Julie Bjorklund is a financial advisor with Cetera, holding a Series 66 designation and bringing 20 years of industry experience. She has worked with firms including Raymond James & Associates and Wells Fargo Advisors. Since 2025, she has been an owner of Kapraun and Bjorklund Wealth Advisors LLC, a financial services firm. Cetera Investment Advisers LLC is an SEC-registered adviser that serves a broad client base including individuals, retirement plans, corporations, and institutional accounts. The firm offers a multi-manager platform allowing advisors to implement a range of portfolio management strategies across various program structures and custodial relationships.

Kathy Merritt is a financial advisor at Ameriprise with 21 years of industry experience. She holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has worked previously at OSAIC, SagePoint Financial, Cambridge Investment Research Advisors, and LPL Financial. Merritt is also a co-owner of JPV Financial Inc., an advisory business based in Grayslake, IL. Ameriprise provides retirement-income planning services primarily for individuals approaching or in retirement with significant investable assets. The firm combines research and modeling with tax-efficient strategies and offers a wide range of advisory, brokerage, and insurance solutions through affiliated entities.

Charity Davis Lowe is a Series 66-licensed financial advisor with Robert W. Baird & Co. in Elgin, Illinois, where she has worked since 2015. She has 14 years of experience in the industry. Outside of her advisory role, she assists with various non-investment activities including occasional caregiving and event service roles. The DDK Group, part of Robert W. Baird & Co.’s Private Wealth Management department, serves a range of clients including individuals, corporate entities, pensions, and charitable organizations. The firm offers financial planning, portfolio management, and brokerage services, utilizing a mix of manager-traded and model-traded strategies alongside internal research and strategic partnerships.

Steven Howard is a financial advisor with LPL Financial, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and bringing 21 years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at Guardian Life Insurance Company and Park Avenue Securities. In addition to his advisory work, he is the owner of Howard Farms in Maquon, Illinois. 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 financial planning and advisory programs, including discretionary and non-discretionary management, model portfolios, and retirement plan consulting.

Stephen Middaugh is a financial advisor with Edward Jones in Lakewood, IL, holding Series 63 and Series 66 credentials and bringing 26 years of industry experience. He has been with Edward Jones since 2002. Outside of his advisory role, he is a member of White Barn Door LLC. 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 solutions, supported by a large national network of financial advisors and branch offices.

Brian Jensen is a financial advisor at Edelman Financial Engines with 22 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and has worked at Financial Engines Advisors L.L.C. since 2016, following a one-year tenure at Tmfs Advisors, LLC. Outside of his advisory role, Jensen is a passive investor in a legal marijuana farm and distribution business in California. Edelman Financial Engines offers technology-enabled investment advisory services focused on workplace retirement accounts, IRAs, taxable accounts, and institutional clients. The firm manages model-based and customized portfolios, supports a large participant base through both advisor-led and online platforms, and operates a mix of discretionary and non-discretionary investment programs.

Paul Donato is a financial advisor with Ameriprise in Elgin, IL, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and bringing 28 years of industry experience. He has been with Ameriprise since 2011. Outside of advising, he manages a commercial real estate office used to support his financial planning practice. Ameriprise offers a retirement-income planning service targeted at individuals nearing or in retirement with significant investable assets, delivering written recommendations on income sources, Social Security, and tax-smart withdrawal strategies. The firm combines research, modeling, and tax-efficiency analysis, with an emphasis on assets held in Ameriprise-managed accounts and uses algorithmic automation overseen by a dedicated Retirement Income Oversight Committee.

Colleen Coonce is a financial advisor with Merrill, holding a Series 66 designation and 16 years of industry experience. She has been with Merrill since 2008. Outside of her advisory role, she works as a fitness instructor for Jazzercise. Merrill, along with its affiliate Managed Account Advisors LLC, provides managed account services to Bank of America fiduciary clients through the Select Portfolio Solutions Program. The firm offers a range of model-based and discretionary investment strategies for individuals, high-net-worth clients, and institutional investors.

Julie Segerson is a financial advisor with Cambridge Investment Research Advisors in Arlington Heights, IL, holding Series 63 and Series 65 designations and bringing 22 years of industry experience. She has been associated with Cambridge Investment Research Advisors and related entities since 2004. In addition to her advisory work, Segerson serves as an independent insurance agent with Associate Planning Services, Inc. Cambridge Investment Research Advisors is an SEC-registered firm serving a diverse client base including individuals, retirement plans, nonprofit organizations, and trusts. The firm offers a range of financial planning, investment management, and retirement advisory services through a network of independent professionals, utilizing various portfolio management platforms and proprietary as well as third-party investment strategies.

Stefanie Synal is a financial advisor with Primerica Advisors, holding Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and bringing 26 years of industry experience. She has been with Primerica Advisors since 1999 and with Primerica Financial Services since 1998. In addition to her advisory role, she is involved in sales of loan products and home security and automation services through affiliated companies. Primerica Advisors provides discretionary asset management through its Lifetime Investment Program, offering model-driven strategies and a limited number of separately managed account options primarily for individual and high-net-worth clients. The firm curates third-party asset managers and uses a tiered wrap fee structure, delegating trading responsibilities to BNY Mellon Advisors.

Jane Martin is a financial advisor at Stifel with one year of industry experience. She holds a Series 66 designation and previously worked at Edward Jones Investments from 2015 to 2024. Outside of her advisory role, she is a commissioned notary. Stifel serves a diverse client base including individuals, institutions, and municipal entities, offering brokerage and investment advisory services. The firm uses proprietary investment analysis and allocation methodologies developed by its Investment Strategy Group to support client financial planning and asset management decisions.

Andrew Sessa Jr. is a financial advisor at Ameriprise in Naperville, IL, holding a Series 66 designation with two years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at Norina Farms, The Saloon, Exactus Advisors, and the University of Iowa. Ameriprise offers a retirement-income planning service focused on individuals approaching or in retirement who meet specific asset criteria, providing written Recommendation Reports that cover income sources, Social Security options, and tax-smart withdrawal strategies. The firm combines research, modeling, and tax-efficiency analysis to deliver customized, algorithm-assisted retirement planning recommendations.

Lisa Micklevitz is a financial advisor with LPL Financial, holding a Series 66 designation and 18 years of industry experience. She has been with LPL Financial since 2012. Outside of her advisory role, she serves as a notary public and assists her local township assessor with property inspections. LPL Financial is an SEC-registered investment adviser and broker-dealer serving individuals, retirement plans, financial institutions, corporations, and charitable organizations. The firm offers a range of advisory programs and financial planning services, utilizing both discretionary and non-discretionary management supported by research, model portfolios, and various technology solutions.

Martin Lefty is a financial advisor with Ameriprise in Glen Ellyn, IL, holding Series 63 and Series 65 designations and bringing 43 years of industry experience. He has been with Ameriprise and its affiliate since 2015. Ameriprise offers a retirement-income planning service tailored to individuals approaching or in retirement with substantial investable assets. The firm combines research, modeling, and tax-efficiency analysis to provide written, non-discretionary Recommendation Reports, delivered by a centralized consulting team in partnership with client advisors.

Karen Kwiatkowski is a CFP® professional with 43 years of industry experience, currently with LPL Financial since 2021. She previously spent 39 years at Waddell & Reed, Inc., along with extensive experience in insurance agencies and tax preparation services. Outside of her advisory work, she has been involved in tax preparation and accounting. LPL Financial serves a broad client base including individuals, retirement plans, banks, corporations, and charitable organizations, offering financial planning, advisory programs, and retirement plan consulting through a national network of investment adviser representatives.

Paul Skowronski is a Wealth Management Advisor with Merrill Lynch Wealth Management. With over 30 years of experience in the financial services industry, he specializes in areas such as college education planning, legacy planning, personal retirement planning, and portfolio management services. Paul holds several professional designations, including the CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER® (CFP), Chartered Life Underwriter (CLU), Chartered Retirement Planning Counselor (CRPC), and Personal Investment Advisor (PIA). Paul earned both his Bachelor's degree and Master of Business Administration (MBA) in Finance from DePaul University. He is involved with professional organizations such as the Bull Valley Golf Club and the Union League Club. Additionally, he contributes to the community as a mentor in the Alumni Sharing Knowledge (ASK) program at DePaul University. Outside of his professional work, Paul enjoys playing baseball, gardening, golfing, listening to music, reading, and spending time with his family.

Morgan Presterl is a financial advisor at Ameriprise with three years of industry experience. He holds the Series 66 designation and previously worked at Spectrum Center Inc. for five years. Ameriprise Financial Services is a large, diversified advisory firm serving individual and institutional clients. The firm offers a specialized Premier Retirement Income service providing written recommendation reports and ongoing retirement-income planning focused on dependable income sources and tax-aware withdrawal strategies.

Sumita Mishra is a financial advisor at Merrill with eight years of industry experience. She holds the Series 66 designation and has worked at Merrill since 2018. Prior to that, she was employed by School District U-46 for four years. Merrill, together with its affiliate Managed Account Advisors LLC, provides managed account services to Bank of America fiduciary clients through the Select Portfolio Solutions Program. The firm offers model-based and discretionary investment strategies for individuals, high-net-worth clients, pension and profit-sharing plans, corporations, and charitable organizations.

Jose Solis currently serves as a Branch Leader at Fidelity Investments, a position he has held since 2025. In this role, he leads a team of financial professionals focused on delivering a customer experience centered around financial planning. Prior to becoming Branch Leader, Jose worked as a Planning Consultant at Fidelity Investments from 2022 to 2025. His career in financial services also includes roles as a Financial Solutions Advisor at Merrill Edge from 2017 to 2022, a Financial Consultant at E*TRADE Financial from 2015 to 2017, and a Branch Service Representative at E*TRADE Financial from 2014 to 2015. He began his financial services career as a Relationship Banker at JPMorgan Chase Bank NA from 2011 to 2014.

Hamza Akram is a financial advisor at J.P. Morgan Securities with 10 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and has been with J.P. Morgan Securities since 2015, also working concurrently with JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. since 2014. 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, distribution, and investment management capabilities.