Clay Hessel is a financial advisor at Alera Investment Advisors, LLC with 31 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has worked at firms including Securian Financial Services, Minnesota Life, Triad Advisors, and GCG Financial. He is also involved in providing life insurance and protection solutions to clients. Alera Investment Advisors, LLC offers investment management, financial planning, and retirement plan advisory services to individuals, families, businesses, and institutions. The firm employs a long-term, fundamentally driven investment approach and serves both retail investors and plan sponsors with discretionary portfolio management and ERISA-focused plan services.

Sandra Evans is a financial advisor at LaSalle St. Investment Advisors, L.L.C. with 37 years of industry experience. She holds Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and has worked at La Salle St. Securities, Inc. since 1992 and Carrollton Bank since 1985. Outside of her advisory roles, she serves as Secretary-Treasurer of Evans Farm Equipment, Inc. and is a board member of the Prairie Council of Aging. LaSalle St. Investment Advisors serves individuals, trusts, estates, pension and profit-sharing plans, corporations, and charitable organizations with fee-based financial planning and a variety of portfolio management services. The firm employs both passive and active investment strategies across multiple asset classes and manages a substantial amount of assets primarily through non-discretionary arrangements.

Mary Ehlert is a CFP® with 28 years of industry experience, currently serving at Simplicity Wealth. She previously worked at Forum Financial Management, LP and operated Ehlert Financial Group. Outside of financial advising, she is involved in multiple nonprofit organizations focused on special needs advocacy and disability services, including serving as CEO of Protected Tomorrows Inc and as a board member for several related charities. Simplicity Wealth serves a diverse client base, including individual and high-net-worth investors, retirement plans, and institutional clients. The firm employs a fund-of-funds investment approach using ETFs, mutual funds, and individual securities, combined with model portfolios and third-party manager oversight, alongside technology-driven services for advisers.

Jared Shirk is a financial advisor with LaSalle St. Investment Advisors, L.L.C., holding a Series 66 designation and four years of industry experience. His work history includes roles at LaSalle St. Investment Advisors, Capital Wealth Partners, and LaSalle St. Securities, among others. Outside of advisory work, he is involved in fixed insurance contracting through Capital Wealth Partners and operates a mowing business. LaSalle St. Investment Advisors serves individuals, trusts, estates, pension and profit-sharing plans, corporations, and charitable organizations with fee-based financial planning and portfolio management services. The firm employs a range of investment strategies using mutual funds, ETFs, equities, fixed income, options, and alternative vehicles, offering both discretionary and non-discretionary management.

Stephen Dudas is a financial advisor at World Equity Group, Inc. with 20 years of industry experience. He holds the Series 66 designation and has worked at several firms including Insigneo Advisory Services, Securities America Advisors, and Triad Advisors. World Equity Group provides investment advisory and brokerage services to individual and high-net-worth clients, business entities, non-profit organizations, and financial institutions. The firm offers portfolio management, financial planning, and access to third-party managers, utilizing a combination of model-based and customized investment approaches.

Mitchell Thornton is a financial advisor at Northern Trust Securities, Inc. with 31 years of industry experience. He has been with Northern Trust Securities since 2010. Thornton holds Series 63, Series 65, and Series 66 designations. Northern Trust Securities, Inc. is an SEC-registered investment adviser and FINRA-registered broker-dealer serving high-net-worth individuals, retail investors, and institutional clients. The firm offers model-driven discretionary portfolio management through Separately Managed Accounts and Strategist portfolios delivered via the Fidelity Managed Account Xchange platform.

Nicholas Rossetti is a CFP® professional with four years of industry experience, currently serving at Merit Financial Advisors in Deerfield, IL. His prior experience includes roles at Purshe Kaplan Sterling Investments, The Pinnacle Financial Group, Commonwealth Financial Network, and Northern Trust Corporation. Merit Financial Advisors is a multi-team registered investment adviser with over 260 advisors serving more than 20,000 clients across 66 offices. The firm offers coordinated wealth-management services utilizing a long-term, diversified investment approach supported by an internal Investment Management team and customizable portfolio models.

Eric Rosenbloom is a Senior Vice President at Alera Investment Advisors, LLC with 23 years of industry experience. He holds the ChFC® and Series 66 credentials. His prior experience includes roles at Securian Financial Services Inc., Minnesota Life, Triad Advisors, Inc., and GCG Financial, where he continues to serve as a financial advisor. Rosenbloom is also involved in life settlements through the Ashar Group. Alera Investment Advisors, LLC provides investment management, financial planning, and retirement plan advisory services to a diverse client base including individuals, families, trusts, businesses, and institutions. The firm employs a long-term, fundamental analysis-driven investment approach utilizing mutual funds, ETFs, equities, and fixed income, and offers ERISA-focused services for retirement plans.

Eric Mooney is a financial advisor at VestGen Advisors, LLC with three years of industry experience. He holds a Series 66 designation and has worked in various roles including at Mooney Lyons Financial and Triad Advisors. Outside of his advisory work, Mooney serves as president and on the board of directors of the Naperville Networking Alliance, a community networking group. VestGen Advisors, LLC is a multi-team registered investment adviser managing approximately $3.47 billion for over 9,400 clients. The firm serves individual and high-net-worth clients with discretionary and non-discretionary investment management, financial planning, and retirement plan services, utilizing a blend of analytical methods and third-party managers.

Jennie Fleming is a financial advisor with HBW Advisory Services LLC, holding a Series 66 designation and 21 years of industry experience. She previously worked at Ameriprise Financial Services, Inc. for 16 years before joining HBW Advisory Services in 2021. Fleming is also a notary public and is involved with the Greater Winfield Chamber of Commerce. HBW Advisory Services manages approximately $1.75 billion in client assets, providing asset management, financial planning, and consulting services to individuals, families, charitable organizations, businesses, and retirement plans. The firm utilizes a blended investment approach with third-party money managers and emphasizes a client servicing model that includes institutional and intermediary roles.

Regan Beaver is a financial advisor at LaSalle St. Investment Advisors, L.L.C. with 22 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has worked at LaSalle St. Securities, L.L.C. since 2003. LaSalle St. Investment Advisors serves individuals, trusts, estates, pension and profit-sharing plans, corporations, and charitable organizations with fee-based financial planning and a range of portfolio management services. The firm employs both passive and active investment strategies across various asset classes and is notable for its predominance of non-discretionary assets and its use of fee-sharing and co-advisor arrangements.

Ronald Feltes is a financial advisor with LaSalle St. Investment Advisors, L.L.C., holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and bringing 41 years of industry experience. He has worked at LaSalle St. Securities LLC since 2015 and has been with Heartland Investment Associates, Inc. since 1990. Outside of advisory work, he is involved in fixed insurance activities. LaSalle St. Investment Advisors serves individuals, trusts, estates, pension and profit-sharing plans, corporations, and charitable organizations with fee-based financial planning and portfolio management services. The firm employs a range of investment strategies across various asset classes, managing accounts primarily through non-discretionary authority and utilizing both active and passive approaches.

Arthur Pedgrift III is a financial advisor with Ausdal Financial Partners, Inc., holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and bringing 32 years of industry experience. He has been with Ausdal since 2009 and is also associated with Choices Brokerage since 1997. In addition to his advisory work, he is a self-employed insurance agent focusing on life, health, disability insurance, and fixed annuities. 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, with a range of investment strategies implemented on both discretionary and non-discretionary bases.

Todd Balber is a CFP® professional with over 31 years of experience in the financial industry. He has been with World Equity Group, Inc. since 1997. Balber is also a co-owner and partner of B&R Financial, LLC, which offers financial planning and advisory services as well as fixed life and disability insurance products. World Equity Group, Inc. provides fee-based investment advisory and financial planning services to individuals, including high-net-worth clients, as well as various business entities. The firm offers managed portfolios through its wrap-fee programs, utilizing third-party money managers and a risk-tolerance questionnaire to guide asset allocation and discretionary account management.

Meghan Nolan is a CFP® professional with seven years of industry experience, currently serving as a financial advisor at Forum Financial Management, LP since 2016. She is based in Lombard, IL, and has spent her entire advisory career with Forum Financial Management. Forum Financial Management, LP provides investment advisory and related services to individuals, retirement plan sponsors, charitable organizations, and institutional clients. The firm employs model asset-allocation portfolios based on Modern Portfolio Theory and offers a range of services including portfolio management, financial planning, and sub-advisory solutions, with a focus on supporting independent advisors and RIAs through its turn-key asset-management platform.

Daniel Laya is a financial advisor with Capital Analysts in Lombard, Illinois, holding Series 63 and Series 65 registrations and bringing 26 years of industry experience. He has worked with Lincoln Investment Planning, Inc. for 20 years. Outside of his advisory role, he is a member of a ski and snowboard rental, tuning, and delivery business. Capital Analysts serves a broad client base including individuals, retirement plans, trusts, foundations, and corporate clients, providing both discretionary and non-discretionary portfolio management. The firm employs an in-house investment management team that oversees model portfolios using a proprietary mutual-fund screening process and offers a variety of advisory services, including custom portfolios and ERISA retirement plan advice.

Laura Norek is a financial advisor at Forum Financial Management, LP with two years of industry experience. She holds a Series 65 designation and has worked at Forum Financial Management in various capacities since 2021. Prior to this, she was employed at Leadership Extension Consulting and Career Education Corporation. Forum Financial Management, LP provides fee-based wealth management, financial planning, qualified plan services, and educational workshops to individual and institutional clients. The firm also serves as a sub-advisor and turnkey asset management platform for other independent RIAs, managing model portfolios primarily using DFA institutional mutual funds and ETFs within a Modern Portfolio Theory framework.

Steven Nivens is a CFP® professional with 37 years of experience in the financial services industry. He has been with Ausdal Financial Partners, Inc. since 2011. In addition to his advisory role, he is involved in outside insurance sales, including fixed life, health, and disability insurance, and provides referrals for Medicare and travel insurance products. 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 both discretionary and non-discretionary strategies across a range of investment products.

Rikk Rodriguez is a ChFC® with 14 years of industry experience, currently serving as a financial advisor at VestGen Advisors, LLC. His prior experience includes roles at Wells Fargo Advisors and Triad Advisors. He is also a co-trustee of a living trust. VestGen Advisors, LLC manages approximately $6.66 billion for a diverse client base, offering discretionary and non-discretionary investment management, financial planning, and ERISA 3(21) retirement plan services. The firm employs a mix of fundamental, technical, and quantitative analysis combined with modern portfolio theory, serving both individual and institutional clients.

Frank Diebold Jr. is a financial advisor with Avantax Planning Partners, Inc. He holds a Series 65 designation and has 27 years of industry experience. Prior to joining Avantax, he worked for Honkamp Krueger Financial Services for 21 years and has been associated with Diebold & Associates since 1978. Avantax Planning Partners, Inc. provides portfolio management, financial planning, and managed retirement plan services to individuals, pension and profit-sharing plans, charitable organizations, and businesses. The firm operates primarily through a network of CPA firms and advisor representatives, managing approximately $7.57 billion in assets as of December 31, 2025.