Sergey Zaks is the principal of Zaks Investment Advisory Service, LLC in Chicago, IL, holding a Series 65 designation with 20 years of industry experience. He is also the founder and president of Distributed Software Development, Inc., a software company specializing in municipal systems such as 911 dispatch and voter-registration platforms. Zaks Investment Advisory Service provides discretionary and nondiscretionary separately managed accounts primarily for individual clients. The firm employs a passive investment approach focused on diversified portfolios using exchange-traded funds and mutual funds, adjusting allocations to client circumstances while maintaining low trading volumes and avoiding leverage.

Christopher Sands is the principal advisor at Sands Wealth Strategies, LLC, with 11 years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at Manning & Napier Advisors, B. Riley Wealth Advisors, and Lemme Investment Group, where he also served as Chief Compliance Officer and is preparing to succeed the firm's retiring owner. Sands Wealth Strategies, LLC serves individual and high-net-worth clients, as well as pension and profit-sharing plans and corporate entities, providing wealth management, retirement plan management, and comprehensive financial planning. The firm employs a blend of fundamental analysis and Modern Portfolio Theory, using both passive and active investment vehicles, and offers retirement-plan consulting and ERISA 3(38) investment management services.

Sophie Kaluziak is a financial advisor at Vista Financial Planning in Oak Park, IL, holding a Series 65 designation with 22 years of industry experience. She has been with Vista Financial Planning since 2003. Vista Financial Planning is a fee-only, independent firm serving individuals, families, and employee benefit plan sponsors. The firm offers comprehensive financial planning services, including tax planning, estate and risk management, retirement planning, and portfolio analysis, with an investment approach tailored to clients’ tax situations and risk tolerance.

Melanie Husk is a financial advisor at Mel Consulting Co. d/b/a Mel & Co in Chicago, IL, with 22 years of industry experience. She holds Series 63, 65, and 66 licenses and previously worked at World Equity Group and Raymond James & Associates. Mel Consulting Co. provides discretionary portfolio management and financial planning services to individuals, high-net-worth clients, and small- to mid-sized businesses. The firm employs a modern portfolio theory approach focused on passive, asset-class-based portfolios and emphasizes personalized, behavioral financial planning alongside educational programming and public speaking.

Vincent Bicicchi is the sole advisor at Galvanize Wealth LLC, an independent registered investment adviser based in La Grange Park, IL. He holds a Series 66 designation and has 19 years of industry experience. Prior to founding Galvanize Wealth in 2019, he worked at Levin Funding Group and has been involved with Vindico, Inc. since 2014 and OZO Development, LLC since 2018, serving as president and CFO/co-founder respectively. Outside of advisory services, he is active in insurance sales and business and estate consulting through Vindico, Inc., and participates in software development and financial strategy at OZO Development. Galvanize Wealth serves individuals, trusts, charitable organizations, small businesses, and qualified retirement plans, providing investment management, financial planning, and retirement-plan advisory services. The firm employs a long-term, asset-allocation-driven approach using passively managed mutual funds and ETFs, supported by written investment policy statements and periodic reviews. It also offers insurance and estate/business consulting through the principal’s additional activities and provides pension consulting and employee-benefit plan services.

Rutvik Joglekar is the founder of DIYFi Advisors LLC and holds a Series 65 credential. He has prior experience at Econ One, where he serves as a consultant providing economic analysis and litigation support, and has worked in various roles including at Capital One and Bates White Economic Consulting. Outside of his advisory work, he manages expert reports in healthcare-related litigation as part of his consulting practice. DIYFi Advisors LLC serves individual clients, particularly recent graduates and young professionals, by providing financial planning and portfolio transition guidance through fixed-fee and hourly engagements. The firm focuses on passive, low-cost, globally diversified investment strategies and delivers advice as point-in-time planning rather than ongoing portfolio management.

Daniel Sargis is the principal of Servant's Heart Financial Planning and holds a Series 65 designation. He has over a decade of experience with the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission and began his financial advising career in 2025. Servant's Heart Financial Planning is an independent, single-practitioner firm providing fee-only financial planning and investment management services to individuals and high-net-worth clients. The firm uses a goal- and asset-allocation driven investment approach that incorporates both passive and active strategies, and offers both portfolio management and standalone financial planning services.

Michael Stanton is a CFP® professional with 10 years of experience in financial planning. He is the sole advisor at Stanton Financial Planning, LLC, an independent firm he has led since 2015. Stanton Financial Planning, LLC offers fee-only holistic financial and tax planning services to individuals and families, focusing on comprehensive planning engagements, project retainers, and hourly consultations rather than ongoing portfolio management. The firm emphasizes disciplined asset allocation, global diversification, and tailored recommendations, operating without discretionary trading authority or custody of client assets.

Jeremy Johnson is a CFP® professional with 15 years of industry experience. He has worked at Veracity Wealth Management LLC since 2017 and previously spent six years at Capstone Financial Advisors, Inc. Veracity Wealth Management LLC is an independent advisory firm serving individuals, high-net-worth clients, trusts, and businesses. The firm provides discretionary portfolio management and comprehensive financial planning, customizing portfolios based on client objectives, time horizons, and risk tolerance.

Stephanie Van Vlerah is a CFP® professional with 11 years of industry experience, currently serving as the sole advisor at Financial Illumination Advisors, LLC since 2021. Prior to this, she worked at Oxford Financial Group, Ltd for eight years and briefly pursued entrepreneurial activities. She serves on the boards of the Rosecrance Chicago Foundation and Rosecrance Health Network, and is the Spousal Forum Chair for YPO Chicagoland. Financial Illumination Advisors provides financial planning and outsourced CFO services to high-net-worth individuals, family entities, and private foundations. The firm focuses on personalized written plans and coordination with outside specialists, offering family office–style services without providing asset management or discretionary trading.

Brian Thompson is a CFP® professional with 10 years of industry experience. He leads Brian Thompson Financial in Chicago, IL, and also prepares taxes and provides tax representation through Brian Thompson Tax LLC. Brian Thompson Financial offers financial planning and portfolio management to individuals, high-net-worth clients, and businesses. The firm employs a primarily passive investment approach with diversified, low-cost index funds and ETFs, and coordinates with outside managers when appropriate. Its services include a Comprehensive Care personal planning program and a business-focused model integrating planning, advisory, and fractional CFO support.

Rorik Larson is a CFP® with 14 years of industry experience and is the sole advisor at Essential Financial Strategies in Orland Park, IL. He has led the firm since its founding in 2011. In addition to his advisory role, Mr. Larson provides part-time tax preparation services for Lobash and Lobash Accounting and Tax Services during tax season. Essential Financial Strategies is a fee-only independent firm serving individuals and families, particularly middle-income households and those with school-aged children. The firm offers comprehensive financial planning and investment advisory services with a focus on long-term, generally passive investment strategies and integrates tax preparation into its service model.

Christian Wray is a financial advisor at Hazelwood Investment Advisors LLC in Chicago, IL. He holds a Series 65 designation and has prior experience at HWCP, Hines, CA Ventures, and Grant Thornton LLP. Hazelwood Investment Advisors LLC is a small, independent firm that provides discretionary and non-discretionary portfolio management, financial planning, and consulting services to individuals, high-net-worth clients, families, and related retirement and trust accounts. The firm focuses on a long-term, growth-oriented equity strategy emphasizing large-cap and technology companies, combining fundamental, technical, and macroeconomic research.

Eric Edwards is a financial advisor with Edwards Premier Financial in Bellwood, IL, holding Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and bringing 15 years of industry experience. He previously worked at Berthel Fisher & Company Financial Services from 2013 to 2018. Outside of advisory work, he is licensed to sell fixed insurance and annuity products. Edwards Premier Financial provides portfolio management and financial planning primarily for individual investors, with occasional service to small businesses and non-profits. The firm employs a range of investment strategies from passive fixed-income to active trading and combines fundamental and technical analysis tailored to client objectives.

Siravich Krasaeath is a financial advisor at Diversey Capital, LLC in Chicago, IL, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses with 11 years of industry experience. He has been employed at Cushman & Wakefield since 2006, overlapping with his advisory career. He also maintains an active state managing broker real estate license, an unusual credential given the size of his firm. Diversey Capital provides discretionary portfolio management and financial planning services primarily to mid- to high-net-worth individuals and related entities. The firm’s investment approach focuses on matching client time horizons with diversified asset allocations and offers a proprietary absolute-return multi-strategy program under a performance-based fee arrangement.

David Lucado is a financial advisor at Comprehensive Planning, Inc. with 51 years of industry experience. He holds the ChFC® and Series 63 designations and has been with Comprehensive Planning since 2015, having been self-employed since 1973. Comprehensive Planning, Inc. advises individuals and small businesses on mutual funds, variable annuities, variable life products, and a range of individual insurance products. The firm operates as both a licensed insurance agency and a branch of a broker-dealer, providing recommendations based on client information without exercising investment discretion or charging advisory fees.

Matthew Furlong is the principal advisor at Furlong Investment Solutions, LLC in Chicago, IL. He holds the CFP® and CFA® designations and has 10 years of industry experience. Since 2016, he has led his independent firm, providing financial planning and investment management services. Furlong Investment Solutions, LLC is a fee-only registered investment adviser serving individuals, family trusts, estates, qualified retirement plans, and corporate clients. The firm employs a core-and-satellite strategic asset allocation approach with an emphasis on low-cost passive investments supplemented by tactical active positions, alongside integrated financial planning and retirement plan consulting under a fiduciary model.

Xuan Wang is a CFA® charterholder with five years of industry experience. He currently serves as the sole advisor at EN+ Wealth, having previously worked at William Blair and ProManage LLC. EN+ Wealth operates a web-based financial advisory platform focused on underserved communities, particularly young and emerging families and Chinese and Asian individuals in the U.S. The firm combines AI-driven personalized recommendations with human oversight, offering a range of investment and financial planning services through a membership-tiered model.

Thomas Carpenter is a financial advisor at Cantebury Capital, Inc. in Western Springs, IL, with 25 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has been with Cantebury Capital since 2002. Cantebury Capital provides financial planning, investment advisory, and portfolio management services for individuals, families, trusts, and pension plans. The firm uses a long-term, diversified buy-and-hold approach guided by an Investment Policy Statement and operates primarily on a non-discretionary basis, including institutional and pension clients in its mix and offering pension consulting services.

Stanley Pillman is a financial advisor with Addison Asset Management, LLC in Chicago, IL. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has 27 years of industry experience, including roles at Addison Asset Management since 2010 and UBS Financial Services since 2004. Addison Asset Management is a single-advisor independent registered investment adviser that provides customized wealth management and portfolio management primarily for individual clients, including high-net-worth investors. The firm uses a tailored asset allocation process supported by NaviPlan Ibbotson software and manages portfolios on a non-discretionary basis, requiring client approval for trades.