James Alexander is a Certified Financial Planner (CFP®) with 16 years of industry experience. He is currently with Cerity Partners LLC and has previously worked at Edge Portfolio Management, TD Ameritrade Investment Management, and Scottrade. Cerity Partners advises a diverse client base including high-net-worth individuals, families, trusts, foundations, and institutional investors, managing approximately $166.2 billion in client assets. The firm offers customized wealth management services and uses a client-specific investment framework that combines proprietary quantitative screening and manager selection with access to alternative and private market solutions.

Michael Moleski is a CFP® professional with 22 years of industry experience, currently serving at Creative Planning since 2012. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses. Outside of his advisory role, Moleski manages a family farm business. Creative Planning provides investment advisory and financial planning services to a diverse client base, including individuals, corporations, and retirement plans, managing approximately $217 billion in assets. The firm emphasizes a financial planning-led investment approach with low-cost indexing and offers a range of supplemental strategies and integrated retirement plan services.

Susan Penno is a financial advisor at Cetera Planning Partners with three years of industry experience. She holds the PFS™ designation and previously worked at Avantax Planning Partners. In addition to her advisory role, she owns Sassetti, LLC, a tax and accounting firm where she provides tax compliance and planning services. Cetera Planning Partners serves individual and high-net-worth clients, focusing on pre-retirees and retirees by offering investment management, financial planning, Social Security optimization, and retirement advice. The firm’s approach features diversified allocations aligned with client objectives, supported by ancillary services such as tax planning, bookkeeping, and estate planning through third-party providers.

Hilary Gellings is a financial advisor at Citigroup Global Markets with 23 years of industry experience. She holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has been with Citigroup and its Global Markets division since 2014. Citigroup Global Markets serves individual and institutional clients across various wealth segments, offering a wide range of investment advisory programs and execution services. The firm employs multi-asset, multi-manager strategies and maintains institutional-scale operations, including in-house research and derivatives services.

Benito Ibarra Jr. is a financial advisor at Mariner with 10 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and has worked previously at firms including New York Life Insurance Co, Northwestern Mutual, Centaur Financial LLC, and Christopher Financial Group, LLC. He serves as a board member of the Medical Organization of Latino Advancement, a nonprofit association supporting Hispanic/Latino health professionals. Mariner serves a diverse client base including individuals, pension and profit-sharing plans, trusts, charitable organizations, and corporations. The firm offers investment management, financial planning, retirement plan consulting, and coordinated tax and family office services, implementing customized, discretionary portfolios supported by in-house research and third-party managers.

Frank Bugaris is a financial advisor with Fifth Third Securities, Inc. in Chicago, IL, holding a Series 66 designation and seven years of industry experience. His prior experience includes roles at LPL Financial, Wintrust Bank, The Huntington Investment Company, Edward Jones, and CareerLightning. Fifth Third Securities, Inc. serves individual and institutional clients through investment advisory and brokerage services, offering multiple program types via its Passageway Managed Account Platform. The firm operates as a wholly owned subsidiary of Fifth Third Bank and provides access to advisor-directed mutual fund and ETF models, separately managed accounts, tax-overlay services, and direct indexing options.

Matthew Anderson is a financial advisor with PNC Wealth Management in Naperville, IL, holding Series 63, 65, and 66 licenses and 16 years of industry experience. Prior to joining PNC, he spent eight years with U.S. Bancorp Investments and US Bank. PNC Wealth Management provides retail brokerage and advisory services through model-based programs, including an invitation-only digital portfolio solution that uses algorithmic risk assessment and delegates portfolio management to approved third-party strategists.

Jennifer Cavalier is a financial advisor with Planmember Securities Corporation, holding a Series 66 license and 19 years of industry experience. She has worked with Veritrust Wealth Management since 2013 and provides income tax preparation services as a proprietor. Planmember Securities Corporation offers retirement-plan advisory services to employers and plan participants, acting as an ERISA Section 3(38) fiduciary for many plans and providing participant-level investment options through risk-based mutual fund portfolios. The firm emphasizes a top-down strategic asset allocation approach combined with education and support services for plan sponsors and participants.

Mary Gruenberg is a Certified Financial Planner® with 26 years of industry experience. She is currently affiliated with Principal Financial Services and has held roles at Principal Securities, Inc. and Farmers Financial Solutions, alongside a long tenure with Farmers Insurance Group. Principal Securities provides brokerage and registered investment advisory services to a diverse client base, including individual investors and retirement plans. The firm offers direct advisory programs, financial planning, retirement plan consulting, and access to third-party money manager asset allocation and separately managed account solutions.

Michael Beach is a financial advisor with Principal Financial Services holding a Series 66 credential. He has recently entered the financial services industry, with prior experience across various sectors including logistics and insurance. Principal Securities offers brokerage and registered investment advisory services to a diverse client base that includes individual investors, retirement plans, trusts, and charitable organizations. The firm emphasizes direct advisory programs, financial planning, and access to third-party money manager asset allocation and separately managed account solutions.

Alicia Hyland is a financial advisor with Empower Advisory Group in Darien, IL, holding Series 63, 65, and 66 designations and bringing nine years of industry experience. Her prior roles include positions at GWFS Equities Inc., Stonegate Advisors LLC, and Morgan Stanley. Outside of her advisory work, she operates a part-time bookkeeping and basic accounting service and works as a part-time flight attendant. Empower Advisory Group serves primarily employer-sponsored retirement plan sponsors and their participants, as well as retail brokerage clients, offering financial planning and investment management through an integrated model connected to Empower’s administrative platforms. The firm emphasizes long-term portfolio returns and client savings rates, providing both standalone financial plans and managed account solutions.

Brady Peat is a CFP® with four years of industry experience, currently serving as a financial advisor at Integrated Wealth Concepts LLC. His prior experience includes roles at Hightower Advisors, PrairieView Partners, and Googins Advisors. Integrated Wealth Concepts LLC serves individuals, families, trusts, estates, businesses, and retirement plans through a network of independent advisors, offering discretionary investment management, financial planning, and family office services. The firm employs customized portfolios using mutual funds, ETFs, individual equities, and fixed income with a primarily long-term investment approach.

Liam Mulligan is a financial advisor at Wealth Enhancement Advisory Services, LLC with two years of industry experience. He holds the Series 66 designation and previously worked at L.M. Kohn & Company and Benjamin F. Edwards. Mulligan also spent several years in education before transitioning to financial services. Wealth Enhancement Advisory Services, LLC is an SEC-registered enterprise firm serving a diverse client base including individuals, trusts, charitable organizations, corporations, and retirement plans. The firm offers financial planning, asset management, and specialized consulting, employing a strategic investment approach that combines passive and active management guided by an internal Investment Committee.

Christopher Wyzgowski is a financial advisor at Lincoln Investment with 23 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and has worked at firms including VALIC Financial Advisors, Agia, and Capital Analysts. Wyzgowski is also involved in insurance sales, specializing in life and long-term care insurance, and is the founder of NFMB, LLC, a tax and accounting entity. Lincoln Investment Planning, LLC serves a diverse client base including individuals, high-net-worth investors, trusts, charities, and retirement plans, with a notable history working with educators and 403(b) and 457(b) program participants. The firm offers financial planning, portfolio management, and access to third-party managers, supported by an in-house investment management team that constructs strategic and adaptive model portfolios.

Pu Walpole is a financial advisor at Citigroup Global Markets with 22 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and has been with Citigroup Global Markets since 2007. The firm serves individual and institutional clients across various wealth segments, offering a broad range of investment advisory programs and execution services. Citigroup Global Markets leverages a multi-asset, multi-manager approach with extensive internal research and risk oversight, operating at large institutional scale with capabilities including futures and swap dealing.

Mazen Zanayed is a financial advisor with PNC Wealth Management in Clarendon Hills, IL, holding Series 63 and Series 66 credentials and bringing 32 years of industry experience. He has been with PNC Wealth Management since 2014. PNC Wealth Management offers retail brokerage and advisory services through model-based programs, including an invitation-only digital discretionary model account that uses algorithmic questionnaires to guide portfolio strategy and implements investments via approved model strategies managed by PNC or third-party strategists.

Linda Diebold is a financial advisor at Cetera Planning Partners with 27 years of industry experience and holds a Series 65 designation. She previously worked at Avantax Planning Partners, Inc. for 27 years and has been affiliated with Honkamp Krueger Financial Services and Diebold & Associates during her career. Cetera Planning Partners serves individual and high-net-worth clients, focusing on pre-retirees and retirees by providing investment management, comprehensive financial planning, Social Security optimization, and retirement-related advice. The firm offers additional services such as tax planning, bookkeeping, payroll support, and estate-planning through a third-party provider, and integrates resources from the broader Cetera network.

Edward Meek is a CFP® professional with 34 years of industry experience, currently serving at Cerity Partners LLC since 2026. His prior experience includes roles at Alpha Cubed Investments, Edge Portfolio Management, and Fidelity. In addition to his advisory work, he is also an independent agent selling life, health, and disability insurance. Cerity Partners advises a diverse client base, including high-net-worth individuals, families, trusts, business entities, and institutional investors, managing approximately $166.2 billion in assets. The firm offers customized wealth management services through a client-specific investment framework that incorporates proprietary quantitative screening, manager selection, and access to alternative and private market solutions.

Chad Stein is a financial advisor with TIAA-CREF in Wheaton, IL, holding Series 63 and Series 66 designations and possessing 25 years of industry experience. He has been with TIAA-CREF since 2006. TIAA-CREF Individual & Institutional Services, LLC provides financial planning and discretionary managed account programs to individuals, trusts, estates, and small retirement plans, often serving clients connected through TIAA-administered employer retirement plans. The firm combines point-in-time planning with ongoing portfolio management using both model and customized portfolios, and also acts as adviser to a donor-advised fund.

Daniel Lippold is a CFP® professional with 28 years of industry experience, currently serving at First Command Advisory Services since 2015. He has also been affiliated with First Command Insurance Services and First Command Financial Planning since 2011. Daniel is based in Darien, IL. First Command Advisory Services, Inc. is an SEC-registered investment adviser that serves individuals, corporate, and charitable clients, with a particular focus on active-duty service members and their families. The firm provides financial planning and various wrap-fee asset management programs, utilizing model portfolios managed by a centralized Investment Management Team and Wealth Portfolio Managers.