Richard Petras is a financial advisor with Wells Fargo Clearing in Barrington, IL, holding Series 63 and Series 66 credentials and 35 years of industry experience. He previously worked at RBC Capital Markets from 2001 to 2007. He serves as a trustee for family-related trusts. Wells Fargo Advisors is a national securities firm that provides investment advisory services, financial planning, and retirement plan consulting to individual, corporate, and institutional clients. The firm offers both brokerage and advisory solutions and uses research from Wells Fargo Investment Institute and third-party sources to support its investment approach.

Marcus Jean Simon is a financial advisor with Merrill who holds Series 66 and Series 65 designations and has 21 years of industry experience. He has been with Merrill since 2012 and has previous experience with Bank of America, Chase Investment Services Corp., Banc One Securities Corporation, and Ameriprise. Outside of his advisory role, he is involved with an outside business organization based in Shorewood, Illinois. Merrill, along 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 a range of model-based and discretionary investment strategies for individuals, high-net-worth clients, pension and profit-sharing plans, corporations, and charitable organizations.

Wayne Pover is a CFP® professional with 28 years of industry experience, currently advising at LPL Financial since 2018. He has previously worked at Cetera Advisor Networks, Total Clarity Wealth Management, Criterion Wealth Advisors, and Cetera Wealth Services. Pover is a founding board member of the Heart and Soul Foundation, a nonprofit organization. LPL Financial is a national broker-dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser serving individuals, retirement plans, banks, trust companies, and institutions. The firm offers a range of advisory and brokerage services, including financial planning, model portfolios, third-party asset management, and institutional platforms.

Amy Poduch is a CFP® with 25 years of industry experience and has been with Edward Jones since 2010. She holds Series 63, 65, and 66 licenses. Edward Jones is a full-service wealth management firm serving over four million individual and institutional clients, offering a range of advisory programs and investment solutions through a large nationwide network of advisors and branch offices.

Nicole Hutcheson is a financial advisor with J.P. Morgan Securities in Elgin, IL, holding Series 63 and Series 65 designations and bringing 10 years of industry experience. Her prior roles include positions at Ausdal Financial Partners, Inc., HD Vest Investment Services, and Tardella & Company. J.P. Morgan Securities provides institutional consulting services to plan sponsors, corporations, endowments, and other institutional clients through a non-discretionary program focused on written asset allocation advice, investment manager searches, and customized performance reporting. The firm’s advisory process uses a combination of quantitative and qualitative research supported by centralized due diligence and incorporates a range of eligible strategies, including an ESG framework.

Paul Smith is a financial advisor with Cetera, holding Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and over 34 years of industry experience. He has been associated with Cetera and its affiliates since 2018 and also owns Smith & Associates Inc Insurance Services, where he sells fixed, health, property and casualty, and commercial insurance. Additionally, he serves as a notary public. Cetera Investment Advisers LLC operates as a nationwide multi-manager platform serving individual, retirement plan, corporate, charitable, and institutional clients, offering a range of portfolio management and financial planning services with over $256 billion in assets under management.

Alan Hafferkamp is a financial advisor at Wells Fargo Advisors with 43 years of industry experience. He holds a Series 63 designation and has worked at Wells Fargo Advisors since 2022, following six years at Wells Fargo Clearing and seven years at A. G. Edwards & Sons, Inc. Outside of his advisory role, he is involved in operating a family farm in Sharon, Wisconsin. Wells Fargo Advisors Financial Network is a large broker-dealer and registered investment adviser that provides investment and fee-based financial planning services to individuals, trusts, and institutional clients. The firm offers a broad range of planning services and utilizes Wells Fargo research and tools to develop tailored recommendations for its clients.

Constantinos Yianas is a financial advisor with LPL Financial in Palatine, IL, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and bringing 20 years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at Wells Fargo Clearing, Morgan Stanley, and Citigroup Global Markets. LPL Financial is a national broker-dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser offering a range of advisory and brokerage services to individuals, retirement plan participants, banks, trust companies, and institutions. The firm supports its network of over 22,800 advisors with diverse investment solutions, including model portfolios, third-party asset management, and institutional platforms.

Robert Lorenz is a financial advisor with LPL Financial based in Bartlett, IL, holding a Series 66 designation and 23 years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at BMO Harris Financial Advisors, J.P. Morgan Securities, Chase Investment Services Corp., Cetera, Fifth Third Securities, and Ameriprise. LPL Financial is a national broker-dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser serving individuals, retirement plan participants, banks, trust companies, and other institutions. The firm offers a range of advisory and brokerage services, including financial planning, model portfolio programs, third-party asset management, and institutional platforms.

Jason Hersh is a financial advisor with Wells Fargo Advisors who holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has 30 years of industry experience. He has worked at Wells Fargo Clearing since 2023 and was previously with Cetera and CETERA Financial Specialists LLC for over a decade. Wells Fargo Advisors Financial Network is a large broker-dealer and registered investment adviser affiliated with Wells Fargo, providing investment and financial planning services to individuals, trusts, and institutional clients. The firm offers a broad planning menu tailored to clients meeting net-worth thresholds, including specialized services such as business-owner transition and special-needs planning.

Elizabeth Reinke is a financial advisor at Stifel with 30 years of industry experience. She holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has worked previously at Morgan Stanley Smith Barney and Citigroup Global Markets. Stifel serves a broad range of clients, including individuals, institutional clients, and charitable organizations, offering brokerage and investment advisory services. The firm’s investment approach is based on proprietary analysis and allocation methodologies developed by its Investment Strategy Group.

Anna Maria Fosteras is a CFP® and holds a Series 66 license with Morgan Stanley, where she has worked since 2013, including 11 years at Morgan Stanley Private Bank, N.A. She has 13 years of experience in the financial industry. In addition to her advisory role, she is involved in publishing through self-publishing and authorship activities outside of her financial career. Morgan Stanley Wealth Management is an SEC-registered investment adviser and broker-dealer serving both individual and institutional clients. The firm offers a range of advisory programs with a focus on tailored financial planning and utilizes firm-approved tools and market simulations in its planning process.

James Davids is a financial advisor with LPL Financial in Crystal Lake, Illinois, holding Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and bringing 26 years of industry experience. He previously worked at Securities America Advisors and Securities America Inc. from 2000 to 2019. He is also a partner in Dorion-Gray Financial Services Inc., a business entity for tax and investment purposes. LPL Financial is a national broker-dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser serving individuals, retirement plan participants, banks, trust companies, and other institutions. The firm offers a range of financial planning and investment services, utilizing both proprietary research and third-party strategies across various platforms.

Andrew Callicutt is a financial advisor at Cetera with 12 years of industry experience. He holds a Series 66 designation and previously worked at JP Morgan Securities, LLC for nine years. Cetera Investment Advisers LLC is an SEC-registered firm that serves individuals, retirement plans, corporate and charitable clients, and institutional accounts through a large nationwide network of independent advisors. The firm offers portfolio management, financial planning, and access to third-party managers via a multi-manager platform with various program options and custodial relationships.

Ellen Crabtree is a financial advisor with LPL Financial in Crystal Lake, IL, holding a Series 66 designation and four years of industry experience. Her prior roles include positions at BMO Harris Bank and Home State Bank NA. LPL Financial is a national broker-dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser that provides advisory and brokerage services to individuals, retirement plan participants, banks, trust companies, and other institutions through a large network of investment adviser representatives. The firm offers a variety of financial planning and investment management solutions, including model portfolios, third-party asset management, and institutional platforms.

John Bassmaji is a Financial Consultant at Fidelity Investments, where he has worked since 2020. He serves as a primary point of contact for clients, developing financial plans and consulting on holistic wealth management strategies. His approach focuses on understanding what is important to his clients and their families to help them feel confident with every aspect of their financial picture. Prior to his current role, John held several positions at Fidelity Investments, including Investment Consultant (2019-2020), Relationship Manager (2017-2019), and Financial Representative (2016-2017). Before joining Fidelity, he worked as a Relationship Banker at JP Morgan Chase Bank from 2011 to 2016. Outside of his professional work, John enjoys biking, football, golf, traveling, and exploring food.

Joan Winter is a financial advisor with Morgan Stanley in Barrington, Illinois, holding Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and bringing 31 years of industry experience. She has worked with Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC since 2009. Outside of her advisory role, she is involved in photography through her proprietorship, PhotoJJenic, and as a partner in Julie Gockman Photography. Morgan Stanley Wealth Management is an SEC-registered investment adviser and broker-dealer serving both individual and institutional clients with a broad range of advisory programs, including tailored financial planning. The firm manages approximately $2.74 trillion in client assets and employs structured planning tools and analyses developed by its Global Investment Committee.

Celeste Bailey is a financial advisor with Morgan Stanley in Barrington, IL, holding a Series 66 designation and bringing 14 years of industry experience. She has been with Morgan Stanley Private Bank, N.A. since 2015. Outside of her financial career, she works as a freelance soccer referee and is involved in teaching and mentoring through the Illinois Soccer Referee Committee. Morgan Stanley Wealth Management is an SEC-registered investment adviser and broker-dealer serving both individual and institutional clients with a variety of advisory programs. The firm’s financial planning approach uses structured discovery conversations and firm-approved tools to develop tailored plans, serving approximately $2.74 trillion in client assets.

Kamaljit Kalia is a financial advisor with LPL Financial in Crystal Lake, Illinois, holding Series 65 and Series 63 credentials and two years of industry experience. Prior to his current role, he worked at BMO Harris Bank for nine years. 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 advisory and brokerage services, including financial planning, model portfolio programs, third-party asset management, and institutional platforms.

Andrew Messerschmidt is a financial advisor with Thrivent Investment Management in Barrington, IL, holding a Series 66 designation and two years of industry experience. His prior experience includes roles at Thrivent Financial and Thrivent Investment Management, as well as positions at Valparaiso University and Barrington High School. Thrivent Investment Management offers Dedicated Planning Services to individuals, families, businesses, and nonprofit clients, providing comprehensive written recommendations on topics such as retirement, income tax, estate, business continuation, divorce, and special needs planning. The firm’s approach combines goal-based analyses and allows clients to integrate planning with managed-account programs while maintaining separate service structures.