Jason Hersh is a financial advisor with Wells Fargo Advisors who holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has 30 years of industry experience. He has worked at Wells Fargo Clearing since 2023 and was previously with Cetera and CETERA Financial Specialists LLC for over a decade. Wells Fargo Advisors Financial Network is a large broker-dealer and registered investment adviser affiliated with Wells Fargo, providing investment and financial planning services to individuals, trusts, and institutional clients. The firm offers a broad planning menu tailored to clients meeting net-worth thresholds, including specialized services such as business-owner transition and special-needs planning.

Elizabeth Reinke is a financial advisor at Stifel with 30 years of industry experience. She holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has worked previously at Morgan Stanley Smith Barney and Citigroup Global Markets. Stifel serves a broad range of clients, including individuals, institutional clients, and charitable organizations, offering brokerage and investment advisory services. The firm’s investment approach is based on proprietary analysis and allocation methodologies developed by its Investment Strategy Group.

Anna Maria Fosteras is a CFP® and holds a Series 66 license with Morgan Stanley, where she has worked since 2013, including 11 years at Morgan Stanley Private Bank, N.A. She has 13 years of experience in the financial industry. In addition to her advisory role, she is involved in publishing through self-publishing and authorship activities outside of her financial career. Morgan Stanley Wealth Management is an SEC-registered investment adviser and broker-dealer serving both individual and institutional clients. The firm offers a range of advisory programs with a focus on tailored financial planning and utilizes firm-approved tools and market simulations in its planning process.

James Davids is a financial advisor with LPL Financial in Crystal Lake, Illinois, holding Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and bringing 26 years of industry experience. He previously worked at Securities America Advisors and Securities America Inc. from 2000 to 2019. He is also a partner in Dorion-Gray Financial Services Inc., a business entity for tax and investment purposes. LPL Financial is a national broker-dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser serving individuals, retirement plan participants, banks, trust companies, and other institutions. The firm offers a range of financial planning and investment services, utilizing both proprietary research and third-party strategies across various platforms.

Andrew Callicutt is a financial advisor at Cetera with 12 years of industry experience. He holds a Series 66 designation and previously worked at JP Morgan Securities, LLC for nine years. Cetera Investment Advisers LLC is an SEC-registered firm that serves individuals, retirement plans, corporate and charitable clients, and institutional accounts through a large nationwide network of independent advisors. The firm offers portfolio management, financial planning, and access to third-party managers via a multi-manager platform with various program options and custodial relationships.

Ellen Crabtree is a financial advisor with LPL Financial in Crystal Lake, IL, holding a Series 66 designation and four years of industry experience. Her prior roles include positions at BMO Harris Bank and Home State Bank NA. LPL Financial is a national broker-dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser that provides advisory and brokerage services to individuals, retirement plan participants, banks, trust companies, and other institutions through a large network of investment adviser representatives. The firm offers a variety of financial planning and investment management solutions, including model portfolios, third-party asset management, and institutional platforms.

John Bassmaji is a Financial Consultant at Fidelity Investments, where he has worked since 2020. He serves as a primary point of contact for clients, developing financial plans and consulting on holistic wealth management strategies. His approach focuses on understanding what is important to his clients and their families to help them feel confident with every aspect of their financial picture. Prior to his current role, John held several positions at Fidelity Investments, including Investment Consultant (2019-2020), Relationship Manager (2017-2019), and Financial Representative (2016-2017). Before joining Fidelity, he worked as a Relationship Banker at JP Morgan Chase Bank from 2011 to 2016. Outside of his professional work, John enjoys biking, football, golf, traveling, and exploring food.

Thaddeus Kon is a financial advisor at Edward Jones in Schaumburg, IL, holding Series 63 and Series 66 designations with two years of industry experience. His prior work experience includes roles at JPMorgan Chase, Guaranteed Rate, and Key Mortgage Services. Edward Jones is a full-service wealth management firm serving over four million individual and institutional clients, offering a wide range of advisory solutions including discretionary and non-discretionary wrap fee strategies, separately managed accounts, and affiliated mutual funds. The firm manages approximately $1.01 trillion in assets and operates a large nationwide network of financial advisors and branch offices.

Joan Winter is a financial advisor with Morgan Stanley in Barrington, Illinois, holding Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and bringing 31 years of industry experience. She has worked with Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC since 2009. Outside of her advisory role, she is involved in photography through her proprietorship, PhotoJJenic, and as a partner in Julie Gockman Photography. Morgan Stanley Wealth Management is an SEC-registered investment adviser and broker-dealer serving both individual and institutional clients with a broad range of advisory programs, including tailored financial planning. The firm manages approximately $2.74 trillion in client assets and employs structured planning tools and analyses developed by its Global Investment Committee.

Celeste Bailey is a financial advisor with Morgan Stanley in Barrington, IL, holding a Series 66 designation and bringing 14 years of industry experience. She has been with Morgan Stanley Private Bank, N.A. since 2015. Outside of her financial career, she works as a freelance soccer referee and is involved in teaching and mentoring through the Illinois Soccer Referee Committee. Morgan Stanley Wealth Management is an SEC-registered investment adviser and broker-dealer serving both individual and institutional clients with a variety of advisory programs. The firm’s financial planning approach uses structured discovery conversations and firm-approved tools to develop tailored plans, serving approximately $2.74 trillion in client assets.

Kamaljit Kalia is an advisor at LPL Financial based in Crystal Lake, IL, holding Series 63 and Series 65 designations with two years of industry experience. Prior to joining LPL Financial, Kalia worked at BMO Harris Bank from 2015 to 2024. LPL Financial is a national broker-dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser serving individuals, retirement plan participants, banks, trust companies, and institutions, offering a range of advisory and brokerage services including financial planning, third-party asset management, and institutional platforms.

Andrew Messerschmidt is a financial advisor with Thrivent Investment Management in Barrington, IL, holding a Series 66 designation and two years of industry experience. His prior experience includes roles at Thrivent Financial and Thrivent Investment Management, as well as positions at Valparaiso University and Barrington High School. Thrivent Investment Management offers Dedicated Planning Services to individuals, families, businesses, and nonprofit clients, providing comprehensive written recommendations on topics such as retirement, income tax, estate, business continuation, divorce, and special needs planning. The firm’s approach combines goal-based analyses and allows clients to integrate planning with managed-account programs while maintaining separate service structures.

Sergio Pedroza is a Financial Advisor at Merrill Lynch Wealth Management. In his role, he focuses on managing new wealth, portfolio management services, and small business strategies. As a Merrill Financial Solutions Advisor, Sergio works closely with clients to understand their priorities and develop strategies to pursue their short-, mid-, and long-term financial goals. He provides resources for investing, retirement planning, unexpected savings, and access to Bank of America specialists for banking, credit, home financing, and small business solutions. Sergio holds a Bachelor's Degree from Northern Illinois University and has earned professional designations including Accredited Wealth Management Advisor (AWMA), Chartered Retirement Planning Counselor (CRPC), and Personal Investment Advisor (PIA). He is a bilingual fiduciary advisor fluent in English and Spanish, committed to offering ongoing advice and guidance as clients' needs evolve. Outside of his professional work, Sergio has personal interests in chess, soccer, and traveling. He emphasizes a client-centered approach, stating that he helps clients uncover what matters to them and their families to create financial strategies aligned with their goals.

Jacob Lewandowski is a financial advisor with LPL Financial based in Huntley, Illinois. He holds the Series 66 designation and has four years of industry experience, including roles at BMO Harris Bank and Packback Inc. His background also includes positions in education and race management. LPL Financial is a national broker-dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser that serves individuals, retirement plan participants, banks, trust companies, and other institutions through a large network of investment adviser representatives. The firm offers a range of advisory and brokerage services, including financial planning, model portfolios, third-party asset management, and institutional platforms.

Christopher Cagadas is a financial advisor with Ameriprise in Glen Ellyn, IL, holding a Series 66 designation and 22 years of industry experience. He has been with Ameriprise and its affiliated entities since 2005. Outside of his advisory role, he co-owns PMM Partners Inc, a business managing practice operations, and serves on the board of the Ascension Illinois Foundation. Ameriprise offers a retirement-income planning service targeting individuals with significant investable assets, combining research, modeling, and tax-efficiency analysis to deliver tailored income strategies. The firm provides a broad range of advisory, brokerage, and insurance solutions through its affiliated companies.

Tamara Fuhrman is a financial advisor with Primerica Advisors in Rolling Meadows, IL, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and 24 years of industry experience. She has worked with PFS Investments Inc. and Primerica Financial Services since the early 2000s. Outside of financial advising, she has served as a cantor for United Lutheran Church since 2016. Primerica Advisors manages a wrap-fee asset management program primarily for individual investors, including both non-high-net-worth and high-net-worth clients, as well as corporate and charitable clients. The firm uses model-delivery strategies developed by unaffiliated asset managers and offers a limited number of discretionary separately managed account options.

Paul Pavelski is a financial advisor with Morgan Stanley in Barrington, IL, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and bringing 36 years of industry experience. His career includes roles at Landolt Securities, Inc. from 2005 to 2024 before joining Morgan Stanley’s Private Bank and Smith Barney divisions. Morgan Stanley Wealth Management serves individual and institutional clients, offering a range of advisory and financial planning services supported by firm-approved tools and research, managing approximately $2.74 trillion in client assets.

Dru Martin is a financial advisor at Merrill in Buffalo Grove, IL, holding a Series 66 designation with one year of industry experience. He previously worked at Liggett Vector Brands for 13 years and has been with Bank of America and Merrill since 2025. Martin was also involved with Good Times USA LLC in 2025. Merrill, together with its affiliate Managed Account Advisors LLC, provides managed account services to Bank of America fiduciary clients through the Select Portfolio Solutions Program, offering model-based and discretionary investment strategies for individuals, high-net-worth clients, and institutional investors.

Susan Schwarm is a financial advisor with Ameriprise in Libertyville, IL, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and possessing 41 years of industry experience. She has been with Ameriprise and its affiliated entities since 2005. Outside of advising, she manages an LLC that holds commercial property used exclusively for conducting Ameriprise business. Ameriprise provides retirement-income planning services targeted at clients approaching or in retirement who meet specific asset thresholds, combining research and modeling with tax-efficient strategies. The firm serves a broad client base through advisory, brokerage, and insurance solutions typical of a large institutional provider.

Kolleen Zbilski is a financial advisor with Morgan Stanley in Barrington, IL, holding a Series 66 designation and 19 years of industry experience. She has been with Morgan Stanley since 2014. Morgan Stanley Wealth Management is an SEC-registered investment adviser and broker-dealer serving individuals and institutional clients with a range of advisory programs, including tailored financial planning. The firm manages approximately $2.74 trillion in client assets and utilizes structured planning tools and modeling techniques in its financial planning process.