Alfred Marwede is a financial advisor at Forum Financial Management, LP with 27 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has been with Forum Financial Management since 2012. Outside of his advisory role, he is a member of F.A.M. LLC, which provides management services under a service agreement with Forum Financial Management. Forum Financial Management, LP offers fee-based wealth management, financial planning, and qualified plan services to individual and institutional clients. The firm also serves as a sub-advisor and turnkey asset management platform for other independent RIAs, utilizing model portfolios aligned with Modern Portfolio Theory and a mix of institutional mutual funds, ETFs, and fixed income strategies.

Andrew Palomo is a CFP® with 17 years of industry experience and is currently affiliated with LaSalle St. Investment Advisors, L.L.C. He has previously worked at Arbor Point Advisors, Osaic Advisory Services, and LPL Financial, among others. Palomo serves as a board member at large for the American Legion Post 42 Charitable Foundation. LaSalle St. Investment Advisors provides fee-based financial planning and investment supervisory services to individuals, trusts, estates, pension and profit-sharing plans, charitable organizations, and small businesses. The firm offers both non-discretionary and discretionary investment programs, focusing on asset allocation models and a mix of mutual funds, ETFs, equities, fixed income, and options.

Michael Kennedy is a CFP® and holds a Series 66 license with 21 years of industry experience. He has been with Forum Financial Management, LP since 2010. Outside of his advisory role, he is also a licensed insurance producer specializing in life, health, and long-term care insurance. Forum Financial Management, LP provides fee-based wealth management, financial planning, and qualified plan services to individual and institutional clients, while also serving as a sub-advisor and turnkey asset management platform for other independent RIAs. The firm utilizes model portfolios managed primarily with DFA mutual funds and ETFs within a Modern Portfolio Theory framework, overseeing approximately $9 billion in assets under management.

William Hickerson is a CFP® professional with 35 years of industry experience. He has been with Advance Capital Management Inc. since 2000. Advance Capital Management serves a diverse client base including individuals, retirement plans, foundations, and endowments, providing discretionary portfolio management, financial planning, and retirement-plan consulting. The firm uses an Investment Committee to guide decisions, offers a range of strategies including direct indexing and crypto-related investments, and operates with a referral-driven distribution model.

John Duckworth is a CFP® and Series 66 credentialed advisor with 13 years of experience. He has been with HighPoint Planning Partners, doing business as Black Diamond Planners, since 2013. HighPoint Advisor Group provides discretionary asset management, financial planning, and consulting services to a diverse client base including individuals, pension and profit-sharing plans, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, and corporations. The firm manages approximately $4.0 billion in client assets and utilizes fundamental analysis to construct individualized investment policies, employing a range of investment vehicles and custodial program solutions.

Robert Sweas is a Certified Financial Planner® with 17 years of industry experience. He is currently with Lifeworks Advisors, LLC and has previously worked at firms including Arete Wealth Advisors and Ausdal Financial Partners. In addition to his advisory work, he has performed independent auditing services on a volunteer basis and is involved in life, health, and accident insurance sales. Lifeworks Advisors serves a diverse client base including individuals, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, retirement plans, and businesses, offering financial planning, wealth management, and retirement plan advisory services. The firm employs a planning-based and risk-focused investment approach using diversified funds, third-party managers, and a combination of quantitative and fundamental analysis, supported by proprietary technology and integrated tax and accounting capabilities.

Allen Laya is a ChFC®-designated financial advisor with Capital Analysts, based in Lombard, IL, and has 54 years of industry experience. He has worked at Lincoln Investment Planning, Inc. since 2005. Capital Analysts serves a diverse client base including individual and high-net-worth investors, retirement plans, trusts, and charitable organizations. The firm offers discretionary and non-discretionary portfolio management with access to third-party managers and employs an in-house investment management team using proprietary screening methods.

Dennis Michon is a financial advisor with Forum Financial Management, LP, holding a Series 65 license and 13 years of industry experience. He has been with Forum Financial since 2012 and concurrently operates as a partner and attorney at Michon & Buckley, a law firm specializing in estate planning and real estate services. Additionally, he serves as president of Tax & Financial Solutions, Inc., a tax and accounting firm. Forum Financial Management, LP provides fee-based wealth management, financial planning, and qualified plan services to individual and institutional clients. The firm also acts as a sub-advisor and turnkey asset management platform for other RIAs, employing model portfolios based on Modern Portfolio Theory and primarily utilizing DFA institutional mutual funds and ETFs.

Dar Baruchim is a financial advisor at Mariner Independent with Series 63 and 65 licenses and one year of industry experience. His prior work history includes roles at Northwestern Mutual Investment Services LLC, Kadima Wealth, and OurCrowd. Mariner Independent serves individuals, high-net-worth clients, and various institutional entities by providing financial planning, portfolio management, retirement plan consulting, tax support, insurance solutions, and access to alternative investments. The firm leverages affiliated businesses and a broad range of investment tools to deliver integrated financial services.

Teresa Young is a financial advisor with First Advisors National, LLC, holding Series 63, 65, and 66 licenses and bringing 18 years of industry experience. Her prior roles include positions at W&S Brokerage Services, Western Southern Life, Alliant Credit Union, and LPL Financial. She volunteers as a tax preparer and quality examiner for Ladder Up in Chicago, assisting low-wage earning families with pro bono tax preparation. First Advisors National manages discretionary assets for individual and high-net-worth clients, offering investment management, third-party portfolio recommendations, and retirement plan consulting. The firm emphasizes manager selection and tactical allocation, utilizing fundamental analysis and formal annual reviews to guide its investment process.

Brandon Lilly is a financial advisor with HighPoint Planning Partners in St. Charles, IL, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and two years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at LPL Financial, J.P. Morgan Securities, and DeRose Financial Planning Group. HighPoint Advisor Group provides discretionary asset management, financial planning, and consulting services to a diverse client base, including individuals, pension plans, trusts, and corporations. The firm manages approximately $4.0 billion in client assets and employs a fundamental analysis approach to construct individualized investment policies across various asset classes.

Brian Plain is a CFP® professional with 20 years of experience in the financial services industry. He has been with Gradient Advisors, LLC since 2014. In addition to his advisory role, he provides consulting services to small business owners focused on business management and growth. Gradient Advisors, LLC offers investment management, financial planning, and consulting services to a diverse client base including individuals, pension and profit-sharing plans, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, and corporations. The firm supports a network of 169 advisors across 154 offices and employs a combination of fundamental, technical, and cyclical analysis to tailor investment strategies.

Martin Pomrehn is a CFP® and PFS™ with 37 years of industry experience. He has worked at Forum Financial Management, LP since 2016 and previously held positions at Purshe Kaplan Sterling Investments, Inc. and Cetera. Outside of his advisory role, he is president and shareholder of MP360° Tax Services, Ltd., a CPA firm providing accounting and tax planning services. Forum Financial Management, LP serves individuals, retirement plan sponsors, charitable organizations, and institutional clients through discretionary and non-discretionary portfolio management, financial planning, and retirement-plan advisory services. The firm utilizes model asset-allocation portfolios based on Modern Portfolio Theory and offers a range of investment solutions including mutual funds, ETFs, separately managed accounts, and access to held-away accounts via third-party platforms.

Cody Maxwell is a CFP® with six years of industry experience, currently serving as a financial advisor at OnePoint BFG Wealth Partners. His prior roles include positions at Northwestern Mutual Investment Services LLC, Charles Schwab, and Kevin Spahn. OnePoint BFG Wealth Partners offers customized financial planning and wealth management services to a diverse client base, including individuals, retirement plans, charitable organizations, trusts, estates, and corporate entities. The firm employs a variety of proprietary models and third-party managers, managing most client assets on a discretionary basis.

Matthew Frederick is a financial advisor with Pure Financial Advisors, LLC, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and bringing 34 years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at Wells Fargo Advisors and Pacific Life Insurance Company. He is also licensed in life and health insurance. Pure Financial Advisors provides financial planning and portfolio management primarily for individual and high-net-worth clients, as well as services for trusts, estates, charitable organizations, and pension and profit-sharing plans. The firm’s investment approach is planning-centered and overseen by an Investment Committee, incorporating modern portfolio theory, tax-aware strategies, and the use of sub-advisers for specialized investment sleeves.

Patrick Donohue is a financial advisor at Ausdal Financial Partners, Inc. with three years of industry experience. He holds the Series 65 designation and has worked in various roles including as an agent providing life and health insurance services. Donohue’s background includes experience with BCH Wealth Management, LLC, and involvement in non-investment business activities such as managing insurance needs for individuals and small businesses. Ausdal Financial Partners serves a diverse client base including individuals, trusts, estates, retirement plans, and business entities, managing approximately $3.73 billion across more than 16,000 clients. The firm offers tailored investment strategies through advisor-managed and separately managed accounts, leveraging multiple custodians and third-party managers in both discretionary and non-discretionary formats.

Gregory Whitehead is a financial advisor at Calamos Wealth Management LLC with 13 years of industry experience. He holds a Series 66 designation and previously worked at Charles Schwab & Co., Inc. and Charles Schwab Bank, SSB. Outside of his advisory role, he is a partner in ADK Escapes, LLC, a vacation rental development, and co-owner of a rental property in Chester, NJ. Calamos Wealth Management LLC provides discretionary wealth management and institutional advisory services to high-net-worth individuals, family offices, endowments, private foundations, and retirement plans. The firm’s investment process includes customized asset allocation, portfolio construction, and ongoing monitoring, often utilizing affiliated investment vehicles and maintaining governance controls to manage conflicts of interest.

Alejandro Pastrana is a financial advisor with Packerland Brokerage Services, Inc. He holds Series 65 and Series 63 licenses and has nine years of industry experience. Prior to joining Packerland in 2025, he worked at Northwestern Mutual and Serene Financial Group. He is the sole owner of Serene Financial Group, LLC, where he dedicates time to life, health, long-term care, and disability insurance services. Packerland Brokerage Services, Inc. serves individual and institutional clients, including high-net-worth individuals, trusts, corporations, and retirement plan sponsors, through a network of 176 advisors with $1.358 billion in assets under management. The firm offers financial planning, portfolio management, wrap-fee and unified managed account programs, and retirement-plan consulting, providing investment solutions directly and via third-party managers.

Terrance Gaertner is a CFP® professional with 41 years of industry experience, currently serving at Ausdal Financial Partners, Inc. since 2009. He holds a Series 63 license and is based in Park Ridge, IL. Outside of his advisory role, he is involved in term life insurance sales with various carriers on a commission basis. 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 a range of investment strategies and custodial platforms.

Paul Wong is a CFP® professional with 29 years of experience, currently serving at LaSalle St. Investment Advisors, L.L.C. since 1997. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and acts as Treasurer and Committee Member of the Mission Related Investment Committee at Grace Church. Wong also provides cash flow analysis to clients and serves as a trustee to family trust accounts. 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 and offers both discretionary and non-discretionary management, with a notable emphasis on non-discretionary assets.