Barbara Charal is a financial advisor with Cetera, holding Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and bringing 29 years of industry experience. She has worked at Cetera since 2004 and operates her own business, Barbara E. Charal & Associates, Inc., which provides public accounting and tax return services alongside investment advisory. Additionally, she owns Genova Wealth, a financial services firm she started in 2024, and is licensed to sell health insurance under a fixed insurance business. Cetera Investment Advisers LLC serves a broad client base including individuals, retirement plans, corporate and charitable entities, and institutional accounts. The firm offers a variety of portfolio management and financial planning services through a multi-manager platform, leveraging both affiliated and third-party managers, with over 10,000 advisors and $256 billion in assets under management.

James Mcnamara is a financial advisor at Wells Fargo Clearing with 40 years of industry experience. He holds the Series 63 designation and has been with Wells Fargo Clearing since 2016, following seven years at Wells Fargo Advisors LLC. Wells Fargo Clearing provides retirement plan consulting to qualified ERISA and non-qualified deferred compensation plans, offering both non-discretionary and discretionary services. The firm’s IPS-driven advisory process incorporates modern portfolio theory and includes a range of investment options such as insurance-related vehicles and bank deposit sweep programs.

Danny Conti Mica is a financial advisor with Mass Mutual Investors Services, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and bringing 35 years of industry experience. His prior work includes 26 years at MetLife Securities Inc. and a decade at Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company. Outside of his advisory role, he is involved in insurance brokerage activities through Comprehensive Financial Concepts, LLC. Mass Mutual Investors Services is a broker-dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser serving individuals, business owners, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, and employers. The firm offers financial planning, asset management, and educational seminars, focusing on collaborative, goal-based planning using firm-approved analytical tools.

Kristen Graham is a financial advisor with Thrivent Investment Management in Crystal Lake, IL. She holds Series 65 and Series 63 credentials and has two years of industry experience. Prior to joining Thrivent, she worked at Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Company and Aon. Thrivent Investment Management provides Dedicated Planning Services to individuals, families, businesses, and nonprofit clients, focusing on goal-based financial planning across a wide range of topics. The firm offers these services as either one-time or ongoing engagements and allows clients to integrate planning with managed-account programs through a consolidated billing option.

Steven Garrels is a financial advisor with Cetera, holding Series 65 and Series 66 licenses and 17 years of industry experience. He previously worked at Avantax Investment Services, Avantax Advisory Services, Avantax Insurance Services, 1st Global Advisors, and Borhart Spellmeyer & Company. Outside of advising, he serves as Board Chairman of Harvard Savings Bank, a publicly traded financial institution currently in liquidation. Cetera Investment Advisers LLC is an SEC-registered adviser that offers a multi-manager platform serving individual, corporate, charitable, and institutional clients. The firm provides a range of portfolio management and planning services through a network of over 10,000 advisors and manages more than $256 billion in assets.

James Donenberg is a financial advisor at LPL Financial in Deerfield, IL, with 25 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 designations and has worked at LPL Financial since 2023, following more than two decades with Securities America Advisors, Inc. and Securities America, Inc. Outside of advising, he is also a licensed notary public and has experience in tax preparation and accounting through Warady & Davis LLP. LPL Financial is a national broker-dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser serving individuals, retirement plan participants, banks, trust companies, and institutions. The firm offers a range of financial planning and investment services, utilizing model portfolios, third-party subadvisors, and customized strategies supported by advanced operational tools.

Ashleen Davey is a financial advisor at Merrill with eight years of industry experience. She holds a Series 66 designation and has worked at Merrill and Bank of America since 2018, following two years at BMO Harris Bank. She serves as a successor trustee for a family trust outside of her advisory role. Merrill, together with its affiliate Managed Account Advisors LLC, provides managed account services to Bank of America fiduciary clients through the Select Portfolio Solutions Program. The firm offers model-based and discretionary strategies for a range of clients, including individuals, high-net-worth clients, pension plans, corporations, and charitable organizations.

Sean Grady is a financial advisor with Edward Jones in Arlington Heights, IL, holding a Series 66 designation and nine years of industry experience. Prior to joining Edward Jones in 2017, he worked at Mariano's from 2013 to 2016. Outside of his advisory role, he is the owner and CEO of KSG Hospitality Consulting, providing expertise in culinary and restaurant management, and serves as a judge for a high school investment competition. Edward Jones is a full-service wealth management firm serving individual and institutional clients nationwide, managing approximately $1.01 trillion in assets with a large network of financial advisors and branches. The firm offers a range of advisory strategies, including discretionary and non-discretionary wrap fee programs, separately managed accounts, and tax-efficient services, operating under a fiduciary standard.

John Stevens is a financial advisor with RBC Capital Markets in Buffalo Grove, IL, holding a Series 66 designation and 16 years of industry experience. His prior work includes roles at Bank of America, N.A., Merrill, and City National Bank. RBC Wealth Management serves a broad client base including individual investors, institutional clients, and charitable organizations, offering advisory programs with tailored strategies implemented through a mix of in-house and third-party investment managers. The firm provides discretionary and non-discretionary portfolio management, financial planning, custody, and brokerage services.

John Strotman is a financial advisor at UBS Financial Services with 15 years of industry experience. He holds a Series 66 designation and has been with UBS since 2010. Outside of his advisory work, he sells sports trading cards and memorabilia from his personal collection. UBS Financial Services serves individual, corporate, and institutional clients through brokerage and investment advisory offerings, utilizing proprietary research and model-based asset allocations to tailor plans to clients’ goals and risk tolerances.

Kelly Bays is a financial advisor with Ameriprise, holding a Series 66 designation and 20 years of industry experience. She has been with Ameriprise and its affiliated entities since 2005. Outside of her advisory role, Bays co-leads two Girl Scout troops and helps plan a volunteer-run Girl Scout day camp in the McHenry area. She is also co-author of the financial book *Intentional Legacy*. Ameriprise offers a retirement-income planning service focused on individuals approaching or in retirement with significant investable assets, combining research, modeling, and tax-efficiency analysis to produce written recommendation reports. The firm provides a wide range of advisory, brokerage, and insurance solutions through its large institutional platform.

Nathan Elby is a Financial Advisor at Merrill Lynch Wealth Management. He specializes in providing tailored strategies including retirement income planning, portfolio management, tax minimization, and family wealth management planning. His expertise encompasses financial planning, retirement income planning, tax-efficient portfolios, cash flow analysis, and estate planning services. Nathan grew up during the Great Financial Crisis, which inspired him to help individuals and families prepare for financial uncertainties. He earned a Bachelor's Degree in Finance from Michigan State University and holds the CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER® (CFP) and Chartered Retirement Planning Counselor (CRPC) designations. He focuses on offering financial plans characterized by honesty, transparency, and service. Beyond his professional work, Nathan is involved in community activities such as serving as a Track & Field Coach and participating in the Villas of Boulder Ridge Homeowner's Association. He also contributes to financial literacy through Junior Achievement.

Jack Algrim is a Series 66-licensed financial advisor at Morgan Stanley with one year of industry experience. Prior to joining Morgan Stanley in 2025, he held various roles including positions at LogiClean, Athene, and multiple educational institutions. Morgan Stanley Wealth Management is an SEC-registered adviser and broker-dealer offering a wide range of advisory programs to individuals and institutional clients, focusing on tailored financial planning supported by firm-approved tools and data-driven modeling.

Steve Richenberger is a financial advisor at J.P. Morgan Securities with 20 years of industry experience. He has been with J.P. Morgan Securities since 2012 and has worked at JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. since 2011. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 designations. J.P. Morgan Securities provides investment consulting and advisory services primarily to institutional clients and retirement plan sponsors through its Institutional Consulting Services program. The firm combines quantitative asset-allocation modeling with centralized due diligence and applies an ESG eligibility framework when recommending investment strategies.

Magdy Abd is a financial advisor at Edward Jones with a Series 66 designation and two years of industry experience. Prior to joining Edward Jones in 2023, he worked at TCF National Bank and Huntington National Bank for eleven years each. Edward Jones is a full-service wealth management firm serving more than four million individual and institutional clients, offering a range of advisory programs and investment strategies supported by a large network of advisors and branch offices.

Patrick Hoch is a financial advisor at Stifel with 39 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has been with Stifel since 2007. The firm serves a wide range of clients, including individuals, institutional investors, and charitable organizations, offering brokerage and investment advisory services supported by a proprietary investment methodology developed by its Investment Strategy Group.

Nilesh Patel is a financial advisor with Mass Mutual Investors Services in Schaumburg, IL, holding Series 65 and Series 63 credentials and bringing 25 years of industry experience. He has worked with Mass Mutual and its affiliates since 2013. Outside of his advisory role, Patel is involved in life and health insurance sales through RDR Financial Group, LLC. Mass Mutual Investors Services operates as a broker-dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser, serving individuals, business owners, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, and employers. The firm offers financial planning, asset management, and educational programs, emphasizing collaborative planning engagements supported by firm-approved analytical tools.

Ranjeet Rai is a financial advisor at Stifel with 15 years of industry experience and holds a Series 66 designation. He has worked at Stifel Nicolaus & Co Inc since 2019 and has prior experience at Bank of America, Merrill, and involvement with local school districts and the YMCA. Stifel serves a broad range of clients including individuals, institutional clients, and charitable organizations, offering both brokerage and investment advisory services. The firm’s investment approach is based on a proprietary methodology developed by its Investment Strategy Group, providing capital market assumptions and probabilistic modeling for asset allocation and financial planning.

Michael Kline is a financial advisor at Edward Jones in McHenry, IL, holding Series 63 and Series 66 designations with five years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at TD Ameritrade and Edward Jones Investments, as well as involvement in collegiate athletics at the University of Colorado Boulder and University of Nebraska. In addition to his advisory work, he serves as Membership Chair for the PROPS Referral Group, focusing on recruiting and onboarding new members. Edward Jones is a full-service wealth management firm serving over four million individual and institutional clients, offering a range of advisory strategies and affiliated investment products. The firm manages approximately $1.01 trillion in assets under management and operates a large nationwide network of financial advisors and branch offices.

Cameron Hubbard is a financial advisor with LPL Financial in Crystal Lake, IL, holding Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and bringing 15 years of industry experience. He previously worked at Cetera Advisor Networks LLC and has been involved with Exemplar FN for over 16 years. Outside of advising, he serves as a city council member and holds nonprofit board roles. LPL Financial is a national broker-dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser that serves individuals, retirement plans, banks, trust companies, and institutions. The firm offers a range of advisory and brokerage services, including financial planning, model portfolio programs, and institutional platforms, supported by a large network of investment adviser representatives.