David Ferrante is a financial advisor at William Blair with one year of industry experience. He holds a Series 66 designation and previously worked at Goldman Sachs in 2023. Outside of finance, he has been involved with Huntley Community School District 158 and Northwestern University since 2014. William Blair’s Private Wealth Management division provides investment management, financial planning, and wealth services to individuals, foundations, and corporate clients. The firm employs an active, research-driven approach across multiple asset classes and offers access to proprietary models, third-party sub-managers, and private investment opportunities.

Ryan Begley is a financial advisor at &PARTNERS with nine years of industry experience. He holds the Series 66 designation and has previously worked at Merrill and Wells Fargo Advisors. &PARTNERS serves a diverse client base that includes individuals, retirement plans, charitable organizations, foundations, universities, and sovereign wealth funds. The firm provides both investment advisory and brokerage services, utilizing a combination of proprietary models and third-party managers through the Envestnet platform, while engaging in a range of activities including financial planning, ERISA consulting, and investment banking.

Grace Bossert is a CFP® professional at Mercer Global Advisors Inc. with two years of industry experience. Her work history includes roles at Mercer Global Advisors since 2021, as well as positions at MOKA and T. Anton Investment House. Outside of finance, she was involved with Rags Consignments for five years. Mercer Global Advisors provides investment advisory and planning services to a diverse client base, including individuals, high-net-worth families, small business owners, corporate plan sponsors, foundations, and nonprofits. The firm’s investment approach is based on Modern Portfolio Theory, focusing on globally diversified, risk-appropriate portfolios using low-cost index vehicles and multi-factor tilts, complemented by financial planning, retirement consulting, tax support, and estate-planning coordination.

Samuel Pollack is a Series 66-licensed financial advisor with Primerica Advisors, based in Deerfield, IL, and has three years of industry experience. His prior work includes roles at Guardian Life Insurance Company, Park Avenue Securities, The Pietsch Financial Group, and CliftonLarsonAllen. Outside of advising, he provides tax preparation services through SP Tax Services, LLC. Park Avenue Securities LLC serves a broad retail client base, including individual and high-net-worth investors, charitable organizations, and corporate clients. The firm offers both brokerage and advisory services, utilizing a mix of proprietary model portfolios, third-party managers, and digital advice solutions.

Ester Viti is a financial advisor with Guardian Life and Park Avenue Securities who holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has 23 years of industry experience. She has worked with Guardian Life and Park Avenue Securities for the past 10 years. Outside of her advisory roles, she serves on the College of Lake County Foundation Board. Park Avenue Securities LLC, operating as Park Avenue® Wealth Management, is a broker-dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser wholly owned by The Guardian Life Insurance Company of America. The firm offers brokerage services, financial planning, retirement plan consulting, and investment advisory programs to individuals, pension plans, charitable organizations, and corporate clients.

Elizabeth Bell is a financial advisor at Goldman Sachs Wealth Services with four years of industry experience. She holds Series 65 and Series 63 licenses and previously worked at W Greig & Company LLC and Datum 9 Analytics LLC. Goldman Sachs Wealth Services provides financial planning and portfolio management to a diverse client base, including individual investors, corporate participants, executives, and institutional clients. The firm offers tailored investment strategies supported by proprietary research, comprehensive planning services, and access to alternative investments through integrated teams across the Goldman Sachs platform.

Joshua Walters is a Certified Financial Planner (CFP®) with 14 years of industry experience. He currently works at Voya Financial Advisors, Inc. and has held positions at several firms, including LPL Financial LLC, Calamos Wealth Management, and J.P. Morgan Chase Bank. Voya Financial Advisors, Inc. serves individual clients, retirement plans, and charitable and corporate entities, offering financial planning, portfolio management, and brokerage and insurance products. The firm utilizes model portfolios, affiliated strategies, and third-party managers, delivering advice primarily on a non-discretionary basis.

Jonathan Baker is a CFA® charterholder with 10 years of industry experience. He is currently with Corient, where he has worked since 2022, following prior roles at Balasa Dinverno Foltz and CIPW Service Company. Corient provides investment advisory and financial planning services to a diverse client base, including individuals, trusts, pension plans, and corporate entities. The firm uses a goals-based, team investment approach that combines in-house strategies with third-party managers and specialized offerings such as family office and trustee services.

Amir Ahmed is a financial advisor at Goldman Sachs Wealth Services with seven years of industry experience. He holds a Series 66 designation and has worked at Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC since 2021. Prior to that, he was employed at The Ayco Company, L.P./Mercer Allied and KPMG. Goldman Sachs Wealth Services provides financial planning, investment management, and advisory support to a diverse client base, including individuals, high-net-worth households, and institutional clients. The firm utilizes centralized investment resources and offers tailored solutions such as Executive Wealth and Private Family Office support, operating within a large integrated financial group with access to a broad range of affiliated products and services.

Tyler Hujik is a financial advisor with Goldman Sachs Wealth Services in Deerfield, IL, holding a Series 66 designation and 12 years of industry experience. He has been with Ayco/Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC since 2018 and previously worked at The AYCO Company, L.P./Mercer Allied from 2013 to 2021. Goldman Sachs Wealth Services provides financial planning, investment management, and advisory support to a diverse client base, including individuals, high-net-worth households, corporations, and institutions. The firm integrates centralized investment resources and model portfolios with a range of discretionary and non-discretionary managers, offering tailored solutions such as executive and personal wealth services, private family office support, and retirement plan education.

Heather Locus is a CFP®-certified financial advisor with 25 years of industry experience. She is currently with Corient, where she has worked since 2022, following a 22-year tenure at Balasa Dinverno Foltz LLC. Corient provides investment advisory and financial planning services to a diverse client base, including individual and high-net-worth clients, trusts, pension plans, and charitable organizations. The firm employs a goals-based, team investment approach that integrates in-house strategies with third-party manager solutions and utilizes various risk management tools to align portfolios with client objectives.

Julia Larson is a financial advisor with Goldman Sachs Wealth Services, holding a Series 66 designation and four years of industry experience. She has worked at Goldman Sachs Ayco Personal Financial Management since 2021 and has a background that includes multiple roles at Lake Forest College and involvement with Sandcastle and Minneapolis United Soccer Club. Goldman Sachs Wealth Services serves a diverse client base including individual investors, corporate participants, executives, and institutional clients. The firm offers tailored financial planning and portfolio management solutions supported by strategic allocation models and a wide range of platforms, leveraging the broader Goldman Sachs network and specialized advisory teams.

Benjamin Krotky is a financial advisor with Bankers Life Advisory Services, Inc., holding a Series 66 credential and beginning his industry experience in 2026. Prior to joining Bankers Life, he worked in various roles including positions at United Parcel Service and educational institutions. In addition to his advisory role, he is licensed as an insurance agent, brokering Medicare-related health insurance plans through Blue Cross Blue Shield. Bankers Life Advisory Services, Inc. provides discretionary portfolio management and investment consulting primarily to mass-affluent and high-net-worth individuals. The firm’s investment approach focuses on customized asset allocation, periodic rebalancing, tax efficiency, and a combination of fundamental, technical, and cyclical analysis.

Nicholas Bova is a CFP®-credentialed financial advisor with 12 years of industry experience. He currently works at &Partners and previously spent 13 years at Wells Fargo. &Partners serves a diverse client base, including individuals, institutions, retirement plans, and charitable organizations. The firm offers both investment advisory and brokerage services, utilizing a combination of proprietary models and third-party manager solutions across various investment strategies.

Michael Pezzuto is a CFP® with 17 years of industry experience, currently serving as a financial advisor at William Blair since 2013. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses. William Blair’s Private Wealth Management division offers discretionary and non-discretionary investment management, financial planning, and wealth services to individuals, foundations, pension, and corporate clients. The firm employs an active, research-driven approach across multiple asset classes and provides access to proprietary models, third-party sub-managers, and private investment opportunities.

Vivian Villers is a CFP® with 41 years of industry experience, currently serving at SPC since 1998. She also has a long tenure with Sigma Financial Corporation dating back to 1991. Outside of her advisory work, Villers is a paid public speaker on special needs planning for families and is involved with SAGE Planning, which offers various insurance products. SPC serves individual clients, charitable organizations, corporations, and employer-sponsored retirement plans through a network of over 460 advisers and approximately $5.66 billion in assets under management. The firm provides portfolio management, financial planning, and ERISA-related retirement plan services, delivering strategies based on client suitability with options for discretionary and nondiscretionary management.

Daniel Grant is a financial advisor with William Blair, holding Series 63 and Series 65 designations and 39 years of industry experience. He has been with William Blair & Company L.L.C. since 1995. William Blair’s Private Wealth Management division offers discretionary and non-discretionary investment management, financial planning, and wealth services to individuals, foundations, pension, and corporate clients. The firm employs an active, research-driven approach across multiple asset classes and provides access to proprietary models, third-party sub-managers, and private fund investment opportunities.

Donna Gordon is a Series 66-licensed financial advisor with Independent Financial Partners, bringing 14 years of industry experience. She previously worked at Signature Financial Services, Ltd and Signature Advisors Group before joining Independent Financial Partners in 2019. Independent Financial Partners is a nationwide enterprise providing investment advisory, financial planning, trust, and retirement-plan services through a network of approximately 261 independent advisors. The firm offers a decentralized advisory model with options for discretionary and non-discretionary account management, and it is notable for its formal retirement-plan advisory and pension consulting capabilities.

James Argentine is a CFP® professional with 17 years of industry experience, currently serving as an advisor at SPC since 2014. He also operates as an independent insurance agent specializing in life, accident, and health insurance, and runs a sole proprietorship under the name Prospective Financial. SPC serves a diverse client base including high-net-worth individuals, charitable organizations, corporations, and employer-sponsored retirement plans, offering portfolio management, financial planning, and ERISA-related retirement services through a network of over 460 advisers managing approximately $5.66 billion in assets.

Robert Cullen is a CFP® professional with 19 years of experience in the financial services industry. He is currently with PNC Wealth Management and has previously worked at Ameriprise, Edward Jones, Citibank, BMO Wealth Management, and Fifth Third Bank. Outside of his advisory role, he is a co-owner of The Bet Exchange LLC, a software development company holding two patents. PNC Wealth Management offers retail brokerage and advisory services through model-based programs, including an invitation-only digital offering that utilizes algorithmically selected risk profiles and invests in mutual funds and ETFs with annual rebalancing.