Joseph Emme is a financial advisor at Merit Financial Advisors with three years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses. His prior work includes positions at Purshe Kaplan Sterling Investments, The Pinnacle Financial Group, and Commonwealth Financial Network. Merit Financial Advisors is a multi-team registered investment adviser with over 260 advisors serving approximately 20,000 clients across 66 offices, managing about $23.9 billion in assets. The firm offers coordinated wealth-management services with a focus on long-term, diversified portfolios supported by an internal Investment Management team and Investment Committee.

Xavier Patino is a financial advisor at NFSG Corporation with 17 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has previously worked at Newbridge Securities Corp, J.P. Morgan Securities, and JP Morgan Chase Bank NA. Outside of his advisory role, Patino manages a transportation logistics company providing freight solutions. NFSG Corporation is an SEC-registered investment adviser serving individuals, pension plans, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, and businesses. The firm offers discretionary and non-discretionary asset management, third-party manager selection, and financial planning, tailoring portfolios to client objectives using a combination of fundamental, technical, and cyclical analysis.

Todd Lestina is a financial advisor with Latitude Advisors, LLC, holding a Series 66 designation and over 20 years of industry experience. He has been with Latitude Advisors and GWN Securities, Inc. since 2009, and owns Lestina & Associates, LLC, a tax preparation and accounting firm. He is also an independent insurance agent specializing in fixed and health insurance products. Latitude Advisors serves individuals, high-net-worth clients, and various institutional and corporate entities, offering financial planning, discretionary portfolio management, third-party manager selection, and pension consulting. The firm employs a combination of valuation-driven and momentum-based multi-asset model strategies, managing most accounts on a discretionary basis with continuous monitoring and rebalancing.

David Kudo is a financial advisor with First Advisors National, LLC, holding a Series 66 designation and 11 years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at W&S Brokerage Services, Western Southern Life, Royal Alliance Associates, and Jhfn Sii. He has been retired since 2021. First Advisors National manages discretionary assets primarily for individual and high-net-worth clients, offering investment management, third-party portfolio recommendations, and retirement plan consulting. The firm’s investment process focuses on selecting and monitoring third-party money managers, supplemented by fundamental analysis of individual securities, and typically manages accounts on a discretionary basis.

Sherwin Shenfeld is a financial advisor with WORLD EQUITY GROUP, Inc. He holds the PFS™ designation and Series 63 license and has 39 years of industry experience. In addition to his advisory role, he is president of Shenfeld & Co, Ltd, a CPA firm, and president of Mervana, Inc., an art dealing business. WORLD EQUITY GROUP provides investment advisory and brokerage services to individuals, high-net-worth clients, business entities, nonprofit organizations, and financial institutions. The firm employs a mix of model-based and customized investment approaches and offers a range of portfolio management and retirement plan advisory services.

Thomas Chrobak is a financial advisor at Gradient Advisors, LLC with 11 years of industry experience. He holds a Series 65 designation and has worked at Gradient Advisors since 2022. Prior to that, he was associated with MC2 Wealth and SGL Financial, and he also owns an educational consulting business, Plan on College. Gradient Advisors, LLC provides investment management, financial planning, and consulting services to a broad range of clients including individuals, pension plans, trusts, and charitable organizations. The firm supports a network of 169 advisors across 154 offices and employs a combination of fundamental, technical, and cyclical analysis to customize client strategies.

Brett Heniss is a financial advisor at Financial & Tax Architects, LLC with a Series 65 credential and one year of industry experience. Prior to joining Financial & Tax Architects, he worked at Power Home Remodeling, Penny Mustard Furnishings, Northwestern Mutual, and Raymour & Flanagan. Financial & Tax Architects provides discretionary portfolio management and financial planning primarily for individual and high-net-worth clients, focusing on those nearing or in retirement. The firm employs proprietary “Private Wealth Strategies” using exchange-traded funds, individual securities, and trend-aware rebalancing, with most client relationships managed on a discretionary basis.

John Martin is a financial advisor with Forum Financial Management, LP in Lombard, IL. He holds a Series 65 designation and has experience working at Forum Financial Management and BMO, as well as in roles at the Plainfield Park District and the University of Illinois. Forum Financial Management, LP provides investment advisory and related services to a diverse client base including individuals, retirement plan sponsors, charitable organizations, and institutional clients. The firm uses model asset-allocation portfolios based on Modern Portfolio Theory and offers a range of services including discretionary portfolio management, financial planning, and back-office support to independent advisors and RIAs.

Christopher Buti is a CFP® professional with 27 years of experience in the financial industry. He has been with Ausdal Financial Partners, Inc. since 2015. Outside of his advisory role, he is involved in insurance sales and wealth management through his work with BCH INSURE, LLC and BCH WEALTH MANAGEMENT. Ausdal Financial Partners is an SEC-registered investment adviser and FINRA-member broker-dealer managing approximately $2.13 billion in client assets. The firm serves individuals, trusts, corporations, pension plans, and charitable organizations, offering a range of investment advisory programs, retirement plan services, and financial planning.

Christopher Burke is a financial advisor with Apollon Wealth Management, LLC, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and bringing 19 years of industry experience. He has worked at Apollon Wealth since 2020 and previously held roles at Podesta Capital Advisors, LLC, Podesta & Co., and J.P. Morgan Securities. Burke is also the managing partner at Podesta Capital Advisors, an Illinois-registered investment advisory firm. Apollon Wealth Management serves a diverse client base including individuals, families, trusts, businesses, and charitable organizations, offering comprehensive advisory services such as portfolio management and financial planning. The firm combines centrally managed strategies with local portfolio oversight, utilizing fundamental and tactical approaches along with tax-aware tools and engaging independent sub-managers for certain mandates.

Stephen Meskan is a financial advisor with CL Wealth Management LLC in Chicago, IL, holding Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and 35 years of industry experience. He has worked at firms including Meskan Capital, Cabot Lodge Securities LLC, Purshe Kaplan Sterling Investments, Inc., FourStar Wealth Advisors, LLC, and Feltl & Company. He is president of Meskan Capital, where he focuses on evaluating and educating clients about 1031 exchanges. CL Wealth Management LLC is an SEC-registered multi-advisor firm serving individuals, pension and profit-sharing plans, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, and business entities. The firm offers discretionary and non-discretionary portfolio advisory services, financial planning, third-party manager referrals, and client education, using tailored investment strategies based on fundamental and technical analysis.

Nicole Amore is a CFP® with 10 years of industry experience, currently serving as a financial advisor at Parallel Advisors, LLC since 2025. Prior to joining Parallel, she worked at Falcon Wealth Planning, Inc., E*TRADE Capital Management LLC, E*Trade Securities LLC, and Morgan Stanley. She also serves as an adjunct professor of finance at multiple institutions, including Harper College, UCLA Extension, New York University, and John Carroll University. Parallel Advisors serves individuals, businesses, retirement plans, trusts, estates, and charitable organizations with discretionary portfolio management, financial planning, and retirement plan consulting. The firm employs a diversified investment approach that includes fundamental, technical, and cyclical analysis, and integrates held-away account management and adviser-only investment vehicles.

Philip Telpner is a financial advisor at Lifeworks Advisors, LLC with 24 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and has previously worked at JPMorgan Chase & Co. and Morgan Stanley. Philip is also dually registered with Breakout Private Wealth LLC. Lifeworks Advisors serves individuals, high-net-worth clients, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, retirement plans, and businesses, offering discretionary wealth management, financial planning, and retirement plan advisory services. The firm combines a planning-based tranche approach with risk-based models and employs factor-based and smart-beta equity strategies, ETFs, and third-party managers, while integrating tax and accounting capabilities within its corporate group.

Charles Svoboda is a Series 65-licensed financial advisor at CoreCap Advisors with one year of industry experience. Prior to joining CoreCap Advisors, he was associated with SIS Financial Group and UBS. His role at SIS Financial Group includes insurance and annuity sales, along with providing inside sales and operational support. CoreCap Advisors offers discretionary investment and portfolio management as well as standalone financial planning to a diverse client base including high-net-worth individuals, retirement accounts, and institutional entities. The firm employs a relationship-oriented investment approach with a long-term horizon, utilizing a variety of investment vehicles and sub-advisors to manage client portfolios.

Bradley Miller is a financial advisor at LaSalle St. Investment Advisors, L.L.C. in Elmhurst, IL, holding Series 63 and Series 65 credentials with 20 years of industry experience. He has worked at LaSalle St. Securities, L.L.C. since 2006. Outside of his advisory role, he serves as president of Keystone Wealth Management, Inc., a business created for tax and accounting purposes related to self-employment. 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. The firm offers both discretionary and non-discretionary asset management using a variety of investment strategies and vehicles, with a notable emphasis on non-discretionary accounts.

Jason Briscoe is a financial advisor with LaSalle St. Investment Advisors, L.L.C. He holds a Series 66 designation and has 24 years of industry experience. He has been with LaSalle St. Investment Advisors and LaSalle St. Securities since 2012. Outside of advising, he owns and operates a tax preparation business and an insurance agency. LaSalle St. Investment Advisors serves individuals, trusts, pension plans, corporations, and charitable organizations with fee-based financial planning and portfolio management services. The firm offers a variety of investment strategies and manages assets primarily on a non-discretionary basis.

Renee Duba is a CFP® professional with 36 years of industry experience, currently serving as an advisor at Mutual Advisors, LLC since 2017. Her prior work includes roles at Stevens Wealth Management LLC, Bank of America, N.A., and Merrill. She serves as Treasurer and Director on the board of The Admiral at the Lake Foundation, a nonprofit retirement community, and provides management consulting as a council member for the Jordan Black Family Office. Mutual Advisors, LLC is an SEC-registered adviser managing approximately $6.75 billion through a network of 123 advisors, serving individuals, institutional investors, trusts, and retirement plan participants. The firm offers asset management, financial consulting, ERISA plan advisory, and sub-advisory services, utilizing a combination of passive and active investment strategies tailored to client objectives.

Brian Kearns is a CFP® with 13 years of industry experience, currently serving as a financial advisor at Mutual Advisors, LLC since 2019. His prior roles include positions at Twombly Asset Management LLC, Emberhouse, LLC, and Morgan Stanley. Outside of his advisory work, he is involved with the Illinois CPA Society as Co-Chair of the Personal Financial Planning Forum and serves as Treasurer for the Sons of the American Legion Post 42. Mutual Advisors, LLC is an SEC-registered adviser managing approximately $6.75 billion through a network of 123 advisors. The firm serves individuals, institutions, trusts, and retirement plans by providing asset management, financial consulting, ERISA plan advisory, and other services, utilizing a combination of passive and active investment strategies tailored to client objectives.

Richard Pawelko is a CFA® and PFS™ credentialed advisor with over 31 years of experience. He has been with JMG Financial Group, Ltd. since 1987. JMG Financial Group, Ltd. serves individuals, trusts, pension and profit-sharing plans, charitable organizations, and business entities, offering discretionary investment management, financial advisory and consulting, retirement plan consulting, and tax consulting when requested. The firm manages approximately $6.36 billion in assets with a team of about 64 advisors and employs a strategic asset allocation approach overseen by an investment committee.

Kurt Anderson is a CFP® with 24 years of industry experience, currently serving at Pure Financial Advisors, LLC. His prior roles include positions at Fairhaven Wealth Management, Voyage Financial Group, Linsco/Private Ledger, and LPL Financial. He holds Series 63 and Series 66 licenses. Pure Financial Advisors provides financial planning and portfolio management primarily for individual and high-net-worth clients, as well as trusts, estates, charitable organizations, and pension and profit-sharing plans. The firm’s investment approach is planning-centered and incorporates modern portfolio theory, tax-aware strategies, and the use of sub-advisers to manage specialized portfolio sleeves.