Kenneth Dryfhout is a financial advisor at Benjamin F. Edwards & Company, Inc. with 11 years of industry experience. He holds the CFP® and CFA® designations, along with Series 65, 63, and 66 licenses. His prior experience includes roles at BCU, Balance Sheet Solutions LLC, and Feldman Securities Group L.L.C. Benjamin F. Edwards & Company is an integrated broker-dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser serving individuals, high-net-worth clients, pension and profit-sharing plans, charitable organizations, and corporate clients through more than 500 advisors. The firm offers a range of advisory programs, financial planning, investment management, brokerage services, and certain M&A advisory services.

Ellen Cassin is a financial advisor at Creative Planning with a Series 65 credential and four years of industry experience. She previously worked at Heinz & Associates and Dashboard Wealth Advisors before joining Creative Planning in 2021. Creative Planning provides investment advisory and financial planning services to a diverse client base, including individuals, corporations, foundations, trusts, and retirement plans. The firm employs a financial planning–led investment process focused on low-cost indexing and buy-and-hold strategies, supported by a large advisory team and centralized investment infrastructure.

Mary Bronton is a financial advisor at &PARTNERS with 32 years of industry experience. She holds the Series 63 and Series 66 designations and previously worked at Wells Fargo Clearing for 10 years. &PARTNERS serves a wide range of individual and institutional clients, offering investment management, financial and tax planning, retirement-plan consulting, and brokerage services through a dual registration as both a registered investment adviser and broker-dealer. The firm employs a mix of fundamental, technical, and quantitative analysis, managing accounts directly or via third-party managers, and provides additional municipal advisory and research services.

Albert Smith is a financial advisor with Transamerica Financial Advisors, holding Series 63 and Series 65 designations and 11 years of industry experience. His work history includes multiple roles within Transamerica Financial Advisors and affiliations with Ma3 Insurance Inc., Premier Senior Marketing, Inc., and WFGIA. Transamerica Financial Advisors serves individual investors, pension and profit-sharing plans, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, and corporations, offering a combination of advisory and broker-dealer services. The firm provides proprietary and third-party model portfolios with discretionary and non-discretionary program options.

Brittany Williams is a financial advisor at Mariner with 12 years of industry experience. She holds Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and has worked at Mariner since 2019. Prior to that, she was with TIAA-CREF from 2015 to 2019. Mariner serves a diverse range of clients, including individuals, pension plans, trusts, and charitable organizations, providing investment management, financial planning, retirement consulting, and coordinated tax services. The firm combines in-house research with third-party manager allocations and offers integrated tax, accounting, and financial wellness solutions alongside traditional portfolio management.

Nicholas Maucieri is a financial advisor at Principal Financial Services with 37 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and has worked with firms including TD Ameritrade and Princor Financial Services Corp. Outside of his advisory role, he officiates youth and high school sports such as football, wrestling, and lacrosse with the Illinois High School Association. Principal Securities provides brokerage and registered investment advisory services to a diverse client base, including individual investors, retirement plans, trusts, and charitable organizations. The firm offers direct advisory programs, financial planning, retirement plan consulting, and access to third-party money manager asset allocation and separately managed account solutions.

Gian Carlo Ornelas is a CFP® and holds a Series 65 license, with two years of industry experience. He is currently with Mariner Wealth Advisors, where he has worked since 2021, including prior experience at Shankland Financial Advisors and Illinois State University. Outside of finance, he has experience in the automotive service sector with Platinum Car Wash. Mariner serves a diverse client base that includes individuals, high-net-worth households, pension plans, trusts, and charitable organizations. The firm offers investment management, financial planning, retirement plan consulting, and integrates tax and accounting services alongside traditional portfolio management.

Paul Schee is a CFP® and holds a Series 65 license with four years of industry experience. He has worked at Mariner since 2022 and previously spent nine years at Capstone Financial Advisors. Mariner serves a diverse client base including individuals, pension and profit-sharing plans, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, corporations, and private funds. The firm offers a wide range of services such as investment management, financial planning, retirement plan consulting, and coordinated tax and family office services, utilizing both in-house research and third-party managers across various asset classes.

Charles Murin is a financial advisor with Corient, holding CFP® and Series 65 credentials and bringing 11 years of industry experience. He has worked at Corient since 2022 and previously spent eight years at Balasa Dinverno Foltz LLC. Corient provides investment advisory and financial planning services to a diverse client base that includes individuals, high-net-worth clients, trusts, pension and profit-sharing plans, charitable organizations, and corporate entities. The firm uses a goals-based, team investment approach that integrates in-house strategies with third-party managers and customized asset allocation, supported by continuous portfolio monitoring and risk management tools.

Maxine Mott is a financial advisor at Lincoln Investment with Series 63 and Series 66 designations and 31 years of industry experience. Her prior roles include positions at TIAA-CREF and Macy’s. Lincoln Investment Planning, LLC is a large enterprise advisory and broker-dealer serving a diverse client base including individuals, high-net-worth investors, trusts, charities, and retirement plans. The firm offers financial planning and portfolio management supported by an in-house Investment Management & Research team, with many client relationships remaining advisor-led and tailored through model portfolios and platform tools.

Nasser Afzali is a financial advisor with Transamerica Financial Advisors, holding Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and bringing 33 years of industry experience. His background includes various roles related to tax, accounting, insurance, and pro bono financial training, with involvement in nonprofit organizations such as The Promise Land Charities Inc and volunteer work with Caris Pregnancy Counseling and Resources. He also provides estate planning document preparation through Net Law Inc and supports The Farsi Church in Chicago Land with tax and accounting services. Transamerica Financial Advisors serves a diverse client base including individual investors, pension plans, trusts, and corporations. The firm offers a range of advisory and broker-dealer services, combining proprietary and third-party model portfolios with discretionary and non-discretionary management options.

Linda Sabo is a financial advisor with Benjamin F. Edwards & Company, Inc., holding a Series 66 designation and 16 years of industry experience. She has been with Benjamin F. Edwards since 2010. Benjamin F. Edwards & Company is an integrated broker-dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser that serves individuals, high-net-worth clients, pension and profit-sharing plans, charitable organizations, and corporate clients through over 500 advisors. The firm provides a range of services including wrap-fee advisory programs, financial planning, retirement plan consulting, investment management consulting, brokerage services, insurance products, and certain M&A advisory services.

Kurt Helmich is a financial advisor at Integrated Wealth Concepts LLC with five years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 66 designations and has previously worked at Hightower Advisors and Charles Schwab & Co., Inc. Integrated Wealth Concepts serves individuals, high-net-worth clients, families, trusts, estates, businesses, and retirement plans through a network of independent advisors. The firm employs a mainly long-term investment approach using customized portfolios that include mutual funds, ETFs, equities, and fixed income, and offers discretionary management, financial planning, family office, and retirement plan advisory services.

Nathanial Chapel is a Series 65-licensed financial advisor with nine years of industry experience. He is currently with Farther and has operated Chapel Financial Group Inc. since 2017, where he is involved as a president and insurance agent focusing on fixed annuities, Medicare Supplement, life insurance, and long-term care. Chapel has also maintained advisory roles at Tru Financial Strategies under his ownership since 2017. Farther provides discretionary investment management and advisory services mainly to individual investors, trusts, and estates, utilizing a web and mobile platform alongside in-person meetings. The firm’s investment approach is based on Modern Portfolio Theory, employing proprietary model portfolios or customized allocations with algorithmic rebalancing, and it integrates AI tools to supplement advisor judgment.

Eric Andresen is a financial advisor with NewEdge Advisors, holding Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and bringing 26 years of industry experience. He has worked at LPL Financial since 2005 and joined NewEdge Advisors in 2023. Andresen is involved in tax preparation and accounting services through Midwest Small Business Accounting. NewEdge Advisors is an enterprise-scale registered investment adviser serving individuals, pension and profit-sharing plans, corporations, trusts, estates, and charitable organizations. The firm offers a broad range of services including portfolio management, financial planning, retirement consulting, and access to sponsored advisory programs, utilizing model-based strategies and technology tools to support advisors and clients.

Bradley Mills is a financial advisor with Fifth Third Securities, Inc. in Elmhurst, IL, holding a Series 66 designation and 25 years of industry experience. He has been with Fifth Third Securities since 2005. Fifth Third Securities, Inc. provides brokerage and investment advisory services through its Passageway Managed Account Program to a diverse client base, including individuals, charitable organizations, corporate clients, and institutional investors. The firm offers multiple discretionary managed-account options and features such as direct indexing and a tax-overlay service, supported by its affiliation with Fifth Third Bank and use of platforms like Fidelity Institutional Wealth Adviser.

Ethan De Rose is a Series 66 licensed advisor with Bankers Life Advisory Services, Inc., having worked in the financial services industry since 2023. His experience includes roles at Bankers Life Securities, Inc., and Bankers Life & Casualty, Inc., as well as prior work in construction and education. Bankers Life Advisory Services, Inc. serves mass-affluent and high-net-worth individuals with discretionary and non-discretionary portfolio management, as well as retirement plan consulting. The firm employs a combination of fundamental, technical, and cyclical analysis to tailor asset allocations and portfolio management according to clients’ goals and risk tolerances.

Dominic Colletti is a CFP® professional with 12 years of industry experience, currently serving as a financial advisor at Mercer Global Advisors Inc. since 2022. Prior to joining Mercer, he worked at Polaris Wealth Advisory Group and Fidelity Investments. Mercer Global Advisors provides investment advisory and planning services to a diverse client base including individuals, families, business owners, and nonprofit organizations. The firm employs a Modern Portfolio Theory-based investment approach with globally diversified portfolios and offers a range of solutions such as discretionary and non-discretionary management, financial planning, and retirement consulting.

Lisa Shake is a financial advisor at William Blair with three years of industry experience. She holds a Series 66 designation and has worked at William Blair since 2021. Prior to joining William Blair, she spent nine years at Fifth Third Private Bank. William Blair’s Private Wealth Management division offers investment management, financial planning, and wealth services to individuals, foundations, pension, and corporate clients. The firm employs active, research-driven strategies across various asset classes and provides access to proprietary models, third-party sub-managers, and private investment opportunities.

Charles Schuster is a financial advisor at Creative Planning with a Series 65 designation and one year of industry experience. His prior work includes roles at Monroe Capital LLC and Madison Boats LLC, along with four years at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Creative Planning provides wealth management, financial planning, and retirement-plan advisory services to a diverse client base, including high-net-worth individuals and institutional clients. The firm employs a financial-planning-led investment approach emphasizing low-cost indexing, buy-and-hold strategies, and selective private market exposure, managing over $295 billion in client assets through more than 1,100 advisors.