John Duckworth is a CFP®-certified financial advisor with 14 years of industry experience. He has been with High Point Planning Partners, operating as Black Diamond Planners, since 2013. HighPoint Advisor Group serves individuals, including high-net-worth clients, as well as pension and profit-sharing plans, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, and corporate entities. The firm offers discretionary asset management and financial planning, implementing portfolios through fundamental analysis and a diversified allocation across various securities and investment products.

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.

Allen Laya is a ChFC® credentialed financial advisor with 54 years of industry experience. He has been with Lincoln Investment Planning, Inc. since 2005 and worked at PMG Asset Management Inc from 2001 to 2005. Laya is based in Lombard, IL and is affiliated with Capital Analysts. Capital Analysts serves a diverse client base, including individual and high-net-worth investors, trusts, foundations, businesses, and charitable organizations. The firm provides portfolio management, advisor-managed custom and model portfolios, access to third-party managers, and retirement-plan advice through a nationwide network of independent advisors and firm-managed programs.

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.

Byron Ramult is a CFP® professional with 24 years of industry experience, currently with Stratos Wealth Advisors LLC. He has held roles at firms including LPL Financial and Wealth Enhancement Advisory Services. Stratos Wealth Advisors serves individual and institutional clients, including high-net-worth households and retirement plans, through a multi-team network. The firm offers financial planning, portfolio management, and access to third-party managers, tailoring services to client goals with a combination of discretionary management and technology-enabled solutions.

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.

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.

Clayton Saltijeral is a financial advisor at Copeland Capital Management, LLC with 25 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has previously worked at DCM Brokers, LLC, Northern Lights Distributors, LLC, and Vigilant Distributors, LLC. Copeland Capital Management is an SEC-registered investment adviser managing discretionary portfolios for a diverse client base, including individuals, pension plans, trusts, and charitable organizations. The firm uses a conservative, disciplined dividend-growth investment approach across domestic and international strategies and manages over $4 billion in discretionary assets.

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. His prior roles include positions at Northwestern Mutual and Serene Financial Group. Pastrana is the sole proprietor of Serene Financial Group, LLC, where he provides life, health, long-term care, and disability insurance. Packerland Brokerage Services, Inc. serves individual and institutional clients through a network of 176 advisors and offers financial planning, portfolio management, and retirement-plan consulting. The firm utilizes a range of investment solutions, including third-party managers and various managed account structures, available on both discretionary and non-discretionary bases.

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.

Christopher Scott is a financial advisor at The Mather Group, LLC with nine years of prior experience at Northern Trust and two years at Edward Jones. He holds a Series 66 designation and has been in the industry for one year. The Mather Group primarily serves high-net-worth individuals, family offices, trusts, corporations, and other entities, providing comprehensive financial planning, investment management, tax and estate planning guidance, and family office services. The firm employs an evidence-based investment approach with customizable portfolio options and integrates AI and machine-learning tools while maintaining human oversight.

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.

Paul Wong is a CFP®-certified financial advisor with 30 years of industry experience, currently practicing at LaSalle St. Investment Advisors, L.L.C. He has worked at La Salle St. Securities, Inc. for nearly three decades. Outside of his advisory role, Wong serves as Treasurer and Committee Member of the Mission Related Investment Committee at Grace Church. LaSalle St. Investment Advisors provides personalized, fee-based financial planning and investment supervisory services to a diverse client base including individuals, trusts, estates, pension plans, charitable organizations, and small businesses. The firm offers both non-discretionary and discretionary investment management programs, emphasizing a predominantly non-discretionary asset mix.

Kyle Buffo is a CFP® professional with 12 years of industry experience, currently with Mission Wealth Management, LP. His prior roles include positions at LPL Financial LLC, Cadaret Grant & Co., Inc., and several other firms. Outside of finance, he is also a self-employed musician. Mission Wealth Management serves high-net-worth individuals, families, and institutional clients by providing wealth management, financial planning, and investment management services. The firm employs a comprehensive approach that integrates investment management with tax, trust, philanthropy, and risk planning, utilizing both internal and third-party managers.

John Berger is a financial advisor with LaSalle St. Investment Advisors, L.L.C., holding Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and bringing 41 years of industry experience. He has been with LaSalle St. Investment Advisors since 2000 and affiliated with La Salle St. Securities since 1991. LaSalle St. Investment Advisors provides personalized, fee-based financial planning and investment supervisory services to individuals, trusts, estates, pension and profit-sharing plans, charitable organizations, and small businesses. The firm offers both non-discretionary and discretionary management programs, emphasizing a predominance of non-discretionary assets under 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.