Allen Laya is a financial advisor with Capital Analysts in Lombard, IL, holding the ChFC® and Series 63 designations and bringing 54 years of industry experience. He has been with Lincoln Investment Planning, Inc. since 2005. Capital Analysts serves individuals, high-net-worth investors, retirement plans, trusts, foundations, charitable organizations, and corporate clients, providing discretionary and non-discretionary portfolio management through various programs and access to third-party managers. The firm utilizes an in-house Investment Management & Research team and proprietary screening processes to guide investment decisions.

Dennis Michon is a financial advisor with Forum Financial Management, LP, holding a Series 65 license and 13 years of industry experience. He has been with Forum Financial since 2012 and concurrently operates as a partner and attorney at Michon & Buckley, a law firm specializing in estate planning and real estate services. Additionally, he serves as president of Tax & Financial Solutions, Inc., a tax and accounting firm. Forum Financial Management, LP provides fee-based wealth management, financial planning, and qualified plan services to individual and institutional clients. The firm also acts as a sub-advisor and turnkey asset management platform for other RIAs, employing model portfolios based on Modern Portfolio Theory and primarily utilizing DFA institutional mutual funds and ETFs.

Dar Baruchim is a financial advisor at Mariner Independent with Series 63 and 65 licenses and one year of industry experience. His prior work history includes roles at Northwestern Mutual Investment Services LLC, Kadima Wealth, and OurCrowd. Mariner Independent serves individuals, high-net-worth clients, and various institutional entities by providing financial planning, portfolio management, retirement plan consulting, tax support, insurance solutions, and access to alternative investments. The firm leverages affiliated businesses and a broad range of investment tools to deliver integrated financial services.

Teresa Young is a financial advisor with First Advisors National, LLC, holding Series 63, 65, and 66 licenses and bringing 18 years of industry experience. Her prior roles include positions at W&S Brokerage Services, Western Southern Life, Alliant Credit Union, and LPL Financial. She volunteers as a tax preparer and quality examiner for Ladder Up in Chicago, assisting low-wage earning families with pro bono tax preparation. First Advisors National manages discretionary assets for individual and high-net-worth clients, offering investment management, third-party portfolio recommendations, and retirement plan consulting. The firm emphasizes manager selection and tactical allocation, utilizing fundamental analysis and formal annual reviews to guide its investment process.

Brian Plain is a CFP® with 20 years of industry experience and has been with Gradient Advisors, LLC since 2014. He provides consulting services focused on business management and growth to small business owners. Gradient Advisors offers investment management, financial planning, and consulting services to individuals, retirement plans, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, corporations, and other business entities. The firm operates primarily through third-party money managers and Investment Advisor Representatives, using a largely non-discretionary approach that incorporates multiple analytical methods to align portfolios with client objectives and risk tolerance.

Martin Pomrehn is a CFP® and PFS™ with 37 years of industry experience. He has worked at Forum Financial Management, LP since 2016 and previously held positions at Purshe Kaplan Sterling Investments, Inc. and Cetera. Outside of his advisory role, he is president and shareholder of MP360° Tax Services, Ltd., a CPA firm providing accounting and tax planning services. Forum Financial Management, LP serves individuals, retirement plan sponsors, charitable organizations, and institutional clients through discretionary and non-discretionary portfolio management, financial planning, and retirement-plan advisory services. The firm utilizes model asset-allocation portfolios based on Modern Portfolio Theory and offers a range of investment solutions including mutual funds, ETFs, separately managed accounts, and access to held-away accounts via third-party platforms.

Cody Maxwell is a CFP® with six years of industry experience, currently serving as a financial advisor at OnePoint BFG Wealth Partners. His prior roles include positions at Northwestern Mutual Investment Services LLC, Charles Schwab, and Kevin Spahn. OnePoint BFG Wealth Partners offers customized financial planning and wealth management services to a diverse client base, including individuals, retirement plans, charitable organizations, trusts, estates, and corporate entities. The firm employs a variety of proprietary models and third-party managers, managing most client assets on a discretionary basis.

Matthew Frederick is a financial advisor with Pure Financial Advisors, LLC, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and bringing 34 years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at Wells Fargo Advisors and Pacific Life Insurance Company. He is also licensed in life and health insurance. Pure Financial Advisors provides financial planning and portfolio management primarily for individual and high-net-worth clients, as well as services for trusts, estates, charitable organizations, and pension and profit-sharing plans. The firm’s investment approach is planning-centered and overseen by an Investment Committee, incorporating modern portfolio theory, tax-aware strategies, and the use of sub-advisers for specialized investment sleeves.

Patrick Donohue is a financial advisor at Ausdal Financial Partners, Inc. with three years of industry experience. He holds the Series 65 designation and has worked in various roles including as an agent providing life and health insurance services. Donohue’s background includes experience with BCH Wealth Management, LLC, and involvement in non-investment business activities such as managing insurance needs for individuals and small businesses. Ausdal Financial Partners serves a diverse client base including individuals, trusts, estates, retirement plans, and business entities, managing approximately $3.73 billion across more than 16,000 clients. The firm offers tailored investment strategies through advisor-managed and separately managed accounts, leveraging multiple custodians and third-party managers in both discretionary and non-discretionary formats.

Thomas Fogerty is a CFP® and ChFC® with 33 years of experience in financial services. He has worked at BFC Planning, Inc. and Berthel, Fisher & Company Financial Services, Inc. since 2019, and previously at Penn Mutual Life Insurance Co and Hornor Townsend & Kent Inc. from 2010 to 2019. Fogerty is also involved with TJF Retirement Strategies, providing financial planning and investment advisory services. BFC Planning, Inc. serves a diverse client base including individuals, corporations, banks, and pension plans through a network of approximately 200 investment adviser representatives. The firm offers financial planning, portfolio management, and access to various advisory platforms, with investment strategies that include stocks, bonds, mutual funds, and ETFs.

Gregory Whitehead is a financial advisor at Calamos Wealth Management LLC with 13 years of industry experience. He holds a Series 66 designation and previously worked at Charles Schwab & Co., Inc. and Charles Schwab Bank, SSB. Outside of his advisory role, he is a partner in ADK Escapes, LLC, a vacation rental development, and co-owner of a rental property in Chester, NJ. Calamos Wealth Management LLC provides discretionary wealth management and institutional advisory services to high-net-worth individuals, family offices, endowments, private foundations, and retirement plans. The firm’s investment process includes customized asset allocation, portfolio construction, and ongoing monitoring, often utilizing affiliated investment vehicles and maintaining governance controls to manage conflicts of interest.

Alejandro Pastrana is a financial advisor with Packerland Brokerage Services, Inc. He holds Series 65 and Series 63 licenses and has nine years of industry experience. Prior to joining Packerland in 2025, he worked at Northwestern Mutual and Serene Financial Group. He is the sole owner of Serene Financial Group, LLC, where he dedicates time to life, health, long-term care, and disability insurance services. Packerland Brokerage Services, Inc. serves individual and institutional clients, including high-net-worth individuals, trusts, corporations, and retirement plan sponsors, through a network of 176 advisors with $1.358 billion in assets under management. The firm offers financial planning, portfolio management, wrap-fee and unified managed account programs, and retirement-plan consulting, providing investment solutions directly and via third-party managers.

Steven Mogul is a financial advisor at Arete Wealth Advisors, LLC with 29 years of industry experience. He previously worked at UBS Financial Services for 17 years and at Miramar Capital for 3 years. He serves on the board of the Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital Children’s Research Fund. Arete Wealth Advisors provides investment advisory and financial planning services to individuals, pension plans, trusts, charitable organizations, and businesses. The firm manages assets primarily on a discretionary basis using both advisor-driven and proprietary model allocations, and it employs third-party sub-advisers while acting as an ERISA fiduciary when applicable.

Terrance Gaertner is a CFP® professional with 41 years of industry experience, currently serving at Ausdal Financial Partners, Inc. since 2009. He holds a Series 63 license and is based in Park Ridge, IL. Outside of his advisory role, he is involved in term life insurance sales with various carriers on a commission basis. 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 a range of investment strategies and custodial platforms.

Paul Wong is a CFP® professional with 30 years of experience at La Salle St. Securities, Inc. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has been with the firm since 1997. Wong serves as Treasurer and Committee Member of the Mission Related Investment Committee at Grace Church. LaSalle St. Investment Advisors, L.L.C. offers personalized, fee-based financial planning and investment supervisory services to individuals, trusts, pension plans, charitable organizations, and small businesses. The firm provides both non-discretionary and discretionary management programs, as well as third-party manager selection and consulting.

Kyle Buffo is a financial advisor at Mission Wealth Management, LP with 11 years of industry experience. He holds the CFP® designation and has worked at firms including LPL Financial LLC, Cadaret Grant & Co., Inc., and Q3 Advisors LLC. Outside of financial advising, he is also a self-employed musician. Mission Wealth Management is a multi-team advisory firm that serves affluent and high-net-worth individuals, families, and institutional clients through customized wealth management, financial planning, and portfolio management services. The firm employs long-term strategies across a diverse range of investments and incorporates tax-aware trading and rebalancing in its discretionary account management.

John Berger is a financial advisor with LaSalle St. Investment Advisors, L.L.C., holding Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and bringing 41 years of industry experience. He has worked with LaSalle St. Investment Advisors since 2000 and with La Salle St. Securities, Inc. since 1991. LaSalle St. Investment Advisors offers fee-based financial planning and investment supervisory services to individuals, trusts, estates, pension and profit-sharing plans, charitable organizations, and small businesses. The firm provides both non-discretionary and discretionary investment programs, including the LaSalle St. Asset Management Program (LAMP), and manages approximately $3.9 billion in non-discretionary assets alongside $1.84 billion in discretionary assets.

Maxwell Cinnamon is a financial advisor with HighPoint Planning Partners, holding a Series 66 designation and two years of industry experience. He previously worked at the University of Kansas Athletic Department and State Bank of Herscher. Mr. Cinnamon is also a licensed insurance agent and splits his time between advisory and registered representative roles. HighPoint Advisor Group serves individuals, pension and profit-sharing plans, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, and corporate entities, offering discretionary asset management, financial planning, and retirement plan advisory. The firm constructs investment policies through personal consultations and implements portfolios using fundamental analysis across various asset classes and platforms.

Kevin Tavas is a financial advisor at Silver Oak Securities, Incorporated with 25 years of industry experience. He holds a Series 66 credential and has worked at firms including Cetera, Bright Futures Wealth Management, and Lifetime Financial Group, where he continues to serve as an Investment Advisor and Equity Strategist. Silver Oak Securities provides advisory services to individuals, families, corporations, retirement plans, and charitable organizations, managing over $2 billion in discretionary assets. The firm offers individualized portfolio management and unified managed account programs, delivering investment advice primarily on a discretionary basis tailored to client objectives and risk tolerances.

David Frohlichstein is a CFP® professional with 39 years of experience in the financial industry. He has been with Ausdal Financial Partners, Inc. since 2009 and also operates Frolicstein Financial, a financial advisory business he has managed since 1999. In addition to his advisory work, he has been a self-employed professional musician for over 50 years. Ausdal Financial Partners is an SEC-registered investment adviser and FINRA-member broker-dealer serving individuals, trusts, corporations, pension plans, and charitable organizations. The firm offers a range of investment advisory programs and financial planning services, utilizing both discretionary and non-discretionary strategies across various asset classes and account types.