Brandon Blazer is a financial advisor with Wells Fargo Clearing in Barrington, IL. He holds a Series 66 designation and has 17 years of industry experience, including 10 years with Wells Fargo Clearing. Wells Fargo Advisors is a national securities firm serving individual, corporate, and institutional clients with investment advisory services, financial planning, and retirement plan consulting. The firm manages approximately $671 billion in assets and offers a range of brokerage and advisory solutions supported by research and analytics from Wells Fargo Investment Institute.

Travis Brown is a financial advisor with Edward Jones in Grayslake, IL, holding Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and having 20 years of industry experience. He has been with Edward Jones since 2013. Edward Jones is a full-service wealth management firm serving over four million individual and institutional clients, offering a range of advisory programs and investment solutions supported by a nationwide network of more than 23,700 financial advisors.

Anthony Bianchi Sr. is a financial advisor at Thrivent Investment Management with 20 years of industry experience. He holds a Series 66 designation and has been with Thrivent Financial for Lutherans and Thrivent Investment Management since 2005. Outside of his advisory role, he serves as a board member for Lake County Crime Stoppers, an anonymous crime tip line. Thrivent Investment Management provides Dedicated Planning Services to individuals, families, businesses, and nonprofit clients through a network of financial advisors. The firm offers comprehensive, goal-based planning on topics such as retirement, tax, estate, and special needs but does not include implementation of recommendations as part of the service.

Lauren Burge is a financial advisor with LPL Financial, holding a Series 66 designation and six years of industry experience. Prior to joining LPL Financial in 2025, she worked at Wintrust Investments, LLC for six years and has experience in home staging and furniture rental businesses. LPL Financial is a national broker-dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser serving individuals, retirement plan participants, banks, trust companies, and other institutions. The firm offers a broad range of advisory and brokerage services including financial planning, model portfolios, third-party asset management, and institutional platforms, with a focus on combining technology and extensive non-advisory financial services.

John Josten is a financial advisor with Cetera, holding the ChFC® designation and Series 63 and 65 licenses. He has 39 years of industry experience, including prior roles at Lamb Little and VOYA Financial Advisors. Outside of his advisory work, he manages an agriculture-related business, John M. Hanson Enterprises LLC. Cetera Investment Advisers LLC is a nationwide SEC-registered firm serving individual, retirement plan, corporate, charitable, and institutional clients. The firm offers a range of portfolio management and consulting services through a multi-manager platform that includes affiliated and third-party managers, with over $256 billion in assets under management and more than 10,000 advisors.

Rumen Hristov is a financial advisor at Primerica Advisors with 22 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has been associated with PFS Investments Inc. and Primerica Financial Services since 2002. Outside of his advisory role, Hristov co-owns Rumen Consulting Corp., a business that provides tax preparation services. Primerica Advisors offers discretionary asset management through its Lifetime Investment Program, serving individual and high-net-worth clients with model-delivery strategies and separately managed account options within a wrap-fee structure. The firm curates third-party asset managers and uses a tiered wrap fee model, delegating trading responsibilities to BNY Mellon Advisors.

Jose Lopez Maldonado is a financial advisor with LPL Financial, holding a Series 66 designation and nine years of industry experience. He previously worked at BMO Harris Financial Advisors from 2016 to 2021 before joining LPL Financial in 2021. LPL Financial is a national broker-dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser that provides advisory and brokerage services through a large network of representatives serving individuals, retirement plans, banks, trust companies, and institutions. The firm offers a variety of financial planning and investment management solutions, including model portfolios and third-party asset management, supported by advanced research and operational tools.

Joseph Christopoulos is a financial advisor with LPL Financial in Arlington Heights, IL, holding a Series 66 designation and 12 years of industry experience. He has been with LPL Financial since 2014. LPL Financial is a national broker-dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser serving individuals, retirement plan participants, banks, trust companies, and other institutions. The firm offers a range of advisory and brokerage services, including financial planning, model portfolio programs, third-party asset management, and institutional platforms.

Dennis Marach is a financial advisor with LPL Financial in Schaumburg, IL, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and bringing 44 years of industry experience. He previously worked at Citigroup Global Markets for six years before joining Linsco Private Ledger, now part of LPL Financial, in 2006. He is involved in outside insurance activities and operates Marach Financial Management, which includes non-variable life insurance writing and tax preparation services. LPL Financial is a national broker-dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser that serves individuals, retirement plan participants, banks, trust companies, and other institutions. The firm offers a range of advisory and brokerage services, including financial planning, model portfolios, third-party asset management, and institutional platforms, supported by extensive operational and research tools.

Erick De La Cruz is a financial advisor at Morgan Stanley in Barrington, IL, holding a Series 66 designation. He began his career at Morgan Stanley in 2025. Prior to this role, his work experience includes positions at Coro Enterprises LLC The Red Lion, Exmoor Country Club, and Target Corporation. Morgan Stanley Wealth Management is an SEC-registered adviser and broker-dealer that provides a range of advisory programs to individual and institutional clients. The firm offers tailored financial planning supported by structured discovery processes and firm-approved tools, managing approximately $2.74 trillion in client assets.

Melanie Sheedy is a CFP®-certified financial advisor with 25 years of industry experience, currently with J.P. Morgan Securities. She has been with J.P. Morgan Securities since 2012 and also has a long tenure at JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. from 2001 to the present. Her prior experience includes managing The Sheedy Family Living Trust. 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 through a select group of Wealth Advisors. The firm combines institutional advisory services with brokerage, distribution, and investment management capabilities.

Svitlana Sheppard is a Senior Financial Advisor at Merrill Lynch Wealth Management. She has been active in the financial services industry since 2003, beginning her career with Merrill in 2010. Svitlana works closely with high-net-worth clients as part of The Sheppard Group, contributing to the delivery of a broad range of wealth management services and strategies. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Finance with a minor in Economics from Northeastern Illinois University, graduating summa cum laude. Svitlana also possesses several professional designations, including Chartered Retirement Planning Counselor™ (CRPC), Certified Plan Fiduciary Advisor (CPFA), Personal Investment Advisor (PIA), and Retirement Accredited Financial Advisor (RAFA). Originally from Ukraine, Svitlana is fluent in Ukrainian, Russian, and English. She engages with the community through involvement with Better Money Habits in partnership with Khan Academy and the Chicago Public Library Foundation Associate Council. Outside of work, she resides in Chicago with her husband and enjoys biking, cooking, hiking, running, skiing, traveling, and yoga.

Andrew Beierwaltes is a financial advisor with Equitable Advisors in Arlington Heights, IL, holding Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and bringing 45 years of industry experience. He has been with Equitable Advisors since 1999, including time when the firm operated as Axa Advisors. Outside of his advisory role, he serves as a deacon at St. John Brebeuf Parish and is involved in local church leadership and fundraising activities. Equitable Advisors provides financial planning, retirement plan consulting, and asset management services to individuals, plans, corporations, and institutions, utilizing a range of advisory programs and third-party asset managers.

Brian Magura is a financial advisor with Edward Jones in Schaumburg, IL, holding CFP® and ChFC® designations and 23 years of industry experience. He has been with Edward Jones since 2002. Edward Jones is a full-service wealth management firm serving more than four million individual and institutional clients. The firm offers a range of advisory programs and investment solutions, including discretionary and non-discretionary wrap fee strategies, separately managed accounts, and affiliated mutual funds, and operates under a fiduciary standard.

Brandon Nguyen is a financial advisor at J.P. Morgan Securities with a Series 66 license and four years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at Fidelity Investments, M1 Finance, and Merrill Edge/Bank of America. J.P. Morgan Securities LLC provides investment consulting and advisory services primarily to institutional clients and retirement plan sponsors through a process that combines quantitative asset-allocation modeling with centralized due diligence and an ESG eligibility framework.

Casey Torrey is a financial advisor at Edward Jones in Round Lake, IL, holding the ChFC® and Series 66 designations with 14 years of industry experience. He has been with Edward Jones since 2014. Outside of his advisory role, Torrey is the owner and singer of a local band called Acousticats. 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, with a nationwide network of advisors and branch offices, managing approximately $1.01 trillion in assets under management.

Brian Schnell is a financial advisor with Morgan Stanley in Barrington, IL, holding Series 63 and Series 66 designations and bringing 10 years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at Northern Trust Bank, Bank of America, Merrill, and Morgan Stanley Private Bank. Morgan Stanley Wealth Management serves both individual and institutional clients, offering a range of advisory programs and tailored financial planning supported by structured discovery processes and firm-approved tools. The firm manages approximately $2.74 trillion in client assets and provides planning services alongside broader investment and brokerage capabilities.

Stanley Kottke is a financial advisor at Thrivent Investment Management with 38 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 designations and has been with Thrivent Financial for Lutherans and Thrivent Investment Management since 2002. Thrivent Investment Management provides Dedicated Planning Services to individuals, families, businesses, and nonprofit clients through a network of financial advisors. The firm offers holistic, goal-based planning and allows clients to combine planning with managed-account programs while keeping the services separate.

Dennis Gorman is a financial advisor at LPL Financial with 23 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 66 designations and has worked at LPL Financial since 2018. Prior to that, he was with Cetera Advisor Networks for five years and has operated Gorman & Associates since 1990. He is involved with the CPA Affiliate Program through Gorman & Associates. LPL Financial is a national broker-dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser that provides advisory and brokerage services to individuals, retirement plan participants, banks, trust companies, and institutions. The firm offers a range of financial planning and investment programs, including model portfolios and third-party asset management, supported by advanced operational tools and a broad platform of non-advisory financial services.

Roger Smith is a CFP® professional with 25 years of industry experience, currently serving at Edward Jones since 2000. He holds Series 63 and Series 66 licenses. Edward Jones is a full-service wealth management firm serving more than four million individual and institutional clients, offering a range of advisory programs, investment options, and fiduciary services supported by a nationwide network of over 23,000 financial advisors.