Melissa Vald is Vice President and Financial Consultant at Fidelity Investments, a position she has held since 2019. She is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ with experience working with high net worth clients since 2005, providing comprehensive financial planning that includes retirement and income planning, tax-efficient investing, and estate plan considerations. Her career in financial services includes roles as a Financial Planning Associate at Wells Fargo from 2015 to 2019, and at Morgan Stanley from 2007 to 2015, as well as serving as a Financial Advisor at Morgan Stanley from 2005 to 2007. Melissa holds a California Insurance License. Outside of her professional work, Melissa enjoys family activities, theater, traveling, and volunteering.

Gail Crowley is a financial advisor with LPL Financial in Hinsdale, IL, holding a Series 66 designation and 18 years of industry experience. She has worked at LPL Financial since 2020 and has prior experience with Equitrust Financial Group, Ltd and Securities America, Inc. Outside of advisory work, Crowley is involved in non-variable insurance activities. LPL Financial is a national broker-dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser serving individuals, retirement plans, banks, trust companies, and institutions. The firm offers a range of advisory and brokerage services, including financial planning and model portfolio programs, supported by a large network of investment adviser representatives.

Christopher Barnard is a financial advisor with UBS Financial Services in Hinsdale, IL, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and bringing 28 years of industry experience. He has worked at Painewebber Inc. for 26 years. UBS Financial Services serves individual, corporate, and institutional clients through brokerage and investment advisory offerings, including fee-based financial planning and portfolio management. The firm combines institutional trading capabilities with wealth management services, supported by proprietary research and a broad range of capital markets activities.

John Demarco is a financial advisor with Cetera, holding Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and bringing 25 years of industry experience. He has previously worked with Avantax entities for a decade and currently owns Strategize Home Solutions LLC, a referral marketing business for mortgages. John also serves as treasurer for The Cruisin' Tigers GTO Club, a membership organization for Pontiac automobile enthusiasts that hosts an annual car show. Cetera Investment Advisers LLC is an SEC-registered firm that supports a large network of independent advisors serving individual, corporate, charitable, and institutional clients. The firm offers a multi-manager platform with discretionary and non-discretionary portfolio management, financial planning, and access to third-party money managers.

Ashley Finney is a financial advisor at Charles Schwab with 10 years of industry experience. Her prior roles include positions at Fidelity Investments, JP Morgan Securities LLC, and JP Morgan Chase Bank. Outside of advising, she is the owner and maker of The Red House Designs, creating and selling handmade designs at farmers markets and online. Charles Schwab serves primarily high- and ultra-high-net-worth individuals through its Schwab Wealth Advisory wrap fee program and affiliated managed-account and financial planning services. The firm combines non-discretionary advisory relationships with access to discretionary separately managed accounts and offers a range of multi-asset model portfolios supported by centralized supervision and custodial services.

Aaron Wauters is the Resident Director at Merrill, where he leads a team dedicated to providing comprehensive financial services that encompass investments, liabilities, and cash management. His office is located in the Naperville/Lisle branch of Merrill. Aaron has been with Merrill since 2001, serving a diverse client base including corporate executives, pre-retirees, and retirees with a focus on 401(k) plans. He holds several professional designations including Chartered Retirement Planning Counselor™ (CRPC™), Certified Plan Fiduciary Advisor® (CPFA®), Personal Investment Advisor (PIA), and Retirement Benefits Consultant (RBC). Aaron earned his Bachelor's degree from the University of Dubuque, where he also played football for four years. Prior to his career in finance, he served in the U.S. Marine Corps from 1997 to 2003 on both active and reserve duty. He has expertise in areas such as retirement income, family wealth management, small business strategies, and tax minimization. He takes a personal and proactive approach to assist clients in achieving their financial goals and maintaining customized retirement plan strategies. Outside of his professional work, Aaron is involved in his community as a board member of the Fox Valley Patriotic Organization and as the commissioner of the Geneva Baseball Organization. He resides in Geneva with his wife Mandy and their three sons. Aaron enjoys playing racquetball and golf, and he shares his home with the family’s Black Labrador, Maddux.

Ryan Carey is a Financial Consultant currently working at Fidelity Investments since 2022. In his role, he focuses on assessing clients' financial situations, collaborating with them to develop tailored financial plans, and implementing those plans while monitoring progress to ensure alignment with their goals. He has 19 years of experience in the financial services industry, having held various financial consultant and planning consultant positions. Prior to his current role, he worked at Fidelity Investments as a Planning Consultant from 2021 to 2022, at Merrill Edge as a Premier Life Services Relationship Consultant from 2018 to 2021, at LPL Financial as a Financial Consultant from 2016 to 2018, at World Equity Group as a Financial Consultant from 2014 to 2016, and at J.W. Cole Financial as a Financial Consultant from 2006 to 2014.

Danielle Burton is a financial advisor with Cetera, holding a Series 66 designation and 18 years of industry experience. Her career includes roles at LPL Financial and Opus Wealth Partners, and she has operated her own business, Homes & Heritage LLC, for over a decade. She is also a partner in a cryptocurrency mining venture where she monitors software and maintains hardware. Cetera Investment Advisers LLC is a nationwide SEC-registered firm serving individuals, retirement plans, corporate, charitable, and institutional clients. The firm offers a range of portfolio management and financial planning services through a multi-manager platform, featuring both discretionary and non-discretionary programs with access to affiliated and third-party money managers.

Adam Bukowski is a financial advisor with MassMutual Investors Services in Lisle, Illinois, holding Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and 15 years of industry experience. He has been with MassMutual Investors Services and MassMutual Life Insurance since 2014. Outside of his advisory role, he serves as Treasurer for the DuPage Senior Citizens Council, a nonprofit organization. MassMutual Investors Services, LLC is a broker-dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser providing financial planning and asset management services to individuals, business owners, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, and employers. The firm offers structured, collaborative financial planning engagements using firm-approved analytical tools, with optional implementation of recommendations through separate brokerage or insurance arrangements.

Thomas Solis is a financial advisor with J.P. Morgan Securities, holding Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and eight years of industry experience. His career includes roles at JPMorgan Chase Bank and Northwestern Mutual, as well as work outside finance at Allegrettis Ristorante. J.P. Morgan Securities provides investment consulting and advisory services primarily to institutional clients and retirement plan sponsors, combining quantitative asset-allocation modeling with centralized due diligence and applying an ESG eligibility framework in its recommendations.

Alec Gerlach is a Financial Consultant at Fidelity Investments, where he has been working since 2025. He has developed his career within the same company, holding various roles including Investment Consultant from 2024 to 2025, Planning Consultant from 2023 to 2024, Relationship Manager from 2022 to 2023, and Financial Representative from 2020 to 2022. In his current role, Alec partners with clients to build financial plans aimed at helping them achieve their life goals. He focuses on ensuring that clients not only understand and feel confident in their financial plans, but also feel secure about their future.

Alec Leasure is a financial advisor at Osaic Wealth Inc. with five years of industry experience. He holds a Series 66 designation and has previously worked at Ameriprise, NorthRock Partners, and Woodbury Financial Services. Outside of his advisory role, he has been involved in real estate ownership unrelated to his investment activities. Osaic Wealth Inc. serves a diverse client base including individual and high-net-worth investors, pension plans, corporations, and charitable organizations. The firm provides integrated brokerage and advisory services, utilizing various asset allocation tools and third-party platforms to manage portfolios across multiple investment types.

Matthew Lenerville is a financial advisor at Fidelity with eight years of industry experience. He holds a Series 66 designation and previously worked at Merrill and Bank of America. Outside of his advisory work, he is involved in ecommerce as the owner of Net Brands, LLC, and participates in marketing and sales for Fae Forest Fungi, LLC, a gourmet and medicinal mushroom business. Fidelity’s Strategic Advisers LLC provides investment management and advisory services to retail and institutional clients using a combination of fundamental research, quantitative analysis, and algorithmic portfolio construction. The firm offers discretionary and non-discretionary advisory services and is noted for its use of systematic methodologies and long-term asset allocation benchmarks.

Jamie Morrow is a financial advisor at Stifel with two years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and previously worked at RBC Capital Markets, Raymond James & Associates, and Midland States Bank. Stifel serves a diverse client base including individuals, institutional clients, and charitable organizations, offering both brokerage and investment advisory services. The firm’s investment approach relies on proprietary methodologies developed by its Investment Strategy Group, providing analytical support for asset allocation and financial planning.

Jack Kristof is a financial advisor at Raymond James Financial with 34 years of industry experience. He holds the Series 63 and Series 65 designations and previously worked at Wachovia/Wells Fargo for 14 years. Outside of his advisory role, he maintains bookkeeping responsibilities as an independent contractor for a support company called ELEVATE. Raymond James Financial Services Advisors, Inc. provides financial planning, investment consulting, and advisory services to individual and high-net-worth clients, pension plans, corporations, and institutional clients. The firm offers tailored non-discretionary planning and supports municipal and public finance work through unique affiliations uncommon among large institutional advisors.

Peter Wilmot is a CFP® and ChFC® with 25 years of industry experience, currently serving as a financial advisor at LPL Financial since 2015. His prior experience includes roles at Opus Wealth Partners, LLC, MSI Financial Services, Inc., and Waterstone Financial Group, Inc. Outside of his advisory role, he is involved with PWA Tax Services, LLC, which provides tax preparation and accounting services. LPL Financial is a national broker-dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser offering a range of advisory and brokerage services to individuals, institutions, and retirement plan participants. The firm supports its advisors with various investment approaches including proprietary and third-party model portfolios, and offers a broad suite of financial and non-advisory services.

Katie Millar is a CFP® professional with 19 years of industry experience, currently serving as a financial advisor at Ameriprise since 2021. She previously worked at Wells Fargo Advisors for nine years. Millar serves on several nonprofit boards, including the Gridiron Greats Assistance Fund, the Children's Advocacy Center Foundation, and GRIT. Ameriprise offers retirement-income planning services tailored to individuals approaching or in retirement, combining research, modeling, and tax-efficiency analysis to provide written recommendations. The firm serves clients with significant investable assets through a range of advisory, brokerage, and insurance solutions.

Jocelyn Herrera is a financial advisor at Fidelity with a Series 66 designation and approximately one year of industry experience. Prior to joining Fidelity, she worked at Kristian Navarro Insurance and Financial Services Inc and completed an externship at Amplified Planning. Fidelity's Strategic Advisers LLC provides investment management and advisory services to a diverse client base, including retail and institutional investors. The firm uses a combination of proprietary fundamental research, quantitative analysis, and algorithmic portfolio construction to manage model portfolios across various investment vehicles.

Jean Lacour is a financial advisor with Raymond James & Associates, holding a Series 66 designation and 20 years of industry experience. He previously worked at Wayne Hummer Investments for 17 years before joining Raymond James in 2023. Raymond James & Associates is a large, dually registered broker-dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser managing approximately $501 billion in assets. The firm serves a diverse client base including individuals, institutions, pension plans, and municipalities, offering financial planning and investment consulting primarily on a non-discretionary basis.

Michael Furness is a financial advisor with Cetera, holding a Series 66 designation and six years of industry experience. He previously worked at Edward Jones for five years and has over a decade of experience with LFK Group LLC. In addition to his advisory role, he assists as a portfolio manager for Horse Cove Partners, providing back-office support for daily trading processes. Cetera Investment Advisers LLC distributes services through a large nationwide network of independent advisors, serving a diverse client base that includes individuals, retirement plans, corporate and charitable clients, and institutional accounts. The firm offers a range of portfolio management and financial planning services through multiple program structures and has over $256 billion in assets under management.