Himanshu Patel is the sole advisor at Lakshmi Wealth Management LLC in Naperville, IL, holding a Series 65 designation with 11 years of industry experience. He has led Lakshmi Wealth Management since 2009. Outside of his advisory work, he provides occasional consulting on insurance carrier business through an expert network firm. Lakshmi Wealth Management serves individual investors and trusts, offering personalized financial planning and discretionary portfolio management. The firm employs actively managed, customized portfolios and uses a range of instruments, including options and derivatives, to manage risk and pursue returns.

Sam Macaluso is the founder and principal of Ripple Ridge Enterprises LLC, an independent advisory firm. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has 14 years of industry experience. In addition to his advisory work, he operates an independent insurance agency and a CPA firm, SAM D. Macaluso & Associates, which provides accounting and tax-preparation services. Ripple Ridge Enterprises serves individual and high-net-worth clients with financial planning, portfolio management, and retirement plan consulting. The firm employs an asset-allocation approach and utilizes a range of investments, including mutual funds, ETFs, private placements, and non-traded real estate investment trusts.

Edwin Cogan is a financial advisor at Steeplechase Investments with 28 years of industry experience. He has been with Steeplechase Investments since 1994. Steeplechase Investments provides discretionary portfolio management primarily to individual clients, focusing on direct investments in stocks, bonds, and exchange-traded funds. The firm employs an active, tactical approach that adjusts between capital appreciation and preservation based on macroeconomic analysis and technical chart patterns, tailoring portfolios to clients’ age and income needs.

Angela Major Hart is a CFP® professional with four years of industry experience, currently serving as the principal advisor at Veridian Private Wealth Management. She has held previous roles at Byline Bank, Northern Trust Securities, Northern Trust Bank, and First Midwest Bank. Ms. Hart is also a licensed attorney and an active member of the Illinois Bar. Veridian Private Wealth Management offers discretionary investment management and qualified retirement plan consulting to high-net-worth individuals, families, trusts, estates, businesses, charities, and employee benefit plans. The firm employs a strategic asset allocation framework with a proprietary methodology emphasizing diversification and provides ERISA fiduciary services uncommon among independent advisors.

Frances Tuite is a CFA® charterholder with 11 years of industry experience. She is currently with Sankota Capital LLC and has previously worked at Oak Family Advisors, Fairpointe Capital, and RMB Capital Management. Outside of finance, she co-manages an organic brewery and restaurant and owns an organic farm. Sankota Capital provides discretionary investment management to individuals, family offices, and institutions, focusing on fundamentally driven portfolios of small- and mid-cap companies. The firm emphasizes concentrated, long-term holdings with low turnover and delivers transparent reporting that includes performance figures uncommon among its peers.

James Jacobson is a financial advisor at Capital Ideas in Naperville, IL, with 14 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and has previously worked at JP Morgan Securities and RiverNorth Capital Management. Outside of his advisory work, he is involved with a franchised bakery and acts as a partner in a business consulting firm. Capital Ideas serves a range of clients including individuals, families, and charitable organizations, managing approximately $336 million in assets through a team-based approach that uses fundamental and technical analysis, proprietary models, and outside research.

John Crawford is a financial advisor at Copperwood Financial with 15 years of industry experience. He holds the Series 66 designation and previously worked at LPL Financial LLC and Horizon Wealth Management. Copperwood Financial provides fee-based investment advisory and financial planning services to individuals, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, and small businesses, with a specialty practice for athletes under the Pro Athlete Wealth brand. The firm manages client portfolios on a discretionary, tactical allocation basis and offers qualified retirement plan consulting, including ERISA Section 3(38) fiduciary services.

Charles McKenna is a financial advisor with McKenna Capital, Inc. in Wheaton, IL, holding Series 65 and Series 63 designations and 15 years of industry experience. He has worked at Heart Capital, LLC since 2018, McKenna Capital since 2017, and previously at National Planning Corporation and Global Beverage Team, LLC. Outside of his advisory work, he provides consulting services for GModelo USA, LLC. McKenna Capital is a small, supported advisory firm managing approximately $83 million for fewer than 40 clients, including individuals, pension and profit-sharing plans, and pooled investment vehicles. The firm utilizes a mix of charting, fundamental, and technical analysis to implement long-term strategies and options trading, managing accounts mostly on a discretionary basis while also offering financial planning and portfolio monitoring services.

Cynthia Menker is a CFP® with 24 years of industry experience, currently serving at Contour Financial since 2001. She holds a Series 65 license and is based in Orland Park, IL. Contour Financial serves individual households focusing on retirement planning and investment management for clients who are not high-net-worth. The firm emphasizes diversified portfolios using mutual funds and ETFs, combines investment oversight with comprehensive financial planning services, and operates as a fee-only fiduciary under the NAPFA code.

Michael Lannan is a CFA® charterholder with 20 years of industry experience. He has worked at Lakewood Asset Management, LLC since 2018 and previously spent 12 years at Securus Investment Management, LLC. He serves on the investment committee for a not-for-profit family foundation and volunteers with the LaGrange Police Pension Board. Lakewood Asset Management serves individual and high-net-worth clients as well as trusts, estates, pension, and charitable entities, managing approximately $249 million across about 155 client relationships. The firm employs a bottom-up, fundamental, long-term value investment approach across various securities and offers both discretionary portfolio management and stand-alone financial planning services.

Robert Jersey is a financial advisor with GW Asset Management LLC, holding Series 63 and Series 66 designations and bringing 31 years of industry experience. His prior roles include tenures at GW Capital Services, LLC, GW Capital Management, LLC, and Gar Wood Securities, LLC. GW Asset Management LLC provides fee-based portfolio management and model portfolios to a diverse client base, including individuals, pension and profit-sharing plans, trusts, charitable organizations, and corporations. The firm employs a quantitative approach using ETFs, equities, corporate debt, and mutual funds, incorporating technical, cyclical, and fundamental analysis to guide portfolio allocations.

Justin Mccormack is a financial advisor with First Choice Financial Services LLC in Oak Brook, IL, holding a Series 65 license and 12 years of industry experience. He has been with First Choice Financial Services since 2013 and is also involved with First Choice Insurance Agency, where he has served in various roles since 2005. First Choice Financial Services LLC serves individual and high-net-worth clients by providing financial advice primarily through referrals to third-party money managers and estate-planning support. The firm acts as a liaison, assisting clients with third-party paperwork and ongoing oversight, while drawing on fundamental, technical, and cyclical analysis in its recommendations.

Melissa Osika is an investment advisor with Herr Capital Management LLC in Chicago, IL, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and bringing 19 years of industry experience. She has worked at Herr Capital Management since 2017 and previously held positions at American Portfolios Financial Services, Inc., SSN Advisory, Inc., and Securities Service Network. In addition to her advisory role, she is a licensed insurance agent offering life, health, disability, long-term care, and fixed annuities. Herr Capital Management LLC is a private wealth advisory firm serving individuals, families, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, and employer-sponsored retirement plans. The firm employs a disciplined investment process with strategic and tactical allocation adjustments and offers financial planning, discretionary investment management, and retirement-plan consulting.

Catriona Duncan is a CFA® charterholder and holds a Series 65 license, with four years of industry experience. She is currently with Sankota Capital LLC and previously worked at William Blair Investment Management, Columbia Wanger Asset Management, Advisory Research, Inc., and Cupps Capital Management, LLC. She serves as CIO/Treasurer of the Judy Family Foundation, focusing on long-term asset allocation and evaluation of private investments. Sankota Capital LLC provides discretionary investment management to individuals, high-net-worth clients, family offices, pension and profit-sharing plans, endowments, foundations, and corporations. The firm emphasizes fundamentally driven investment processes targeting small- and mid-cap companies, with concentrated portfolios managed under discretionary authority and a long-term horizon.

Theodore Augustyniak is a financial advisor with Creative Resources Investment Advisors LLC, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and bringing 19 years of industry experience. He has been associated with Creative Resources Investment Advisors since 2015 and is also involved with Advance Legend Funding and Augustyniak Insurance Agency, where he works as an insurance agent offering various insurance products. Creative Resources Investment Advisors primarily serves individual and high-income clients, as well as pension and profit-sharing plans, trusts, and other entities. The firm employs a long-term, value-oriented investment approach with a blend of strategic and tactical asset allocation, utilizing equities, mutual funds, bonds, and alternative instruments tailored to client needs.

Jeremiah Boynton is a CFP®-designated financial advisor with 23 years of industry experience, currently serving at Laureate Wealth Management, LLC since 2014. He holds securities licenses Series 63 and Series 66. Outside of his advisory role, Mr. Boynton is the majority owner of Laureate Capital Management, LLC and Laureate Capital Real Estate Investments, LLC, which manage various private equity, hedge fund, and real estate projects. He also serves on the Board of Directors for Still Austin, a bourbon distillery in Austin, Texas. Laureate Wealth Management provides investment advisory, portfolio management, financial planning, estate planning, and family office coordination for individuals, high-net-worth clients, trusts, estates, retirement plans, corporations, and other entities. The firm employs a strategic asset allocation process that includes individual securities, mutual funds, ETFs, separate account managers, and alternative investments, and is notable for its involvement with pooled investment vehicles and affiliated fund activities.

Michael Jankowski is a financial advisor with Parkview Asset Management, Inc. in Oakbrook Terrace, IL, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and bringing 33 years of industry experience. Prior to joining Parkview in 2020, he spent 12 years at LaSalle St. Investment Advisors, LLC and LaSalle St. Securities, LLC. He is also president of Wealth Planning Network LLC, which focuses on fixed insurance products and serves as trustee for related benefit plans. Parkview Asset Management is a two-advisor firm managing approximately $206 million for around 140 clients, including individuals, high-net-worth clients, trusts, estates, and retirement plans. The firm offers discretionary portfolio management and comprehensive financial planning, using a primarily long-term, client-specific investment approach with low-cost diversified mutual funds, ETFs, and individual securities when appropriate.

Adam Wilson is a Series 65-licensed advisor at Stabile Investment Management with one year of industry experience. His prior work includes roles at Sevita Health, Anixter - Wesco, Surgical Care Affiliates, and DeVry University. Stabile Investment Management serves individual and high-net-worth clients by providing discretionary and non-discretionary portfolio management and investment consulting. The firm emphasizes diversification and fundamental analysis within a documented Investment Policy Statement, regularly reviews portfolios, and generally avoids IPOs, SPACs, and cryptocurrencies.

Giacomo Manfredini is a financial advisor at FMI Financial, Ltd. with a Series 65 designation and one year of industry experience. Prior to joining FMI Financial in 2026, he worked at GoldStone Financial Group and has educational experience at Elmhurst University and Nazareth Academy. FMI Financial, Ltd. provides investment advisory services to institutional investors, high-net-worth individuals, corporate retirement plans, trusts, and estates. The firm offers discretionary portfolio management, investment consulting, and financial planning, emphasizing a long-term, diversified approach and individualized Investment Policy Statements.

Michael Madden is a financial advisor at Madden Funds Management with 26 years of industry experience. He holds a Series 65 designation and has been with Madden Funds Management since 1994. The firm provides financial planning and discretionary investment management to individuals, pension and profit-sharing plans, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, and businesses. Madden Funds Management focuses on tailored investment programs using asset-class funds managed primarily by Dimensional Fund Advisors, supplemented by Fidelity funds, with an emphasis on diversification and long-term holdings.