John Thompson is the Senior Resident Director at Merrill, with professional experience dating back to 1985. He has served as a Senior Vice President and Wealth Management Advisor, specializing in providing financial strategies tailored to individual clients' goals and long-term growth. John leads a team that focuses on diverse and disciplined portfolio management, utilizing Model Portfolio Strategies to implement discretionary portfolio management on behalf of clients. John holds a Bachelor's Degree from Northern Illinois University and has earned professional designations including Certified Investment Management Analyst (CIMA) and Personal Investment Advisor (PIA). His areas of expertise encompass college education planning, family wealth management strategies, legacy planning, liquidity management, personal retirement planning, individual and corporate investment strategy, and tax minimization. He emphasizes helping clients understand and manage risk effectively across their financial portfolios. Residing in the Arlington Heights community with his family, John enjoys baseball, boxing, football, music, reading, running marathons, and spending time with his family. He values building long-term relationships with clients and providing clear, accessible guidance through different stages of their financial lives.

Andrew Minehart is a financial advisor with Edward Jones in Elgin, IL, holding CFP® and ChFC® designations and 27 years of industry experience. He has been with Edward D. Jones & Co., L.P. since 1998. Outside of his advisory role, Minehart is president of Minehart Enterprises LLC, a rental property business. Edward Jones is a full-service wealth management firm serving individual and institutional clients, including pension plans, corporate clients, and charitable organizations. The firm manages approximately $1.01 trillion in assets through a network of over 23,700 financial advisors and offers a range of discretionary and non-discretionary investment strategies with affiliated capabilities such as trust services and securities-based lending.

Henry Moreno Alzate is a financial advisor at Edward Jones with one year of industry experience. He holds the Series 66 designation and previously worked as an independent solar broker and was involved in coaching soccer through the Wilmette Wings Soccer Club. Edward Jones is a full-service wealth management firm serving individual and institutional clients, with over $1 trillion in assets under management and a widespread network of advisors and branch offices. The firm offers a range of advisory programs and investment solutions, operating under a fiduciary standard.

Timothy Fraser is a financial advisor at LPL Financial with 22 years of industry experience and holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses. He has been with LPL Financial since 2009. Fraser operates a separate business under the name Fraser Wealth Management in Woodstock, IL. LPL Financial is a national broker-dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser that provides advisory and brokerage services to individuals, retirement plans, banks, trust companies, and other institutions. The firm offers a range of financial planning and investment products, utilizing a mix of model portfolios, third-party management, and customized strategies, supported by advanced research and operational tools.

Lyle Berkson is a financial advisor with J.P. Morgan Securities in Arlington Heights, IL, holding Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and bringing 25 years of industry experience. He has worked at notable firms including Charles Schwab, TD Ameritrade, and UBS Financial Services. Outside of his advisory role, Berkson is involved in a residential real estate business on a part-time basis. J.P. Morgan Securities provides institutional consulting services to plan sponsors, corporations, endowments, and other institutional clients through a select group of Wealth Advisors. The firm’s advisory process combines quantitative screening and qualitative research to offer written asset allocation advice and customized reporting, with a focus on model asset allocations and risk management.

Kenneth Busch is a CFP® professional with 21 years of industry experience, currently serving as a financial advisor at Ameriprise Financial Services, LLC. His prior experience includes roles at Edward Jones and several other firms. He has also been involved in independent insurance brokering, focusing on whole life insurance. Ameriprise Financial Services is a large, diversified firm serving individual and institutional clients, offering a specialized Premier Retirement Income service that provides written recommendation reports and annual retirement-income planning advice centered on dependable income sources and tax-aware withdrawal strategies.

Faye Johnson is a financial advisor at Cetera with 28 years of industry experience. She holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has worked at Ameriprise Financial and Ameriprise Financial Services, Inc. prior to joining Cetera. Cetera Investment Advisers LLC distributes its services through a large nationwide network of independent advisors and serves individuals, employer-sponsored retirement plans, corporate and charitable clients, and institutional accounts. The firm offers a range of portfolio management, financial planning, and retirement services through various program structures and custodial relationships.

Richard Miller Jr is a financial advisor with Wells Fargo Advisors, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and bringing 46 years of industry experience. He previously worked at Prudential Equity Group, LLC for 19 years and Wells Fargo Clearing for 6 years before joining his current firm. Miller is also involved in wealth management through ownership interests in REM Wealth Management, LLC and Miller-Garcia Wealth Management, LLC, and he has a role in insurance advisory with Princeton Harriman Insurance Solutions. Wells Fargo Advisors Financial Network is a large broker-dealer and registered investment adviser serving individuals, trusts, and institutional clients with a broad range of financial planning and investment services. The firm offers tailored planning that covers various financial needs and integrates advisory services with other financial products and referral channels.

Richard Roeser is a financial advisor with Edward Jones in Palatine, IL, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and 27 years of industry experience. He has been with Edward Jones since 1998. Edward Jones is a full-service wealth management firm serving more than four million individual and institutional clients, offering a range of discretionary and non-discretionary investment strategies, affiliated mutual funds, and overlay services under a fiduciary standard.

Kathryn Baness is a financial advisor at Thrivent Investment Management in Grayslake, IL, holding a Series 66 credential and with seven years of industry experience. Her prior roles include positions at LPL Financial, Wells Fargo Advisors, Morgan Stanley, and Northwestern Mutual Investment Services. She is also a notary through the National Notary Association. Thrivent Investment Management offers Dedicated Planning Services to individuals, families, businesses, and nonprofit clients, focusing on holistic, goal-based financial planning that covers areas such as retirement, tax, estate, and special needs planning. The firm provides planning and managed-account services separately, with periodic reviews and without discretionary trading authority for its planning engagements.

Joseph Velez is a financial advisor with Ameriprise in Grayslake, IL, holding a Series 66 designation and 18 years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at OSAIC, SagePoint Financial, Cambridge Investment Research, Sequoia Wealth Management, and LPL Financial. Outside of his advisory work, he is co-owner of a real estate business, JAJK LLC. Ameriprise offers retirement-income planning services for individuals approaching or in retirement, primarily serving clients with significant investable assets. The firm combines research, modeling, and tax-efficiency analysis to provide tailored, non-discretionary recommendations delivered through a centralized consulting team.

Sean Dwyer is a CFP®-designated financial advisor with Edward Jones, based in Lake Zurich, IL, and has 15 years of industry experience. He has been with Edward Jones since 2010. Outside of his financial advisory role, he is involved in managing rental properties and serves as a manager of a real estate business entity. Edward Jones is a full-service wealth management firm serving individual and institutional clients with a wide range of advisory programs, including discretionary and non-discretionary managed solutions, access to separately managed accounts, and affiliated mutual funds. The firm operates under a fiduciary standard and is notable for its large retail advisor and branch network, as well as affiliated capabilities beyond advisory services.

Ryan Brannigan is a financial advisor at Fidelity with one year of industry experience. He holds a Series 66 designation and has prior experience at Calamos Investments. Fidelity’s Strategic Advisers LLC provides investment management and advisory services to a diverse client base, including retail and institutional investors, utilizing a combination of proprietary fundamental research, quantitative analysis, and algorithmic portfolio construction. The firm also serves as an advisor to multiple registered investment companies and delivers model portfolios to intermediary platforms.

Karen Punda is a financial advisor with Cetera, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and possessing 24 years of industry experience. Her career includes roles at several firms, including VSR Financial Services, Inc., J.P. Turner & Company, L.L.C., and First Allied Securities, Inc. She is based in Schaumburg, IL. Cetera Investment Advisers LLC serves a broad client base including individuals, employer-sponsored retirement plans, corporate and charitable clients, and institutional accounts. The firm offers a range of portfolio management and financial planning services through a network of independent advisors, employing multiple program structures and manager options.

Jerome Papiernik is a financial advisor at Edward Jones in Libertyville, IL, holding a Series 66 designation with nine years of industry experience. He has been with Edward Jones since 2016. Edward Jones is a full-service wealth management firm serving more than four million individual and institutional clients, offering a range of investment advisory programs with approximately $1.01 trillion in assets under management. The firm operates a nationwide network of over 23,000 advisors and provides both discretionary and non-discretionary strategies along with affiliated mutual funds and tax-efficient services.

Eric Laughlin is a financial advisor at Morgan Stanley with 27 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has been with Morgan Stanley and its affiliated entities since 2001, including positions at Morgan Stanley Private Bank and Morgan Stanley Smith Barney, as well as prior experience at Citigroup Global Markets. Morgan Stanley Wealth Management serves both individual and institutional clients by providing a broad range of advisory programs and tailored financial planning services. The firm manages approximately $2.74 trillion in client assets and employs a structured planning process supported by firm-approved tools and market simulations.

Laura Di Vietro is a financial advisor with Thrivent Investment Management, holding Series 63 and Series 65 designations and 14 years of industry experience. She previously worked at J.P. Morgan Securities and JPMorgan Chase Bank N.A. before joining Thrivent Financial and Thrivent Investment Management in 2020. Thrivent Investment Management provides Dedicated Planning Services to individuals, families, businesses, and nonprofit clients through a network of Financial Advisors. The firm offers goal-based, holistic planning covering retirement, tax, estate, and other topics, with options to combine planning with managed accounts under a consolidated billing structure.

Kelly Switt is a financial advisor with Cetera who holds a Series 66 designation and has eight years of industry experience. Prior to joining Cetera in 2025, Switt worked at Avantax Advisory Services and 1st Global Advisors. Outside of his advisory role, he serves as treasurer for parent associations at his sons’ middle and high schools in Illinois. Cetera Investment Advisers LLC is an SEC-registered adviser serving a broad client base including individuals, employer-sponsored retirement plans, corporate and charitable clients, and institutional accounts. The firm offers various portfolio management and financial planning services through a multi-manager platform that includes both affiliated and third-party investment options.

Nick Georgalas is a Financial Consultant at Fidelity Investments, where he has been working since 2022. In this role, he assists clients and their families in building and maintaining financial plans tailored to their specific goals and situations. Prior to his current position, Nick served as an Investment Consultant at Fidelity Investments from 2021 to 2022, and as a Financial Representative from 2020 to 2021. Nick's professional experience at Fidelity Investments spans several years, during which he has developed expertise in financial planning and investment consulting. He partners with clients to analyze their financial situations and implement customized plans to meet their objectives.

Amber Luczak is a financial advisor with Edward Jones in Fox River Grove, IL. She holds the CFP®, ChFC®, and Series 66 designations and has 12 years of industry experience, all with Edward Jones since 2014. Edward Jones is a full-service wealth management firm serving over four million individual and institutional clients. The firm offers a range of advisory programs and investment strategies, including discretionary and non-discretionary wrap fee options, separately managed accounts, and affiliated mutual funds, supported by a large network of financial advisors and branch offices nationwide.