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.

Joshua Schultz is a financial advisor at RBC Rochdale, LLC with 13 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has worked at CNR Securities, LLC, Hornor Townsend & Kent Inc, and Transamerica Financial Advisors. Outside of his advisory role, he is a partner and general manager of a floor coating installation franchise, Egebrecht & Schultz Enterprises, LLC, which he co-owns with his wife. RBC Rochdale serves a diverse client base including high net worth individuals, corporations, and government entities. The firm employs a multi-strategy investment process combining quantitative and fundamental analysis, and manages portfolios across various asset classes using proprietary tools and third-party sub-advisors.

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 the Series 66 and Series 63 licenses and has previously worked at firms including New York Life and Northwestern Mutual. Outside of his advisory role, he serves as a board member for the Medical Organization of Latino Advancement, a nonprofit supporting Hispanic/Latino health professionals. Mariner serves a diverse client base including individuals, pension plans, trusts, and corporations, offering investment management, financial planning, retirement consulting, and family office services. The firm employs a discretionary, customized portfolio approach supported by in-house research and third-party managers, and provides integrated tax services and financial wellness tools uncommon in large advisory enterprises.

Matthew Anderson is a financial advisor with PNC Wealth Management in Naperville, IL, holding Series 66, Series 63, and Series 65 licenses and 16 years of industry experience. He previously worked at U.S. Bancorp Investments and US Bank from 2016 to 2024. Anderson has been with PNC since 2026. PNC Wealth Management offers retail brokerage and advisory services through model-based programs, including an invitation-only digital portfolio offering that uses algorithmic risk assessment and discretionary model strategies managed by PNC or third parties.

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.

Jeff Pierson is a financial advisor with Lincoln Investment Planning, Inc. in Joliet, IL, holding Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and bringing 21 years of industry experience. He has served at Lincoln Investment since 2005 and has been a member of the Lisle-Woodridge Fire Department since 1989. Outside of his advisory work, Pierson serves on the boards of the Rialto Square Theater and the Will County 100 Club and is a member of the Joliet Rotary Club. 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 utilizing in-house strategic model portfolios, third-party managers, and a combination of wrap and non-wrap platforms.

Alicia Hyland is a financial advisor with Empower Advisory Group, holding Series 63, Series 65, and Series 66 credentials and nine years of industry experience. She previously worked at GWFS Equities Inc. and Stonegate Advisors LLC. Outside of finance, she operates a part-time bookkeeping and accounting business and works as a part-time flight attendant. Empower Advisory Group provides financial planning and investment management primarily for employer-sponsored retirement plan sponsors and participants, as well as Empower Premier IRA and retail brokerage clients. The firm emphasizes long-term portfolio returns and integrates its services with Empower’s recordkeeping and administrative platforms.

Craig Morgan is a financial advisor at Benjamin F. Edwards & Company, Inc. with 50 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and has worked at Benjamin F. Edwards since 2017, following an eight-year tenure at Stifel Nicolaus & Co. Benjamin F. Edwards & Company is an SEC-registered investment adviser and broker-dealer serving a wide range of clients including individuals, pension plans, charitable organizations, and corporations. The firm offers fee-based wrap programs, financial planning, retirement consulting, and investment management, utilizing both discretionary and non-discretionary strategies managed internally and through third-party managers.

Brady Peat is a CFP® and Series 65-registered advisor with three years of industry experience. He is currently with Integrated Wealth Concepts LLC and previously worked at Hightower Advisors, PrairieView Partners, and Googins Advisors. Integrated Wealth Concepts LLC serves individuals, high-net-worth clients, families, trusts, estates, businesses, and retirement plans through a network of independent financial advisors. The firm offers discretionary investment management, financial planning, family office, and retirement plan advisory services, employing a long-term approach with customized portfolios using mutual funds, ETFs, individual equities, and fixed income.

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.

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.

Edward Meek is a Certified Financial Planner (CFP®) with 34 years of industry experience. He is currently with Cerity Partners LLC and has previously worked at Edge Portfolio Management, LLC for 21 years and Alpha Cubed Investments, LLC for one year. He is also a licensed independent agent selling life, health, and disability insurance on a limited basis. Cerity Partners provides customized wealth management and related services to a broad national client base, including high-net-worth individuals, families, trusts, and institutional investors. The firm utilizes tailored asset allocation, manager selection, and proprietary quantitative tools to build client investment programs.

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.

Andrew Blessman is a CFP® professional with eight years of industry experience, currently serving as a financial advisor at Creative Planning since 2019. Prior to joining Creative Planning, he worked at Sebold Capital Management from 2015 to 2019. He holds the Series 66 designation and is based in Oak Brook, Illinois. Creative Planning provides investment advisory and financial planning services to a diverse client base, including individuals, corporations, foundations, trusts, and retirement plans. The firm emphasizes a financial planning–led investment process with low-cost indexing and buy-and-hold strategies, complemented by supplemental approaches such as direct indexing and tax-loss harvesting, supported by a broad team and centralized investment infrastructure.

Mark Hughes is a financial advisor with Principal Financial Services in Downers Grove, IL, holding the ChFC® designation along with Series 63 and Series 65 licenses. He has 38 years of industry experience, including roles at Hughes Financial since 2000 and positions at Principal Life Insurance Company and Principal Securities INC dating back to the late 1980s. In addition to advisory services, he is involved in selling and servicing fixed life, fixed annuities, and health insurance products through an outside insurance business. Principal Securities provides brokerage and registered investment advisory services to a diverse client base, including individual investors, retirement plans, trusts, businesses, and active-duty military personnel overseas. The firm offers financial planning, retirement consulting, and access to third-party money manager solutions through various advisory and promoter arrangements.