Marzena Hanek is a financial advisor at Mercer Global Advisors Inc. with 21 years of industry experience. She holds Series 65 and Series 66 licenses and has previously worked at T. Rowe Price Advisory Services, Inc. and Invest Financial Corporation. Mercer Global Advisors serves individuals, families, small business owners, plan sponsors, foundations, non-profits, and endowments, providing a range of investment advisory, financial, tax, retirement, and estate planning services. The firm’s investment approach is based on Modern Portfolio Theory, focusing on globally diversified, risk-appropriate portfolios implemented through low-cost ETFs, index funds, and other strategies.

Jeremy Frazer is a CFA® charterholder with 19 years of industry experience, currently serving as a financial advisor at William Blair since 2014. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and is based in Geneva, Illinois. William Blair’s Private Wealth Management division provides investment management, financial planning, and wealth services to individuals, foundations, pension, and corporate clients. The firm employs an active, research-driven approach across various asset classes and offers proprietary models and access to private funds and co-investment opportunities.

Allen Laya is a ChFC® credentialed financial advisor with 54 years of industry experience. He has been with Lincoln Investment Planning, Inc. since 2005 and previously worked at PMG Asset Management Inc from 2001 to 2005. Lincoln Investment Planning, LLC is an enterprise investment advisory and broker-dealer serving a diverse client base, including individuals, high-net-worth investors, trusts, charities, and retirement plans. The firm offers financial planning, advisor-led consulting, and portfolio management through both advisor-managed and firm-managed model portfolios, supported by a dedicated in-house Investment Management & Research team.

Daniel Larson is a financial advisor at Citigroup Global Markets with 14 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has previously worked at JPMorgan Securities LLC, BMO Harris Bank, LPL Financial, and RTS Financial. Larson is based in Oak Brook, Illinois. Citigroup Global Markets serves individual and institutional clients across various wealth segments, offering a range of investment advisory programs and broker-dealer execution and custody services. The firm employs multi-asset, multi-manager strategies and leverages its scale and unique market roles to provide comprehensive solutions to high-net-worth and institutional clients.

Jason Giambarberee is a financial advisor at Empower Advisory Group with Series 63 and Series 66 credentials. He has been with the firm since 2026 and has previous experience in real estate sales. Empower Advisory Group provides financial planning and investment management primarily to employer-sponsored retirement plan sponsors and their participants, offering integrated services tied to Empower’s recordkeeping and administrative platforms.

Robert Wack is a CFP® and holds a Series 66 designation with eight years of industry experience. He is currently with Fifth Third Securities, Inc., having joined in 2026, and previously worked at Schwab Wealth Advisory, Inc., Charles Schwab & Co., Inc., Merrill (Bank of America), Scottrade, and TD Ameritrade. Fifth Third Securities, Inc. serves a diverse client base including individuals, high-net-worth clients, corporations, trusts, retirement accounts, and other business entities through both advisory and brokerage channels. The firm offers multiple investment programs and portfolio management options on its Passageway platform and operates as a broker-dealer, SEC-registered investment adviser, and municipal advisor.

Robert Basile is a CFP® with 8 years of industry experience, currently serving at Mariner Wealth Advisors since 2021. He previously worked at Fifth Third Private Bank for nine years and The AYCO Company, L.P./Mercer Allied for seventeen years. Mariner Wealth Advisors serves individuals, pension plans, trusts, charitable organizations, corporations, and private funds with investment management, financial planning, retirement plan consulting, and access to pooled vehicles and third-party managers. The firm combines customized portfolio management with integrated tax, accounting, and financial wellness services.

Byron Ramult is a CFP® professional with 24 years of experience in the financial services industry. He is currently an advisor at Stratos Wealth Partners, Ltd., having previously worked at LPL Financial, Wealth Enhancement Group, and National Life Group among other firms. His career includes roles at various financial institutions focusing on investment advisory services. Stratos Wealth Partners, Ltd. is an SEC-registered enterprise investment adviser with approximately 379 advisors and $18.6 billion in assets under management. The firm serves a diverse client base including individuals, retirement plans, corporations, nonprofits, and institutional clients through an open-architecture investment platform and customized portfolio management.

Ramesh Poola is a CFA charterholder and financial advisor at Creative Planning with two years of industry experience. He previously worked at IRON Financial, LLC for eleven years before joining Creative Planning in 2021. Creative Planning provides investment advisory and financial planning services to a diverse client base, including individuals, corporations, foundations, trusts, and retirement plans. The firm manages approximately $217 billion in assets and employs a financial planning-led investment approach that incorporates low-cost indexing, buy-and-hold strategies, and supplemental tactics such as direct indexing and tax-loss harvesting.

Wesley Barnes is a CFP® with 15 years of industry experience, currently serving as a financial advisor at Mariner since 2025. He previously worked at Hightower Advisors and Hightower Securities, LLC from 2008 to 2022 and served in the United States Marine Corps Reserves from 2011 to 2017. Outside of his advisory role, Barnes is involved in managing a group of doughnut franchise locations and serves on the board of United Way Northwest Indiana. Mariner serves a diverse client base including individuals, pension plans, trusts, and charitable organizations through comprehensive investment management, financial planning, and retirement consulting. The firm emphasizes discretionary, customized portfolios overseen by an Investment Committee, integrating in-house research with third-party managers, and offers distinctive tax, accounting, and administrative CFO services.

Maria Burger is a financial advisor with First Command Advisory Services in Oak Brook, IL, holding a Series 66 designation and eight years of industry experience. She has been affiliated with First Command and related entities since 2017 and is the business owner of MVB Financial Services, LLC. Burger also serves as president and board member of the West Point Society of Chicago, a nonprofit supporting the United States Military Academy, admissions, and alumni. Additionally, she provides consulting services to chemical and manufacturing companies through the Gerson Lehrman Group. First Command Advisory Services is an SEC-registered investment adviser serving individuals, corporate, and charitable clients, with a focus on active-duty service members and their families. The firm offers financial planning and multiple wrap-fee asset management programs managed centrally by an Investment Management Team and Wealth Portfolio Managers, using a disciplined manager selection process and established platforms for portfolio administration and custody.

Alexander Kapusta is a Series 65-licensed advisor with Mariner, bringing four years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at Horizon Wealth Management and Kam's, as well as work with Butterfield Country Club and the United States Soccer Federation. Mariner serves a diverse client base including individuals, pension plans, trusts, and corporations through investment management, financial planning, and retirement consulting. The firm combines in-house research with third-party manager access and offers integrated tax, family office, and financial wellness services alongside traditional portfolio management.

Joseph Holakovsky is a financial advisor with PNC Wealth Management in Elgin, IL, holding a Series 66 designation and 13 years of industry experience. He has been with PNC Investments since 2016. PNC Wealth Management provides retail brokerage and advisory services through model-based programs, including an invitation-only digital offering that uses algorithmic risk assessment and manages investments via approved model strategies with mutual funds and ETFs.

Eric Jones is a CFA® charterholder with one year of experience in the financial industry. He is currently with Cerity Partners LLC and previously worked at Edge Financial Advisors, Capstone Financial Advisors, Mizuho Securities LLC, and Legal & General Investment Management America. Cerity Partners advises a wide range of clients, including high-net-worth individuals, families, trusts, charitable institutions, foundations, and institutional investors, managing approximately $166.2 billion in assets. The firm offers customized wealth management services grounded in client-specific investment profiles and asset allocation, incorporating both third-party strategies and direct security selection, with access to alternative and private market solutions for qualified clients.

Thomas Herzing is a CFP® professional with 26 years of industry experience, currently serving as a financial advisor at Mercer Global Advisors Inc. He has been with Mercer since 2015. Mercer Global Advisors provides investment advisory and planning services to a diverse client base, including individuals, high-net-worth families, small business owners, corporate plan sponsors, foundations, and nonprofit organizations. The firm’s investment approach is based on Modern Portfolio Theory and emphasizes globally diversified, risk-appropriate portfolios using low-cost index vehicles and multi-factor tilts, supported by various implementation options and a range of affiliated service lines.

Jennifer Heid is a financial advisor at First Command Advisory Services with 16 years of industry experience. She holds Series 63 and Series 66 designations and has been with First Command in various capacities since 2010. First Command Advisory Services is an SEC-registered investment adviser serving individuals, corporate, and charitable clients, with a focus on active-duty service members and their families. The firm offers financial planning and multiple wrap-fee asset management programs, delivering investment management through a centralized team that selects and manages model portfolios and third-party managers.

Kyle Martin is a financial advisor with Commonwealth Financial Network based in Wheaton, IL. He holds the CFP® designation and has 11 years of industry experience. Prior to joining Commonwealth and founding Murphy Financial Group, he worked at firms including MML Investors Services, Mass Mutual Life Insurance Company, Lenox Advisors, Inc., and Invesco Advisers, Inc. Outside of his advisory work, Martin is involved in Medicare product referrals through a separate business activity. Commonwealth Financial Network is a national registered investment adviser supporting approximately 2,950 advisors with a range of advisory programs and services. The firm provides operational, trading, technology, compliance, and practice-management support, enabling advisors to offer diverse investment solutions including discretionary model portfolios and personalized indexing options.

Benjamin Teichman is a financial advisor with Guardian Life and holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses. He has 22 years of industry experience and has worked extensively with both Guardian Life Insurance Company and Park Avenue Securities. He also engages in selling insurance products outside of Guardian on a limited basis. Park Avenue Securities LLC, a subsidiary of The Guardian Life Insurance Company of America, provides brokerage and investment advisory services to a diverse client base including individuals, retirement plan sponsors, and charitable organizations. The firm offers a blend of advisor-led discretionary management and model-based strategies, supported by proprietary programs and third-party platforms.

Victor Champney is a financial advisor with Transamerica Financial Advisors, holding Series 63, 65, and 66 licenses and bringing 17 years of industry experience. He has worked with Transamerica Financial Advisors since 2012 and is also involved with The UTC Tax Busters and Inheritguard, LLC. Outside of finance, he operates a music studio, provides music lessons, and performs as a member of a musical band. Transamerica Financial Advisors serves a wide range of clients including individuals, employer-sponsored retirement plans, trusts, and charitable organizations. The firm delivers advisory services primarily through model portfolios and third-party managers, supported by a large advisor network and multiple program platforms.

Nicholas Costa is a CFP® professional with two years of industry experience. He is currently affiliated with Wealth Enhancement Advisory Services, LLC and previously worked at Vermillion Financial Advisors. Wealth Enhancement Advisory Services provides financial planning, asset management, retirement-plan consulting, and referrals to managed account investment managers for individuals, high-net-worth clients, corporations, and retirement plans. The firm manages over $122 billion in assets and utilizes a diversified investment process combining passive and active managers with quantitative, momentum, and fundamental analysis.