Committee and a Board of Trustee member at Barry University. Calamos Wealth Management provides discretionary wealth management, financial planning, and institutional advisory services to high-net-worth individuals, family offices, endowments, private foundations, corporations, and retirement plans. The firm’s investment approach emphasizes asset allocation, rigorous evaluation, and ongoing monitoring, using a diverse mix of securities and funds, including affiliated Calamos mutual funds.

Andrew Janusz is a CFA® charterholder with 11 years of experience in financial services. He is currently an advisor at OnePoint BFG Wealth Partners and has held previous roles at firms including JP Morgan, Merrill Lynch, Bank of America, and Northwestern Mutual. OnePoint BFG Wealth Partners provides customized financial planning and wealth management services to a diverse client base, including individual investors, retirement plans, trusts, and charitable organizations. The firm employs a range of portfolio management approaches using third-party managers, proprietary models, and technology integrations to support its investment and operational processes.

Kathleen Gfrorer is a CFP® with 44 years of industry experience, currently serving as a financial advisor at VestGen Advisors, LLC. Her career includes roles at LPL Financial LLC, Securities America, Inc., and Landmark Capital, Inc. She also serves as secretary for the Somonauk Gardens Owners Association. VestGen Advisors, LLC is a multi-team registered investment adviser managing approximately $3.47 billion for about 9,453 clients. The firm serves individual and high-net-worth clients with discretionary and non-discretionary investment management, financial planning, wrap-fee programs, and retirement plan services, utilizing a blend of analytical methods and third-party managers to implement portfolios.