Vipul Thakker is a financial advisor at Ocean Ivy Capital with a Series 65 credential and one year of industry experience. His prior work includes roles with Fussball Club Cincinnati LLC and Chicago Cubs Baseball Club LLC. Ocean Ivy Capital is a fee-only adviser serving individuals, high-net-worth clients, and businesses. The firm provides portfolio management and financial planning services, employing a client-approved mix of passive and active investment strategies tailored to individual goals and risk tolerance.

Laura Allen is a financial advisor at Chase Allen Wealth in Chicago, IL, holding a Series 65 designation. She has experience from prior roles at Loadsmart, Inc., Root Inc., and the University of Michigan - Ross School of Business. Laura founded Chase Allen Wealth in 2024 and operates as its sole advisor. Chase Allen Wealth provides fee-only financial planning and coaching services to individuals and high-net-worth clients, focusing on project-based and hourly engagements. The firm emphasizes financial clarity, cash flow management, and complex planning issues, using non-discretionary investment recommendations grounded in Modern Portfolio Theory.

Sergey Zaks is the principal of Zaks Investment Advisory Service, LLC in Chicago, IL, holding a Series 65 designation with 20 years of industry experience. He is also the founder and president of Distributed Software Development, Inc., a software company specializing in municipal systems such as 911 dispatch and voter-registration platforms. Zaks Investment Advisory Service provides discretionary and nondiscretionary separately managed accounts primarily for individual clients. The firm employs a passive investment approach focused on diversified portfolios using exchange-traded funds and mutual funds, adjusting allocations to client circumstances while maintaining low trading volumes and avoiding leverage.

Christopher Sands is the principal advisor at Sands Wealth Strategies, LLC, with 11 years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at Manning & Napier Advisors, B. Riley Wealth Advisors, and Lemme Investment Group, where he also served as Chief Compliance Officer and is preparing to succeed the firm's retiring owner. Sands Wealth Strategies, LLC serves individual and high-net-worth clients, as well as pension and profit-sharing plans and corporate entities, providing wealth management, retirement plan management, and comprehensive financial planning. The firm employs a blend of fundamental analysis and Modern Portfolio Theory, using both passive and active investment vehicles, and offers retirement-plan consulting and ERISA 3(38) investment management services.

Sophie Kaluziak is a financial advisor at Vista Financial Planning in Oak Park, IL, holding a Series 65 designation with 22 years of industry experience. She has been with Vista Financial Planning since 2003. Vista Financial Planning is a fee-only, independent firm serving individuals, families, and employee benefit plan sponsors. The firm offers comprehensive financial planning services, including tax planning, estate and risk management, retirement planning, and portfolio analysis, with an investment approach tailored to clients’ tax situations and risk tolerance.

Melanie Husk is a financial advisor at Mel Consulting Co. d/b/a Mel & Co in Chicago, IL, with 22 years of industry experience. She holds Series 63, 65, and 66 licenses and previously worked at World Equity Group and Raymond James & Associates. Mel Consulting Co. provides discretionary portfolio management and financial planning services to individuals, high-net-worth clients, and small- to mid-sized businesses. The firm employs a modern portfolio theory approach focused on passive, asset-class-based portfolios and emphasizes personalized, behavioral financial planning alongside educational programming and public speaking.

Vincent Bicicchi is the sole advisor at Galvanize Wealth LLC, an independent registered investment adviser based in La Grange Park, IL. He holds a Series 66 designation and has 19 years of industry experience. Prior to founding Galvanize Wealth in 2019, he worked at Levin Funding Group and has been involved with Vindico, Inc. since 2014 and OZO Development, LLC since 2018, serving as president and CFO/co-founder respectively. Outside of advisory services, he is active in insurance sales and business and estate consulting through Vindico, Inc., and participates in software development and financial strategy at OZO Development. Galvanize Wealth serves individuals, trusts, charitable organizations, small businesses, and qualified retirement plans, providing investment management, financial planning, and retirement-plan advisory services. The firm employs a long-term, asset-allocation-driven approach using passively managed mutual funds and ETFs, supported by written investment policy statements and periodic reviews. It also offers insurance and estate/business consulting through the principal’s additional activities and provides pension consulting and employee-benefit plan services.

Daniel Sargis is the principal of Servant's Heart Financial Planning and holds a Series 65 designation. He has over a decade of experience with the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission and began his financial advising career in 2025. Servant's Heart Financial Planning is an independent, single-practitioner firm providing fee-only financial planning and investment management services to individuals and high-net-worth clients. The firm uses a goal- and asset-allocation driven investment approach that incorporates both passive and active strategies, and offers both portfolio management and standalone financial planning services.

Michael Stanton is a CFP® professional with 10 years of experience in financial planning. He is the sole advisor at Stanton Financial Planning, LLC, an independent firm he has led since 2015. Stanton Financial Planning, LLC offers fee-only holistic financial and tax planning services to individuals and families, focusing on comprehensive planning engagements, project retainers, and hourly consultations rather than ongoing portfolio management. The firm emphasizes disciplined asset allocation, global diversification, and tailored recommendations, operating without discretionary trading authority or custody of client assets.

Jeremy Johnson is a CFP® professional with 15 years of industry experience. He has worked at Veracity Wealth Management LLC since 2017 and previously spent six years at Capstone Financial Advisors, Inc. Veracity Wealth Management LLC is an independent advisory firm serving individuals, high-net-worth clients, trusts, and businesses. The firm provides discretionary portfolio management and comprehensive financial planning, customizing portfolios based on client objectives, time horizons, and risk tolerance.

Stephanie Van Vlerah is a CFP® with 12 years of experience, currently serving as the sole advisor at Financial Illumination Advisors, LLC in Chicago, IL. She previously worked at Oxford Financial Group, Ltd for eight years and was an entrepreneur in 2021. Van Vlerah is a board member of the RiseCrance Chicago Foundation and Rosecrance Health Network and chairs the YPO Chicagoland Spousal Forum. Financial Illumination Advisors provides personalized financial planning and outsourced CFO services to high-net-worth individuals, family entities, and private foundations, focusing on comprehensive written plans and concierge financial services without managing assets or taking investment discretion.

Brian Thompson is a CFP® professional with 10 years of industry experience. He leads Brian Thompson Financial in Chicago, IL, and also prepares taxes and provides tax representation through Brian Thompson Tax LLC. Brian Thompson Financial offers financial planning and portfolio management to individuals, high-net-worth clients, and businesses. The firm employs a primarily passive investment approach with diversified, low-cost index funds and ETFs, and coordinates with outside managers when appropriate. Its services include a Comprehensive Care personal planning program and a business-focused model integrating planning, advisory, and fractional CFO support.

Rorik Larson is a CFP® with 14 years of industry experience and is the sole advisor at Essential Financial Strategies in Orland Park, IL. He has led the firm since its founding in 2011. In addition to his advisory role, Mr. Larson provides part-time tax preparation services for Lobash and Lobash Accounting and Tax Services during tax season. Essential Financial Strategies is a fee-only independent firm serving individuals and families, particularly middle-income households and those with school-aged children. The firm offers comprehensive financial planning and investment advisory services with a focus on long-term, generally passive investment strategies and integrates tax preparation into its service model.

Sharon Adelmann is a CFP® professional with 24 years of industry experience, currently serving as the sole advisor at Prairie Investment Advisors, LLC since 2014. She holds a Series 63 license and has a background that includes her role as Vice President of Adelmann Florist Inc. Prairie Investment Advisors provides discretionary portfolio management and financial planning services to individuals, trusts, estates, retirement plans, charitable organizations, and business entities. The firm employs a blend of modern portfolio theory and fundamental analysis, tailoring portfolios to client objectives and risk tolerance, and is notable for managing over $100 million with a single advisor while regularly working with non-traditional investments.

Christian Wray is a financial advisor at Hazelwood Investment Advisors LLC in Chicago, IL. He holds a Series 65 designation and has prior experience at HWCP, Hines, CA Ventures, and Grant Thornton LLP. Hazelwood Investment Advisors LLC is a small, independent firm that provides discretionary and non-discretionary portfolio management, financial planning, and consulting services to individuals, high-net-worth clients, families, and related retirement and trust accounts. The firm focuses on a long-term, growth-oriented equity strategy emphasizing large-cap and technology companies, combining fundamental, technical, and macroeconomic research.

Eric Edwards is a financial advisor with Edwards Premier Financial in Bellwood, IL, holding Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and bringing 15 years of industry experience. He previously worked at Berthel Fisher & Company Financial Services from 2013 to 2018. Outside of advisory work, he is licensed to sell fixed insurance and annuity products. Edwards Premier Financial provides portfolio management and financial planning primarily for individual investors, with occasional service to small businesses and non-profits. The firm employs a range of investment strategies from passive fixed-income to active trading and combines fundamental and technical analysis tailored to client objectives.

Siravich Krasaeath is a financial advisor with Diversey Capital, LLC, holding Series 65 and Series 63 licenses and bringing 11 years of industry experience. He concurrently has over 20 years of experience at Cushman & Wakefield. Krasaeath maintains an active state managing broker real estate license, which is notable for an independent advisor of his firm’s size. Diversey Capital provides discretionary portfolio management and financial planning services primarily to mid- to high-net-worth individuals and related entities. The firm’s investment approach focuses on matching asset allocation to clients’ time horizons and diversification needs, utilizing mutual funds, ETFs, and proprietary analytical tools, and also offers a distinct absolute-return multi-strategy program under a performance-based fee structure.

David Lucado is a financial advisor at Comprehensive Planning, Inc. with 51 years of industry experience. He holds the ChFC® and Series 63 designations and has been with Comprehensive Planning since 2015, having been self-employed since 1973. Comprehensive Planning, Inc. advises individuals and small businesses on mutual funds, variable annuities, variable life products, and a range of individual insurance products. The firm operates as both a licensed insurance agency and a branch of a broker-dealer, providing recommendations based on client information without exercising investment discretion or charging advisory fees.

Matthew Furlong is the principal advisor at Furlong Investment Solutions, LLC in Chicago, IL. He holds the CFP® and CFA® designations and has 10 years of industry experience. Since 2016, he has led his independent firm, providing financial planning and investment management services. Furlong Investment Solutions, LLC is a fee-only registered investment adviser serving individuals, family trusts, estates, qualified retirement plans, and corporate clients. The firm employs a core-and-satellite strategic asset allocation approach with an emphasis on low-cost passive investments supplemented by tactical active positions, alongside integrated financial planning and retirement plan consulting under a fiduciary model.

Sukumar Thanawala is the principal of Vigness Advisory LLC and holds the CFA® designation. He has been working in investment research and financial analysis since 2014 as president of Vigness Analytics, and has been with Vigness Advisory since its founding in 2024. Vigness Advisory LLC is an independent investment manager offering fee-based portfolio management and financial planning to pooled vehicles, private funds, trusts, estates, and other institutional or entity clients. The firm employs a tactical allocation strategy focused on managing downside risk and seeks performance through fundamental and cyclical analysis, utilizing a broad range of investment instruments.