Mark Wielinga is a financial advisor with Stifel in Orland Park, Illinois, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and 33 years of industry experience. He has worked at Stifel Nicolaus & Co Inc since 2017 and previously at RBC Capital Markets Corporation from 2008 to 2017. Outside of his advisory role, he is involved in farming activities. Stifel serves a diverse client base including individual, institutional, and municipal clients, offering both brokerage and investment advisory services. The firm uses a proprietary investment methodology developed by its Investment Strategy Group to provide asset allocation and financial planning analyses, with clients retaining discretion over implementation.

Alexander Kubiak is a financial advisor with Cetera based in Orland Park, IL, holding a Series 66 designation and five years of industry experience. He has held roles at firms including PricewaterhouseCoopers and Antares Capital, and currently owns and operates Kubiak Wealth Partners, LLC, and Kubiak Wealth Management. In addition to his advisory work, he serves as a CPA providing tax and bookkeeping services through Kubiak and Kubiak CPAs Limited. Cetera Investment Advisers LLC is an SEC-registered firm that serves a broad client base including individuals, employer-sponsored retirement plans, corporate, charitable, and institutional accounts. The firm offers a multi-manager platform with discretionary and non-discretionary portfolio management, diverse program options, and access to both affiliated and third-party managers.

Richard Madal is a financial advisor at Thrivent Investment Management with 27 years of industry experience. He has been with Thrivent since 2002 and holds Series 63 and Series 66 licenses. Outside of his financial advisory role, he is a band member and serves as an elder and trustee at Holy Trinity Lutheran Church. 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 planning across a wide range of financial topics and allows clients to combine planning with managed-account services under a consolidated billing option.

Paul Deimling is a financial advisor with Cetera, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and bringing 18 years of industry experience. He has worked with firms including Transamerica Financial Advisors and Megent Financial. He is also the owner of P. Deimling Consulting, Inc., a financial services business. Cetera Investment Advisers LLC serves a diverse client base including individuals, retirement plans, corporate and charitable clients, and institutional accounts. The firm offers a range of portfolio management and consulting services through a multi-manager platform, with more than 10,000 advisors and over $256 billion in assets under management.

Megan Sowinski is a CFP® professional with 12 years of industry experience, currently serving as a financial advisor at Edelman Financial Engines. Her prior roles include positions at Old National Bank, LPL Financial, JP Morgan Chase Bank, J.P. Morgan Securities, Fisher Investments, Fidelity, and Strategic Advisors Inc. Edelman Financial Engines provides technology-enabled investment advisory services primarily focused on workplace retirement accounts, IRAs, taxable accounts, and institutional clients. The firm manages both model-based and customized portfolios, offers sub-advisory services, and supports a large client base through advisor-led and online platforms.

Timothy Wielinga is a financial advisor at Stifel with a Series 66 designation and one year of industry experience. Prior to joining Stifel, he worked at CoAd and Group Management Services, among other roles spanning digital marketing, communications, polymers, and retail. Stifel serves a broad range of clients including individuals, institutional investors, and charitable organizations, providing both brokerage and investment advisory services supported by a proprietary investment methodology developed by its Investment Strategy Group.

Lisa Mccarthy is a financial advisor with LPL Financial in Downers Grove, IL, holding Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and possessing 12 years of industry experience. She previously worked for Wayne Hummer Investments L.L.C. for ten years before joining LPL Financial in 2025. LPL Financial is an SEC-registered investment adviser and broker-dealer serving individuals, retirement plans, banks, corporations, and charitable organizations through a national network of investment adviser representatives. The firm offers a range of advisory programs, financial planning, and retirement consulting, utilizing both discretionary and non-discretionary management along with model portfolios and research from internal and third-party sources.

Timothy Nelson is a financial advisor at Edward Jones in Lemont, IL, holding the CFP® and CFA® designations with 20 years of industry experience. He has been with Edward Jones since 2011, totaling 15 years at the firm. Edward Jones is a full-service wealth management firm serving over four million individual and institutional clients. The firm manages approximately $1.01 trillion in assets, offering a range of advisory programs, including discretionary and non-discretionary strategies, separately managed accounts, and affiliated mutual funds, operating under a fiduciary standard.

Guadalupe Barrios is a financial advisor with Primerica Advisors in Cicero, IL, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and 28 years of industry experience. She has been with Primerica Advisors since 1997 and has prior experience with PAV REALTORS and as a self-employed professional. Outside of her advisory role, she owns and manages two catering-related businesses in Chicago. Primerica Advisors provides discretionary asset management through its Lifetime Investment Program, serving individual and high-net-worth clients with model-delivery strategies and selectively offered separately managed accounts. The firm curates third-party asset managers and delegates trading responsibilities to BNY Mellon Advisors, operating under a tiered wrap-fee structure.

Michele Westmaas is a financial advisor at Thrivent Investment Management with two years of industry experience. She holds a Series 66 designation and has prior work experience at Thrivent Financial and John Wood Community College. Outside of her advisory role, Michele is active as a public speaker on disability-related topics and facilitates person-centered planning sessions for individuals with developmental disabilities and their support networks. Thrivent Investment Management offers Dedicated Planning Services to individuals, families, businesses, and nonprofits, providing comprehensive goal-based financial analyses without discretionary trading authority. The firm’s approach emphasizes holistic planning across a range of topics and allows clients to combine planning with managed-account programs under a consolidated billing option.

Eric Degnan is a CFP® professional with 29 years of industry experience, currently serving as a financial advisor at LPL Financial since 2021. His background includes roles at One For The Kids and Waddell & Reed, Inc., and he has operated his own advisory business for 15 years. LPL Financial is a national SEC-registered investment adviser and broker-dealer serving individuals, retirement plans, institutions, and charitable organizations. The firm provides a range of advisory programs and financial planning services through a large network of investment adviser representatives.

Phillip Faso is a financial advisor at Wells Fargo Advisors with four years of industry experience. He previously worked at Cetera and Wintrust Investments and is registered with the Series 66 credential. Outside of advising, he is involved in Dino's Food and Liquors, where he serves as a bartender. Wells Fargo Advisors serves individuals, trusts, and institutional clients with a range of investment and financial planning services, utilizing proprietary research and planning tools to create tailored client recommendations.

Kevin Finlon is a financial advisor with Osaic Wealth Inc. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has 12 years of industry experience. Prior to joining Osaic in 2024, he spent 10 years with Pruco Securities LLC and The Prudential Insurance Company of America. He also operates a single-member LLC focused on selling life insurance and annuity contracts when appropriate. OSAIC Wealth Inc. serves a wide range of retail and institutional clients, offering integrated brokerage and advisory services alongside financial planning and retirement consulting. The firm utilizes various asset-allocation tools and supports portfolios with multiple investment types, managing accounts on both discretionary and non-discretionary bases.

Melissa Colby is a financial advisor at Fidelity with 18 years of industry experience. She holds the Series 63 and Series 66 designations. Her prior work includes roles at TIAA and TIAA-CREF. Fidelity’s Strategic Advisers LLC provides investment management and advisory services to retail and institutional clients, employing a process that combines fundamental research, quantitative analysis, and algorithmic portfolio construction. The firm is notable for its advisory roles to registered investment companies, use of AI in research, and delivery of model portfolios to intermediary platforms.

Stefanie Walthier is a Wealth Management Advisor with Merrill Lynch Wealth Management. She focuses on providing personalized wealth management strategies that align with each client’s financial goals, particularly in areas such as liquidity management, personal retirement planning, and retirement income. Stefanie leverages the investment insights of Merrill and the banking and lending solutions offered by Bank of America to help clients navigate changing market conditions. Stefanie holds a Bachelor's degree in Finance from Butler University, earned in 1992. She obtained the CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER® (CFP) certification in 2000 and holds additional professional designations including CERTIFIED PLAN FIDUCIARY ADVISOR (CPFA), Personal Investment Advisor (PIA), and Retirement Accredited Financial Advisor (RAFA). Her early career included roles as a financial advisor with Edward Jones from 1992 to 1995 and BMO Harris Bank from 1996 to 2004, where she worked with individuals and families on retirement planning. Since joining Merrill in 2004, Stefanie has been focused on a planning-oriented service model and was a founding member of the JLW Group advisory team in 2014, which provides planning, portfolio management, and client service. In addition to her professional work, Stefanie values community involvement and volunteers with local organizations. Her personal interests include cooking, gardening, and reading. Her professional philosophy emphasizes working collaboratively with clients to develop financial strategies that support their long-term goals.

Matthew Baker is a financial advisor with Osaic Wealth, Inc. in Munster, Indiana, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and having 24 years of industry experience. He previously worked at Woodbury Financial Services, Inc. for 14 years. Baker is also president and CEO of a financial planning and fixed insurance business focused on annuities, life insurance, and related services, and he has over 20 years of experience in tax preparation through his work as an accountant. Osaic Wealth, Inc. serves a diverse client base including individuals, high-net-worth investors, pension plans, corporations, and charitable organizations through a large network of affiliated advisers. The firm provides integrated brokerage and advisory services, financial planning, retirement plan consulting, and access to multiple portfolio management platforms.

Deborah Chinnapillai is a financial advisor with LPL Financial, holding Series 63 and Series 65 designations and over 41 years of industry experience. Her career includes long-term roles at Waddell & Reed and managing her own advisory practice before joining LPL Financial. LPL Financial is an SEC-registered investment adviser and broker-dealer serving individuals, retirement plans, corporations, and charitable organizations through a national network of investment adviser representatives. The firm provides a range of financial planning and advisory programs with access to research, model portfolios, and technology-driven solutions.

Lawrence Lehman is a financial advisor with Cetera, holding the PFS™ designation and Series 65 and 63 licenses, and has 19 years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at Avantax Advisory Services and Avantax Investment Services. He serves as a board member of the Alpine Heights Homeowners Association and the Daniel Strada Foundation, a nonprofit charitable organization. Cetera Investment Advisers LLC is an SEC-registered firm that provides advisory services through a nationwide network of independent advisors, serving individuals, retirement plans, corporate and charitable clients, and institutions. The firm offers a range of investment management and financial planning services with multiple program structures and a multi-manager platform.

Thomas Waldron is a financial advisor with LPL Financial, holding Series 63 and Series 66 credentials and 27 years of industry experience. He previously worked at Cuna Brokerage Services, Inc. and Cuna Mutual Group for 12 years. LPL Financial is an SEC-registered investment adviser and broker-dealer serving individuals, retirement plans, banks, credit unions, corporations, and charitable organizations through a national network of investment adviser representatives. The firm offers various advisory programs, financial planning, and retirement plan consulting, utilizing both discretionary and non-discretionary management supported by research from LPL and third-party subadvisors.

Susan Wu is a financial advisor with J.P. Morgan Securities, holding Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and bringing 14 years of industry experience. She has worked at J.P. Morgan Securities since 2014 and has been with JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. since 2024. J.P. Morgan Securities LLC provides institutional consulting services to corporations, foundations, and defined contribution plan sponsors, offering asset allocation advice, investment manager searches, and customized performance reporting. The firm combines large institutional advisory operations with brokerage and investment management capabilities, delivering recommendations on a non-discretionary basis while clients retain final decision authority.