John Hicks is a financial advisor with Ausdal Financial Partners, Inc. in Downers Grove, IL, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and bringing 36 years of industry experience. He has been with Robert B. Ausdal & Co., Inc. since 2008. In addition to his advisory role, he serves as a trustee executing trust assets. Ausdal Financial Partners is an SEC-registered investment adviser and FINRA-member broker-dealer managing approximately $2.13 billion in client assets through a network of 152 advisors. The firm offers investment advisory programs, retirement plan services, and financial planning to individuals, trusts, corporations, pension plans, and charitable organizations, providing both discretionary and non-discretionary investment strategies across a range of products and account types.

Daniel Laya is a financial advisor with Capital Analysts in Lombard, Illinois, holding Series 63 and Series 65 registrations and bringing 26 years of industry experience. He has worked with Lincoln Investment Planning, Inc. for 20 years. Outside of his advisory role, he is a member of a ski and snowboard rental, tuning, and delivery business. Capital Analysts serves a broad client base including individuals, retirement plans, trusts, foundations, and corporate clients, providing both discretionary and non-discretionary portfolio management. The firm employs an in-house investment management team that oversees model portfolios using a proprietary mutual-fund screening process and offers a variety of advisory services, including custom portfolios and ERISA retirement plan advice.

Peter Aldworth is a financial advisor at HighPoint Planning Partners with 11 years of industry experience. He holds the Series 66 designation and has been with HighPoint Advisor Group since 2015. Prior to that, he worked at LPL Financial starting in 2013. HighPoint Advisor Group provides discretionary asset management, financial planning, and consulting services to a diverse client base including individuals, pension and profit-sharing plans, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, and corporations. The firm manages approximately $4.0 billion in client assets and employs a fundamental analysis approach to construct individualized investment policies across various asset classes.

Martin Dolph is a financial advisor with Foundations Investment Advisors LLC in Woodridge, IL. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has 12 years of industry experience. Since 2016, he has also been involved with American Senior Benefits as a sales manager and independent insurance agent. Foundations Investment Advisors is a multi-advisor registered investment firm managing approximately $10.1 billion for over 29,600 clients. The firm offers portfolio management, financial planning, retirement-plan support, and sub-advisory services, serving individuals, trusts, estates, and registered investment companies through a network of nearly 300 investment adviser representatives.

Laura Norek is a financial advisor at Forum Financial Management, LP with two years of industry experience. She holds a Series 65 designation and has worked at Forum Financial Management in various capacities since 2021. Prior to this, she was employed at Leadership Extension Consulting and Career Education Corporation. Forum Financial Management, LP provides fee-based wealth management, financial planning, qualified plan services, and educational workshops to individual and institutional clients. The firm also serves as a sub-advisor and turnkey asset management platform for other independent RIAs, managing model portfolios primarily using DFA institutional mutual funds and ETFs within a Modern Portfolio Theory framework.

John Susin is a financial advisor with OneSeven in Oak Brook, IL, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and bringing 17 years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at Red Oak Capital Management, Niagara International Capital Limited, and Great Lakes Atlantic. Outside of his advisory work, he coaches a hockey team in Chicago. OneSeven serves individuals, high-net-worth clients, trusts, estates, businesses, and retirement plans by providing discretionary portfolio management, financial planning, and retirement-plan advisory services. The firm’s investment approach is primarily long-term with flexibility for shorter-term trading, utilizing diversified portfolios and access to alternatives and private placements.

Meggan Carroll is a CFP® professional with 13 years of industry experience, currently serving as a financial advisor at JMG Financial Group, Ltd. She has worked at JMG Financial Group since 2021 and previously spent eight years with MPS LORIA Financial Planners, LLC and Loria Financial Group LLC. JMG Financial Group, Ltd. serves individuals, trusts, pension and profit-sharing plans, charitable organizations, and business entities with discretionary investment management, financial advisory, retirement plan consulting, and tax consulting services. The firm manages approximately $6.36 billion in assets with a strategic asset allocation approach overseen by an investment committee, employing a variety of investment vehicles and offering both fee-only portfolio management and combined advisory arrangements.

Steven Nivens is a CFP® professional with 37 years of experience in the financial services industry. He has been with Ausdal Financial Partners, Inc. since 2011. In addition to his advisory role, he is involved in outside insurance sales, including fixed life, health, and disability insurance, and provides referrals for Medicare and travel insurance products. Ausdal Financial Partners is an SEC-registered investment adviser and FINRA-member broker-dealer managing approximately $2.13 billion in client assets through a network of 152 advisors. The firm offers investment advisory programs, retirement plan services, and financial planning to individuals, trusts, corporations, pension plans, and charitable organizations, utilizing both discretionary and non-discretionary strategies across a range of investment products.

Rikk Rodriguez is a ChFC® with 14 years of industry experience, currently serving as a financial advisor at VestGen Advisors, LLC. His prior experience includes roles at Wells Fargo Advisors and Triad Advisors. He is also a co-trustee of a living trust. VestGen Advisors, LLC manages approximately $6.66 billion for a diverse client base, offering discretionary and non-discretionary investment management, financial planning, and ERISA 3(21) retirement plan services. The firm employs a mix of fundamental, technical, and quantitative analysis combined with modern portfolio theory, serving both individual and institutional clients.

Frank Diebold Jr. is a financial advisor with Avantax Planning Partners, Inc. He holds a Series 65 designation and has 27 years of industry experience. Prior to joining Avantax, he worked for Honkamp Krueger Financial Services for 21 years and has been associated with Diebold & Associates since 1978. Avantax Planning Partners, Inc. provides portfolio management, financial planning, and managed retirement plan services to individuals, pension and profit-sharing plans, charitable organizations, and businesses. The firm operates primarily through a network of CPA firms and advisor representatives, managing approximately $7.57 billion in assets as of December 31, 2025.

Kenneth Valentino is a financial advisor with WORLD EQUITY GROUP, Inc., holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and 24 years of industry experience. He has been affiliated with Patriot Capital Services, Inc., Patriot Capital Management, Inc., and World Equity Group, Inc. since 2004-2005. Outside of his advisory work, he serves as Vice President of Business Development for International Pure Water, a company that manufactures and sells water filtration products, and owns an outdoor marijuana growing business in Michigan. World Equity Group provides investment advisory and brokerage services to individual and high-net-worth clients, business entities, non-profit organizations, and financial institutions. The firm employs a combination of model-based and customized investment approaches, offering portfolio management, financial planning, and access to third-party managers.

Jason Johnson is a financial advisor with LaSalle St. Investment Advisors, L.L.C., holding a Series 66 credential and 17 years of industry experience. His prior work includes roles at Wells Fargo and Northwestern Mutual. Outside of his advisory work, Johnson serves as Deputy Commissioner for USA Softball of Nevada and is an assistant high school softball coach, as well as a part-time substitute teacher. LaSalle St. Investment Advisors serves individuals, trusts, estates, pension and profit-sharing plans, corporations, and charitable organizations with fee-based financial planning and portfolio management services. The firm employs a range of investment strategies using mutual funds, ETFs, equities, fixed income, options, and alternative vehicles, offering both discretionary and non-discretionary asset management.

Thomas Riley is a financial advisor with Capital Analysts in Schaumburg, IL, holding Series 63 and Series 65 designations and having 32 years of industry experience. He has been with Lincoln Investment Planning since 2013. Capital Analysts serves a diverse client base including individuals, high-net-worth investors, retirement plans, trusts, foundations, and corporate clients. The firm offers discretionary and non-discretionary portfolio management with an in-house Investment Management & Research team that employs proprietary screening processes and provides various portfolio solutions.

Thomas Campbell is a financial advisor with Forum Financial Management, LP, holding Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and bringing 25 years of industry experience. He has worked at Forum Financial Management since 2014 and concurrently serves as Vice President of John E. Campbell & Assoc., Ltd., a CPA firm providing accounting and tax services. Forum Financial Management, LP offers fee-based wealth management, financial planning, and qualified plan services to individual and institutional clients, while also serving as a sub-advisor and turnkey asset management platform for other independent RIAs. The firm employs model asset-allocation portfolios managed primarily with DFA institutional mutual funds and ETFs, focusing on a Modern Portfolio Theory approach.

David Perry is a financial advisor at Forum Financial Management, LP with 24 years of industry experience. He holds a Series 66 designation and has previously worked at PURSHE KAPLAN STERLING INVESTMENTS, Inc., PR Wealth Management Group, Inc., and Cambridge Investment Research, Inc. Outside of his advisory duties, he serves as treasurer and director of the Sunrise Professional Condominiums association in East Moline, IL. Forum Financial Management, LP provides investment advisory services to individuals, retirement plan sponsors, charitable organizations, and institutional clients. The firm offers portfolio management and financial planning through a model-driven approach based on Modern Portfolio Theory, incorporating institutional funds, individual bonds, and outside managers, while also supporting independent advisors with back-office and sub-advisory services.

Anthony Ryan is a CFP® and CFA® at JMG Financial Group LTD with five years of experience at the firm and a prior 15 years at McLaughlin Capital. He is based in Downers Grove, IL. JMG Financial Group serves individuals, trusts, pension and profit-sharing plans, charitable organizations, and business entities by providing discretionary investment management, financial advisory, retirement plan consulting, and tax consulting services. The firm emphasizes strategic asset allocation overseen by an investment committee and manages approximately $6.36 billion in assets with a team of 64 advisors.

Thomas Mccabe is a CFP®-certified financial advisor at HighPoint Planning Partners with seven years of industry experience. He has held roles at Highpoint Advisor Group, LPL Financial, 5M Group, and Evans Senior Investments. Outside of his advisory work, he is a business owner of Alpar Laboratories. HighPoint Advisor Group serves individuals, pension plans, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, and corporate entities, offering discretionary asset management, financial planning, retirement plan advisory, and wrap-fee program management. The firm develops client investment policies through personalized consultations and implements diversified portfolios using fundamental analysis, third-party platforms, and LPL-sponsored programs.

Charles Kiker is a CFP® with 32 years of industry experience, currently serving as an advisor at VestGen Advisors, LLC. He previously worked at Commonwealth Financial Network for 10 years and has been involved with Ek&A for over two decades. Outside of his advisory role, he owns a business that sells life, disability, long-term care insurance, and fixed annuities, and he serves as a trustee for an irrevocable life insurance trust. VestGen Advisors, LLC is a multi-team registered investment adviser managing approximately $3.47 billion for over 9,400 clients. The firm serves individual and high-net-worth clients with a range of investment management, financial planning, and retirement plan services, utilizing a combination of client-specific goal setting and various analytical methods.

Grant Luebe is a financial advisor at LaSalle St. Investment Advisors, L.L.C. with seven years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and has worked previously at Cedar Rapids Bank & Trust and Heartland Investment Associates. Outside of his advisory role, he serves on the board of the Birkey Investment Fund, participates on finance committees for Wellington Heights Community Church and Heritage Area Agency, and is involved with Junior Achievement of Eastern Iowa. LaSalle St. Investment Advisors serves individuals, trusts, estates, pension and profit-sharing plans, corporations, and charitable organizations with fee-based financial planning and portfolio management services. The firm employs a range of investment strategies across various asset classes and offers both discretionary and non-discretionary management, with a notable emphasis on non-discretionary assets.

Jeffrey Kochan is a CFP®-designated financial advisor with HighPoint Planning Partners, bringing 11 years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at Parkland Securities LLC and Sequoia Premier Partners, where he serves as Vice-President. He is also involved with Strategic Tax Partners, a tax preparation and accounting business in Naperville, IL. HighPoint Planning Partners provides discretionary asset management, financial planning, and consulting services to a diverse client base, including individuals, pension plans, trusts, and corporations. The firm manages approximately $4.0 billion in client assets and employs a variety of investment strategies across multiple asset classes, utilizing both independent managers and custodial program solutions.