Vanessa Drolshagen is a financial advisor with Merrill in Northbrook, Illinois, holding a Series 66 designation and 2 years of industry experience. She has been with Merrill since 2015 and previously worked at Bank of America, N.A. Vanessa is a co-trustee of a family trust and owns a home remodeling business where she assists with administrative tasks. Merrill, along with its affiliate Managed Account Advisors LLC, provides managed account services through the Select Portfolio Solutions Program. The firm serves individuals, high-net-worth clients, pension and profit-sharing plans, corporations, and charitable organizations using model-based and discretionary investment strategies.

Christine Kusher is a financial advisor with LPL Financial, holding a Series 66 designation and bringing 23 years of industry experience. Her career includes roles at Cuna Brokerage Services and Cuna Mutual Insurance Society since 2010, alongside self-employment since 2002. In addition to her advisory work, she is also a self-employed musician. LPL Financial is a national broker-dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser serving individuals, retirement plan participants, banks, trust companies, and institutions. The firm offers a range of advisory services including financial planning, wrap and model portfolio programs, third-party asset management, and institutional platforms, supported by a large network of advisors and advanced operational tools.

David Maleh is a financial advisor at Morgan Stanley with 28 years of industry experience. He holds a Series 66 designation and has been with Morgan Stanley since 2009, serving in roles at Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC and Morgan Stanley Private Bank, N.A. in Deerfield, Illinois. Morgan Stanley Wealth Management is an SEC-registered investment adviser and broker-dealer offering a wide range of advisory programs to individuals and institutional clients, including customized financial planning. The firm manages approximately $2.74 trillion in client assets and uses a structured financial planning process supported by firm-approved tools and modeling techniques.

Leslie Cabrera is a financial advisor with Morgan Stanley in Barrington, IL, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and having one year of industry experience. Before joining Morgan Stanley in 2023, Leslie worked at Horizon Wealth Management and Benjamin F Edwards. Outside of her advisory roles, she has experience at a nursing home and a recreation center. Morgan Stanley Wealth Management provides a broad range of advisory programs to individual and institutional clients, offering tailored financial planning supported by firm-approved tools and methodologies. The firm manages approximately $2.74 trillion in client assets and serves clients through direct and corporate financial planning agreements.

Scott Barber is a Wealth Management Advisor with Merrill Lynch Wealth Management, where he has been a member of the team since 1992. He has held several roles throughout his tenure, including investment associate, training coordinator for new financial advisors, and financial planning specialist for Merrill Lynch’s Financial Foundation® program. Currently, he serves with The HDB Group, leveraging over 20 years of financial services experience to assist clients such as attorneys, physicians, and business executives in defining, prioritizing, and pursuing their financial goals. Scott follows a disciplined, goals-based wealth management process that addresses critical financial planning areas including college education funding, retirement income planning, estate planning, philanthropic planning, tax minimization, liability management, and portfolio management services. He is a qualified portfolio manager who can build and manage personalized strategies incorporating individual securities, Merrill model portfolios, and third-party investment strategies. Scott holds the CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER® (CFP) certification and the Certified Private Wealth Advisor (CPWA) designation, along with the Personal Investment Advisor (PIA) credential. Scott earned a Bachelor of Science degree in business from Indiana University Bloomington. He resides in St. Charles with his wife, Bethany, and their daughters, Riley and Quinn. Outside of his professional responsibilities, he enjoys running, reading, traveling, and spending time with his family. Scott was recognized as part of the HDB Group on the 2024 Forbes “Best-in-State Wealth Management Teams” list.

John Thunholm is a financial advisor with Wells Fargo Advisors in Deerfield, IL, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and 38 years of industry experience. He has been with Wells Fargo in various capacities since 2009, including a decade at Wells Fargo Clearing. Wells Fargo Advisors Financial Network serves individuals, trusts, and institutional clients, offering a broad range of investment and fee-based financial planning services. The firm provides tailored recommendations supported by Wells Fargo research and planning tools, covering diverse planning needs such as retirement, education, risk management, and business-owner transition planning.

Bryan Catalano Jr. is a financial advisor at J.P. Morgan Securities with 15 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and has been with J.P. Morgan Securities since 2012, following a prior role at JPMorgan Chase Bank. 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 team of Wealth Advisors. As a subsidiary of J.P. Morgan, the firm combines institutional advisory capabilities with brokerage, distribution, and investment management services.

Kirsten Cooper Thiam is a financial advisor with Charles Schwab, holding Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and 14 years of industry experience. Her work history includes prior roles at Mass Mutual Chicago and Northwestern Mutual. She is based in Winnetka, Illinois. Charles Schwab & Co., Inc. serves primarily high- and ultra-high-net-worth individuals through its Schwab Wealth Advisory wrap fee program and affiliated managed-account and financial planning services. The firm combines non-discretionary advisory relationships with access to affiliated discretionary separately managed accounts and offers multi-asset model portfolios supported by ongoing research and due diligence.

Andrew Erickson is a CFP®-certified financial advisor with 10 years of industry experience, currently associated with Cetera since 2025. Prior to Cetera, he worked at Edward Jones from 2016 to 2024. He also owns ClearGuide Wealth, where he provides financial, investment, retirement, and tax planning services. Additionally, he is a wealth manager at Rozovics Wealth Management, offering investment advice and financial planning. Cetera Investment Advisers LLC is an SEC-registered firm that serves a broad client base including individuals, employer-sponsored retirement plans, corporate and charitable clients, and institutional accounts. The firm operates a multi-manager platform providing access to affiliated and third-party managers, offering a range of portfolio management and financial planning services.

Chad Danforth is a financial advisor at Raymond James & Associates with 31 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has worked at Raymond James since 2018, following an 11-year tenure at Citigroup Global Markets. Raymond James & Associates, Inc. is a large, dually registered broker-dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser overseeing approximately $501 billion in assets. The firm serves a diverse client base including individuals, institutions, pension plans, and municipal entities, offering financial planning, investment consulting, and institutional fiduciary services through a range of portfolio management styles and affiliated research.

John Shuster Jr. is a financial advisor at Wells Fargo Clearing with Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and 39 years of industry experience. He has worked at Wells Fargo Clearing since 2016 and previously spent 10 years at Stifel. 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 roughly $671 billion in assets and offers both brokerage and advisory solutions supported by research and analytics.

Evelyn Elena Gasher is a Senior Financial Advisor with Merrill Lynch Wealth Management, bringing over 20 years of experience in the financial services industry. She has been with Merrill Lynch for 14 years, where she focuses on helping individuals and families gain clarity and confidence in their financial decisions. Evelyn specializes in working with women navigating major life transitions, including career changes, family shifts, and periods of loss, utilizing a thoughtful and steady approach that prioritizes listening and understanding clients' unique priorities and goals. Evelyn holds a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration with a concentration in Finance from Eastern Michigan University. She has earned several professional credentials, including the Chartered Retirement Planning Counselor (CRPC), Certified Divorce Financial Analyst (CDFA), and Personal Investment Advisor (PIA) designations. Earlier in her career, she gained diverse experience at various investment firms, including managing an institutional fixed income portfolio, which informs her disciplined and risk-aware approach to long-term financial strategy. Outside of her professional role, Evelyn is a mother and stepmother to five children and enjoys spending time with her family and their micro mini Goldendoodle. She pursues interests such as sewing, creative projects, home improvement, and volunteering in her community. Evelyn is involved with organizations like the Bataille Academie of the Danse in Barrington, Illinois, and the Chicago Botanic Gardens.

Gavin Virtue is a financial advisor with RBC Capital Markets in New York, NY. He holds the Series 66 designation and has been with RBC Capital Markets since 2023. Prior to that, he worked at CUNA Mutual Group and has experience in both academic and community settings. RBC Wealth Management, a division of RBC Capital Markets, serves a diverse client base including individual investors, institutional clients, and charitable organizations. The firm offers a range of advisory programs with tailored investment strategies implemented through both in-house and third-party managers.

Debra Ferguson is a financial advisor at Morgan Stanley with 14 years of industry experience. She holds the Series 63, Series 65, and Series 66 licenses. Prior to joining Morgan Stanley in 2019, she worked at Barrington 220 from 2018 to 2019. Morgan Stanley Wealth Management offers a wide range of advisory programs to individuals and institutional clients, focusing on tailored financial planning and managing approximately $2.74 trillion in client assets. The firm uses a structured planning process supported by firm-approved tools and does not provide individual security recommendations in its standalone planning services.

Annette Rumas is a financial advisor at UBS Financial Services with 17 years of industry experience. She holds Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and has worked at UBS Financial Services since 2014, with a brief gap in 2021. UBS Financial Services serves individual, corporate, and institutional clients by offering brokerage and investment advisory services, including fee-based financial planning and portfolio management. The firm combines institutional trading capabilities with wealth management and utilizes proprietary research and model-based asset allocations to tailor client strategies.

Elijah Rothschild is a financial advisor with Morgan Stanley in Deerfield, IL, holding a Series 66 designation and three years of industry experience. He has worked within Morgan Stanley and FTI Consulting and has held roles at Indiana University. Morgan Stanley Wealth Management provides a broad range of advisory programs to individuals and institutional clients, focusing on tailored financial planning supported by structured discovery conversations and firm-approved tools. The firm manages approximately $2.74 trillion in client assets and offers both direct and corporate financial planning services.

Maurice Griffin is a financial advisor at Stifel with 40 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 66 credentials and has been with Stifel Nicolaus & Co. Inc. since 2014. Stifel serves a broad range of clients, including individuals, institutional clients, charitable organizations, and municipalities, offering both brokerage and investment advisory services. The firm’s investment approach is based on a proprietary methodology developed by its Investment Strategy Group, which uses forward-looking capital market assumptions and probabilistic modeling to guide asset allocation and planning.

John Messerschmidt is a financial advisor with Thrivent Investment Management in Barrington, IL, holding a Series 66 designation and 17 years of industry experience. He has worked at Thrivent Financial for Lutherans and Thrivent Investment Management since 2008. Thrivent Investment Management provides Dedicated Planning Services to individuals, families, businesses, and nonprofit clients through a network of Financial Advisors, offering both one-time and ongoing planning relationships covering topics such as retirement, income tax, estate, and special needs planning. The firm uses holistic, goal-based analyses and allows clients to combine planning with managed-account services under a consolidated billing option called “WealthPlan,” while keeping planning and account management separate.

Mark Haussermann is a Senior Financial Advisor at Merrill Lynch Wealth Management with over 15 years of experience, primarily focused on corporate retirement plans. Since joining Merrill in 2003, he has developed a corporate retirement plan practice aimed at delivering tailored financial strategies for both plan sponsors and participants. His advisory approach emphasizes fiduciary responsibility and personalized wealth management, working closely with clients to address their specific goals and challenges. Mark holds several professional designations, including Certified 401(k) Professional (CKP), CERTIFIED PLAN FIDUCIARY ADVISOR (CPFA), Personal Investment Advisor (PIA), and Retirement Benefits Consultant (RBC). He earned a Bachelor's Degree from Colgate University. His expertise spans areas such as corporate benefits, executive services, employee financial health, retirement income strategies, and divorce transition planning. Outside of his professional role, Mark participates in community volunteer activities aligned with Merrill's tradition of community involvement. His personal interests include cooking, golfing, music, tennis, and spending time with his family.

Michael Taylor is a Series 66-licensed financial advisor with Morgan Stanley in Barrington, IL, where he has worked since 2010. He has 19 years of industry experience. Morgan Stanley Wealth Management is an SEC-registered investment adviser and broker-dealer serving individuals and institutions with a range of advisory programs, including tailored financial planning. The firm manages approximately $2.74 trillion in client assets and employs a structured financial planning process supported by firm-approved tools and methodologies.