Thomas Sandt is a financial advisor at Mercer Global Advisors Inc. with 32 years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at TIAA-CREF, Academy Securities, First Trust Portfolios, and Citigroup Global Markets. He holds the Series 63 and Series 65 credentials. Mercer Global Advisors serves individuals, families, small business owners, plan sponsors, foundations, non-profits, and endowments, providing investment advisory services alongside financial, tax, retirement, and estate planning. The firm’s investment approach is based on Modern Portfolio Theory and focuses on globally diversified, risk-appropriate portfolios implemented with a mix of ETFs, index funds, separate accounts, and private funds.

Matthew Kocanda is a CFP® and holds a Series 66 license, with 15 years of industry experience. He is currently with Corient, where he has worked in various capacities since 2022, including a role at Corient Services LLC beginning in 2023. His prior experience includes seven years at Balasa Dinverno Foltz LLC. Corient provides investment advisory and financial planning services to a diverse client base, including individuals, high-net-worth clients, trusts, pension plans, charitable organizations, and corporate entities. The firm uses a goals-based, team investment approach combining in-house strategies and third-party solutions, and offers specialized services through affiliated entities such as family office and corporate trustee services.

Sydney Lukatsevich is a CFP® with eight years of industry experience, currently serving at MAI Capital Management, LLC since 2026. Prior to joining MAI, he held roles at Calamos Financial Services LLC, Calamos Wealth Management LLC, Mowery & Schoenfeld Wealth Management, Mutual of Omaha Advisors, Axa Advisors, and Morgan Stanley. MAI Capital Management provides discretionary and non-discretionary investment management, integrated wealth management, retirement plan consulting, and family-office services to individuals, families, sports professionals, trusts, and institutional clients. The firm employs a customized approach to portfolio management across multiple strategies and offers services including trust administration and insurance through affiliated entities.

Gary Erickson is a financial advisor with Eagle Strategies (New York Life) based in Deerfield, IL, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and possessing 35 years of industry experience. He has worked with Eagle Strategies since 2004 and has prior experience at Oakwell Financial Partners. Erickson serves as a board member for the LaGrange Area Department of Special Education. Eagle Strategies provides financial planning, investment management, and retirement-plan advisory services to a diverse client base including individuals, defined contribution and defined benefit plans, and corporate and charitable clients. The firm emphasizes tailored solutions delivered primarily on a non-discretionary basis within an integrated New York Life affiliate network.

Mirko Reithofer is a CFP®-certified financial advisor with 16 years of industry experience. He is currently with Fifth Third Securities, Inc. and Fifth Third Bank, having previously worked at U.S. Bank, U.S. Bancorp Investments, Inc., and PNC Bank and its affiliated entities. Fifth Third Securities, Inc. serves individual, high-net-worth, and institutional clients through both investment advisory and brokerage services. The firm offers multiple program types via the Passageway Managed Account Platform, including mutual fund and ETF models, separately managed accounts, and direct indexing strategies.

Charles Collins is a financial advisor at &PARTNERS with 31 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has worked previously at Wells Fargo Clearing for 10 years and Morgan Stanley for a combined 5 years. He joined &PARTNERS in 2026. &PARTNERS serves a diverse client base including high-net-worth individuals, institutions, retirement plans, and charitable organizations. The firm offers investment management, financial and tax planning, and ERISA consulting, utilizing a combination of fundamental, technical, and quantitative analysis through discretionary and non-discretionary portfolios.

Jeffrey Mauritzen is a CFP® professional with 25 years of industry experience, currently affiliated with Principal Financial Services. His prior roles include long-term positions at Farmers Insurance Group and Farmers Financial Solutions, as well as ownership of the Jeffrey R Mauritzen Insurance Agency DBA 3 Point Financial. He is also active as a mortgage loan originator with Team USA Mortgage. Principal Securities provides brokerage and registered investment advisory services to a wide range of clients, including individual investors, retirement plans, trusts, and charitable organizations. The firm offers direct advisory programs, financial planning, retirement plan consulting, and access to third-party money manager asset allocation and separately managed account solutions.

Anupama Gupta Ortiz is a financial advisor with Fifth Third Securities, Inc. in Hoffman Estates, IL, holding a Series 66 designation and 25 years of industry experience. She has been with Fifth Third Securities and Fifth Third Bank since 2005. Outside of her advisory role, she is involved in cosmetic sales as an administrative assistant and participates occasionally as a mystery diner for a Chicago-based restaurant. Fifth Third Securities, Inc. provides brokerage and investment advisory services through its Passageway Managed Account Program to individuals, charitable organizations, corporate clients, and institutional investors. The firm offers multiple discretionary managed-account programs and features such as direct indexing and a tax-overlay service, operating as a wholly owned subsidiary of Fifth Third Bank.

Steven Block is a ChFC® credentialed financial advisor with 17 years of industry experience, currently affiliated with Eagle Strategies (NY Life). He also operates Blockwall Strategies, Inc., a business involved in selling New York Life products and brokering non-registered insurance products. Eagle Strategies serves a wide range of individual and institutional clients, providing financial planning, investment management, and retirement-plan advisory services through a large network of affiliated advisers. The firm primarily manages assets on a non-discretionary basis and offers tailored advisory solutions integrated with New York Life insurance and annuity products.

Norman Janis is a financial advisor with Eagle Strategies (NY Life) based in Deerfield, IL. He holds a Series 66 designation and has 20 years of industry experience. Since 2014, he has also served as a youth ice hockey coach for the Glenview Stars Hockey Organization. Eagle Strategies serves a diverse client base including individual investors, institutional clients, and plan sponsors. The firm offers financial planning, investment management, and retirement-plan advisory services, with a focus on tailored recommendations and non-discretionary asset management within an integrated New York Life affiliate structure.

Todd Oldham is a CFP® with 21 years of industry experience, currently affiliated with Eagle Strategies (NY Life) in Deerfield, IL. He has been with Eagle Strategies since 2009 and previously worked at Oakwell Financial Partners from 2017 to 2019. Outside of financial advising, he is also a practicing physician. Eagle Strategies serves a diverse range of individual and institutional clients, offering financial planning, investment management, and retirement-plan advisory services. The firm emphasizes tailored recommendations and primarily manages assets on a non-discretionary basis, operating within the integrated New York Life affiliate structure.

John Smith is a CFP® professional with 25 years of industry experience. He has worked at Balasa Dinverno Foltz LLC for 22 years prior to his current roles at Corient and its affiliates since 2022. Corient provides investment advisory and financial planning services to a diverse client base, including individuals, trusts, pension plans, and charitable organizations. The firm uses a goals-based, team investment approach that integrates in-house strategies with third-party managers and employs risk management tools and alternative investments when appropriate.

Richard Stanfel is a CFP® professional with 16 years of industry experience, currently serving as a financial advisor at &PARTNERS. He previously held roles at Wells Fargo Advisors and Wells Fargo Clearing. Stanfel also manages a personal condominium and a family limited partnership that owns real estate holdings. &PARTNERS serves a diverse client base including individuals, institutions, and charitable organizations, offering investment management, financial and tax planning, and retirement consulting. The firm employs a range of analytical approaches and utilizes both proprietary and third-party strategies, with services delivered through a dual-registered advisory and broker-dealer platform.

Maria Fessler is a financial advisor with Ameritas Advisory Services, LLC and holds Series 63 and Series 66 designations. She has 28 years of industry experience, including prior roles at Mass Mutual Investors Services, MetLife Securities, Wells Fargo Clearing, and Old Mutual Capital. Ameritas Advisory Services, LLC provides investment advisory and planning services to a diverse client base, including individuals, high-net-worth investors, retirement plans, charitable organizations, and businesses. The firm offers a range of asset management and consulting services, utilizing model portfolios, mutual funds, ETFs, interval funds, and individualized strategies across multiple program platforms.

David Berendt is a financial professional at Lincoln Investment with three years of industry experience. He holds the Series 66 designation and has worked at Lincoln Investment since 2023. Outside of his advisory role, he serves as a small groups coach for the Boomerang Project, teaching educators how to facilitate mentoring programs for high school students. Lincoln Investment Planning, LLC is an enterprise advisory and broker-dealer serving a diverse client base, including individual and high-net-worth investors, trusts, charities, and retirement plans. The firm provides financial planning, portfolio management using strategic model portfolios and third-party managers, and maintains a history of serving educators and participants in 403(b) and 457(b) programs.

Bilal Hamideh is a Series 66 licensed financial advisor with Bankers Life Advisory Services, Inc. He has two years of industry experience and has held roles at several affiliated entities including Bankers Life Securities, Inc. and Bankers Life & Casualty, Inc. Outside of advisory work, he manages a sales team and is involved in training and supervising agents in insurance products. Bankers Life Advisory Services, Inc. serves mass-affluent and high-net-worth individuals through discretionary and non-discretionary portfolio management along with retirement plan consulting. The firm employs a combination of fundamental, technical, and cyclical analysis to tailor asset allocations and portfolio management consistent with clients’ goals and risk tolerances.

Jacob See is a financial advisor at NewEdge Advisors with three years of industry experience. He holds the Series 66 designation and has previously worked at LPL Financial, Napa Auto Parts, North Central College, and Hampshire High School. Outside of advising, he provides tax preparation and accounting support through Midwest Small Business Accounting and Tax. NewEdge Advisors is an enterprise-scale registered investment adviser serving individuals, pension and profit-sharing plans, corporations, trusts, estates, and charitable organizations. The firm offers comprehensive portfolio management, financial planning, retirement consulting, and access to third-party managers through multiple program structures supported by centralized due diligence and technology tools.

Marta Krupa is a financial advisor with PNC Wealth Management in Elgin, IL, holding Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and 17 years of industry experience. She previously worked at PNC Investments LLC for 10 years before joining PNC Wealth Management in 2021. PNC Wealth Management offers retail brokerage and advisory services through model-based programs, including the Portfolio Solutions Strategist Digital Offering, an invitation-only, discretionary model account available to select employees that uses algorithmic risk assessment and approved model strategies managed by PNC or third parties.

Brian Waller is a financial advisor with FIFTH THIRD SECURITIES, Inc. in Lake Forest, IL, holding Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and bringing 18 years of industry experience. His work history includes roles at Fifth Third Bank, VistaNational Insurance Group, Blockwall Strategies, Inc., and New York Life Insurance Company. Fifth Third Securities serves a broad range of individual and institutional clients through investment advisory and brokerage channels, offering multiple program types and third-party portfolio managers via the Passageway Managed Account Program. The firm operates as a broker-dealer, SEC-registered investment adviser, and municipal advisor.

Judith Noffke is a financial advisor at Lincoln Investment with 25 years of industry experience. She holds Series 63 and Series 66 licenses. Her prior experience includes roles at J.P. Morgan Securities, Northwestern Mutual Investment Services, Cadaret Grant & Co., and Thrivent Investment Management. Lincoln Investment Planning, LLC is a large enterprise firm serving a diverse client base, including individual and high-net-worth investors, trusts, charities, and retirement plans. The firm offers financial planning, portfolio management, and access to model portfolios and third-party managers, with investment strategies supported by an in-house Investment Management & Research team.