Lissette Strefner is a financial advisor with World Equity Group, Inc. in Schaumburg, IL, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and having 23 years of industry experience. She has been with World Equity Group since 2015 and has previously been associated with AIG American General Life Insurance Company since 2002. Outside of her advisory role, she operates a small hobby business reselling used clothing online. World Equity Group, Inc. provides fee-based investment advisory and financial planning services to a range of clients including individuals, pension plans, trusts, and charitable organizations. The firm offers managed portfolios through its wrap-fee program, combining discretionary portfolio management with access to third-party money managers and employs a risk-tolerance questionnaire to guide asset allocation.

Brent Newcomb is a financial advisor at Northern Trust Securities, Inc. with three years of industry experience. He holds the CFP® and ChFC® designations. Prior to joining Northern Trust Securities in 2025, he worked at JPMorgan Chase Bank, NA and JPMorgan Securities LLC from 2023 to 2025. Northern Trust Securities, Inc. is an SEC-registered investment adviser and FINRA-registered broker-dealer that serves high-net-worth individuals, retail investors, and institutional clients. The firm offers discretionary portfolio management through model-driven, periodically rebalanced portfolios combining proprietary and third-party investment products.

Chloe Fakhouri is a CFP® with five years of industry experience, currently serving as a financial advisor at JMG Financial Group Ltd in Downers Grove, IL. Prior to joining JMG Financial Group, she worked at Itasca Bank & Trust and was also employed by Depaul University. Outside of her financial advisory role, Chloe is a fitness instructor for Pike Lagree, a fitness center offering Lagree-style classes. JMG Financial Group provides comprehensive wealth management and consulting services to individuals, trusts, retirement plans, business entities, and charitable organizations. The firm employs a planning-based, long-term investment approach focused on strategic asset allocation and offers services including portfolio management, tax consulting, and access to private investment opportunities.

Richard Allen is a financial advisor with Beacon Capital Management, Inc. in Chicago, IL, holding Series 65 and Series 63 licenses and bringing 25 years of industry experience. He has worked at Beacon Capital Management since 2015 and previously held positions at BIC Distributors, LLC and Sammons Financial Network, LLC. Beacon Capital Management provides investment advisory services primarily to retail investors through third-party financial intermediaries. The firm offers third-party model management, discretionary direct account management, and custom portfolio solutions, employing tactical, data-driven strategies that rely mainly on ETFs and mutual funds.

Patrick Crowley is a financial advisor at VestGen Advisors, LLC with 26 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has worked at LPL Financial, LLC for 19 years, followed by roles at Wealth Management Group, LLC and Private Client Services. Outside of his advisory work, he manages Crowley Family Farm LLC, a small commercial property in Illinois. VestGen Advisors is a multi-team registered investment adviser managing approximately $3.47 billion for over 9,400 clients across 30 advisors. The firm serves individual and high-net-worth clients with a range of investment management and retirement plan services, utilizing a blend of analytical methods and third-party managers to implement client portfolios.

Sherry Salamone is a financial advisor with CliftonLarsonAllen Wealth Advisors, LLC in Oak Brook, IL, holding a Series 66 designation and 19 years of industry experience. She has been with CliftonLarsonAllen Wealth Advisors since 2016. CliftonLarsonAllen Wealth Advisors serves individuals, including high-net-worth clients, as well as corporate and institutional clients, providing wealth advisory, asset management, financial and estate planning, and business succession consulting. The firm employs a strategic asset allocation approach through model portfolios overseen by an Investment Committee, integrating multidisciplinary planning in coordination with its parent firm, CliftonLarsonAllen LLP.

Joseph Fortunato is a financial advisor with HighPoint Planning Partners in Downers Grove, IL, holding the CFP® and ChFC® designations and securities licenses Series 63 and 66. He has 21 years of industry experience and previously worked at firms including Vantage Financial Partners Limited, HighTower Advisors LLC, and Guardian Life. 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 uses a diversified investment approach including mutual funds, ETFs, equities, debt securities, REITs, options, and third-party platforms.

Vincent Tunstall is a financial advisor with Northern Trust Securities, Inc. in Chicago, holding Series 63, 65, and 66 licenses and bringing 24 years of industry experience. He has been with Northern Trust Securities since 2011 and previously worked at Northern Trust Bank from 2009 to 2018. Northern Trust Securities, Inc. provides investment advisory and model-based managed account services to high-net-worth individuals and institutional clients. The firm uses a model-driven approach combining proprietary and third-party investment products, supported by governance reviews and technology platforms to implement and rebalance portfolios.

Zak Sandeman is a financial advisor at LaSalle St. Investment Advisors, L.L.C. He holds the Series 66 designation and has three years of industry experience, including prior roles at VillageMD and Oranj. His background includes multiple positions with LaSalle St. Securities, LLC. LaSalle St. Investment Advisors provides personalized, fee-based financial planning and investment supervisory services to a diverse client base, including individuals, trusts, estates, pension plans, charitable organizations, and small businesses. The firm offers both non-discretionary and discretionary management programs, utilizing a range of asset classes and third-party managers.

Michael Smith is a financial advisor with HighPoint Planning Partners in Downers Grove, IL, holding Series 63 and Series 66 registrations and bringing 26 years of industry experience. He has been with HighPoint Planning Partners since 2016 and has been affiliated with LPL Financial since 2015. HighPoint Planning Partners serves individuals, pension and profit-sharing plans, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, and corporate entities. The firm offers discretionary asset management and financial planning, implementing portfolios through personal consultations and fundamental analysis across various asset classes, while utilizing third-party and LPL-sponsored platforms to provide consolidated advisory services.

Christopher Genzler is a CFP® professional with 41 years of industry experience, currently serving as an advisor at Forum Financial Management, LP since 2012. His prior experience includes work at Purshe Kaplan Sterling Investments, Inc. from 2012 to 2020. Outside of his advisory role, he is involved in nonprofit organizations focused on healthcare and medical education, holding leadership positions such as President of the Western Cook Chapter of the Illinois Continuity of Care Association and Treasurer and Director of the Board at BodyInsight. Forum Financial Management, LP provides 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, employing a Modern Portfolio Theory approach primarily with DFA institutional mutual funds and ETFs.

Shawn Wears is a CFP® professional with 19 years of industry experience, currently affiliated with Capital Analysts. His prior roles include positions at Lincoln Investment, Cambridge Investment Research Advisors, Guggenheim Investments, and Rydex Advisory Services. Outside of his advisory work, he is involved in community activities as the financial secretary of the McWhinney Benevolent Association. Capital Analysts serves a diverse client base including individual and high-net-worth investors, trusts, foundations, businesses, and charitable organizations. The firm offers portfolio management through both discretionary and non-discretionary approaches, utilizing a proprietary mutual fund screening process and maintaining institutional relationships to support a wide range of investment and retirement-planning services.

Seamus Kelly is a financial advisor with Chicago Partners Investment Group LLC, holding a Series 65 designation and beginning his industry career in 2024. Prior to joining Chicago Partners in 2025, he worked at UBS and has academic experience from the University of Chicago. Chicago Partners Investment Group serves a diverse client base, including individuals, trusts, endowments, corporations, and nonprofit plans. The firm employs a long-term, diversified investment approach with customized portfolios, utilizing fundamental analysis and strategies such as direct indexing and tax-loss harvesting.

Robert Mortimer is a CFP® with 49 years of industry experience, currently serving as a financial advisor at B. Riley Wealth Advisors, Inc. since 2022 and with B. Riley Wealth Management since 2010. He is based in Chicago, IL. Outside of his advisory role, he serves as Treasurer for a family-owned nonprofit corporation that manages a vacation property. B. Riley Wealth Advisors, Inc. is an SEC-registered firm managing approximately $7.03 billion in client assets through 274 advisors. The firm provides a range of services including advisory programs, financial planning, and retirement solutions to individuals, high-net-worth clients, charitable organizations, corporations, and retirement plans.

Barry Link is a financial advisor with World Equity Group, Inc. in Schaumburg, IL, holding a Series 63 designation and 48 years of industry experience. He has worked at World Equity Group since 2001 and operates Link Diversified Services, which he started in 1982. Outside of advising, he is involved as an independent contractor with Abacus Life Settlements, assisting with policy evaluations and transactions for senior clients. World Equity Group, Inc. provides fee-based investment advisory and financial planning services to a range of clients, including individuals, pension plans, trusts, and charitable organizations. The firm offers managed portfolios through its Adhesion Money Management wrap-fee program and utilizes third-party managers to implement asset allocation models based on client risk tolerance.

Paul Mangiardi is a financial advisor at Zacks Investment Management, Inc. in Chicago, IL, with 19 years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at LBMZ Securities, IHT Wealth Management, and Charles Schwab. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 designations. Zacks Investment Management provides discretionary investment management to individuals, trusts, estates, retirement plans, and institutional clients. The firm combines proprietary quantitative models with qualitative portfolio management and offers a variety of strategies through its own and third-party wrap-fee and unified managed account programs.

Ben Petrie is a financial advisor at The Mather Group, LLC in Chicago, IL, with two years of industry experience. He holds a Series 65 designation and has been with The Mather Group since 2022. Prior to his current role, his work experience includes positions outside the financial industry. The Mather Group primarily serves high-net-worth individuals, family offices, trusts, corporations, and other entities by providing financial planning, investment management, tax and estate planning guidance, and family office services. The firm utilizes an evidence-based investment approach with risk-based allocation models and offers customizable portfolio options, including ESG portfolios and liability-matching bond ladders.

Marc Lawrence is a financial advisor with FourStar Wealth Advisors, LLC in Chicago, IL, holding a Series 65 designation and three years of industry experience. His prior work includes roles at Merino Wealth Management, Mark Brown State Farm, Ryan Whitson State Farm, Rosen Harwood, Citizens Bank of Fayette, and the University of Alabama. FourStar Wealth Advisors serves individuals, retirement and profit-sharing plans, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, and business entities, providing financial planning, discretionary portfolio management, and retirement-plan consulting. The firm combines fundamental and technical analysis to manage portfolios tailored to clients’ risk tolerance and time horizon, using a range of investment vehicles including mutual funds, ETFs, individual securities, options, and third-party managers.

Ian Crowley is a financial advisor at IHT Wealth Management LLC with two years of industry experience. He holds the Series 66 designation and has previously worked at LPL Financial and PKF Mueller. IHT Wealth Management serves individuals, corporate and institutional clients, and retirement plan sponsors by providing discretionary asset management, financial planning, ERISA plan consulting, and outsourced CIO services. The firm’s investment approach combines fundamental value screening, quantitative optimization, and periodic rebalancing, with access to proprietary model portfolios, third-party managers, and discretionary mandates.

Jaclyn Garcia is a CFP® with 10 years of industry experience and has been with JMG Financial Group Ltd since 2015. She serves as a manager of Glass Pumpkin Vineyard, LLC, a vineyard business unrelated to investments. JMG Financial Group Ltd provides comprehensive wealth and portfolio management to individuals, trusts, retirement plans, business entities, and charitable organizations. The firm employs a planning-based, long-term approach with strategic asset allocation and offers tax consulting and access to private investment funds.