John Stitt Jr. is a financial advisor at World Equity Group, Inc. with 34 years of industry experience. He holds a Series 63 designation and has been with World Equity Group since 2002. In addition to his advisory work, he operates an independent insurance agency focused on business group health, dental, life, long-term care, and disability insurance. World Equity Group, Inc. provides fee-based investment advisory and financial planning services to a range of clients including individuals, pension plans, trusts, and corporations. The firm offers managed portfolios primarily through its wrap-fee program, combining discretionary portfolio management, financial planning, and third-party money managers.

Scott Uebelhoer is a financial advisor with LaSalle St. Investment Advisors, L.L.C. He holds a Series 66 credential and has 17 years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at Securities America Advisors and Invest Financial Corporation. Outside of advising, he is involved in insurance sales, focusing on life and disability insurance. LaSalle St. Investment Advisors provides fee-based financial planning and investment supervisory services to individuals, trusts, pension plans, and small businesses. The firm offers both non-discretionary and discretionary portfolio management programs and emphasizes a predominance of non-discretionary assets under management.

Christopher Jerin is a financial advisor with Calamos Wealth Management LLC, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and bringing 17 years of industry experience. He has worked at Calamos Wealth Management and its affiliated entities since 2010, with a three-year period at Beacon Pointe Advisors, LLC. 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 employs a structured investment process overseen by an Investment Committee and leverages its affiliated ecosystem, including various investment vehicles and trust services.

Kyle Schroeder is a CFP® with six years of industry experience, currently serving as a financial advisor at Forum Financial Management, LP since 2020. Prior to joining Forum, he worked at Prospect Partners and Merrill. 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 acts as a sub-advisor and turnkey asset management platform for independent RIAs, utilizing model asset-allocation portfolios managed primarily with DFA institutional mutual funds and ETFs following a Modern Portfolio Theory approach.

Michael Lichtfuss is a financial advisor with Ausdal Financial Partners, Inc. in Downers Grove, IL, holding Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and possessing 17 years of industry experience. He has been with Ausdal Financial Partners since 2012 and previously worked at Safety Service Sys for 17 years. Outside of his advisory role, Lichtfuss assesses national referee candidates and keeps score for high school basketball games. Ausdal Financial Partners serves individuals, trusts, estates, retirement plans, and business entities, overseeing approximately $3.73 billion across more than 16,000 clients. The firm offers a range of advisory and financial planning services, employing tailored investment strategies developed at the advisor level and integrating multiple custodians and third-party managers.

Scott Steiner is a CFP®-certified financial advisor with 23 years of industry experience. He has worked at Calamos Wealth Management LLC and Calamos Financial Services LLC since 2018 and previously spent three years with Raymond James & Associates, Inc. Calamos Wealth Management provides discretionary wealth management, financial planning, and institutional advisory services to high-net-worth individuals, family offices, endowments, private foundations, corporations, and retirement plans. The firm’s investment approach includes asset allocation, quantitative and qualitative evaluation, and ongoing monitoring, utilizing a broad range of investment vehicles including individual equities, fixed income, mutual funds, ETFs, and private investment funds.

Sean O’Shea is a CFP® professional with 19 years of industry experience, currently serving as a financial advisor at Highpoint Planning Partners. He has worked with LPL Financial since 2012 and joined Highpoint Advisor Group, LLC dba McCabe Financial Group in 2025. HighPoint Advisor Group serves individuals, including high-net-worth clients, as well as pension plans, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, and corporate entities. The firm offers discretionary asset management, financial planning, retirement plan advisory, and uses fundamental analysis to construct client portfolios across a range of asset classes.

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. His prior roles include positions at Arbor Point Advisors, Osaic Advisory Services, and LPL Financial. He serves as a board member at large for the American Legion Post 42 Charitable Foundation. LaSalle St. Investment Advisors provides personalized, fee-based financial planning and investment supervisory services to a diverse client base, including individuals, trusts, estates, and small businesses. The firm offers both non-discretionary and discretionary investment programs, emphasizing a predominance of non-discretionary asset management.

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®-certified financial advisor with 14 years of industry experience. He has been with High Point Planning Partners, operating as Black Diamond Planners, since 2013. HighPoint Advisor Group serves individuals, including high-net-worth clients, as well as pension and profit-sharing plans, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, and corporate entities. The firm offers discretionary asset management and financial planning, implementing portfolios through fundamental analysis and a diversified allocation across various securities and investment products.

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 financial advisor with Capital Analysts in Lombard, IL, holding the ChFC® and Series 63 designations and bringing 54 years of industry experience. He has been with Lincoln Investment Planning, Inc. since 2005. Capital Analysts serves individuals, high-net-worth investors, retirement plans, trusts, foundations, charitable organizations, and corporate clients, providing discretionary and non-discretionary portfolio management through various programs and access to third-party managers. The firm utilizes an in-house Investment Management & Research team and proprietary screening processes to guide investment decisions.

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 an advisor at Highpoint Planning Partners with Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and three years of industry experience. He has worked at LPL Financial, J.P. Morgan Securities, and DeRose Financial Planning Group. Prior to his financial advisory career, he spent several years at Advocate Christ Medical Center. Highpoint Planning Partners serves individuals, pension and profit-sharing plans, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, and corporate entities. The firm offers discretionary asset management, financial planning, retirement plan advisory, and manages wrap-fee programs, implementing portfolios through fundamental analysis and a range of investment vehicles.

Brian Plain is a CFP® with 20 years of industry experience and has been with Gradient Advisors, LLC since 2014. He provides consulting services focused on business management and growth to small business owners. Gradient Advisors offers investment management, financial planning, and consulting services to individuals, retirement plans, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, corporations, and other business entities. The firm operates primarily through third-party money managers and Investment Advisor Representatives, using a largely non-discretionary approach that incorporates multiple analytical methods to align portfolios with client objectives and risk tolerance.

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.