Michael Nicholas is an advisor with Chicago Partners Investment Group LLC, holding a Series 65 credential and beginning his financial advisory career in 2026. Prior to joining the firm, he gained experience at Autodesk and held various roles related to education and gaming studios while attending Purdue University. Chicago Partners Investment Group LLC provides investment advisory services to high-net-worth individuals, trusts, endowments, corporations, and other entities. The firm employs a long-term, diversified, asset-allocation focused approach that integrates fundamental analysis with quantitative methods, offering services including financial planning, portfolio management, and family office consulting.

Brian Vandenheuvel is a financial advisor with Zacks Investment Management, Inc. in Chicago, IL, holding Series 66 and Series 65 credentials and 11 years of industry experience. He has been with Zacks Investment Management since 2013. Zacks Investment Management, Inc. provides discretionary investment management to individuals, trusts, estates, retirement plans, pooled vehicles, and institutional clients. The firm combines proprietary quantitative models with qualitative portfolio management across various strategies and offers retail wealth management, alternative investments, and model portfolios through multiple platform types.

Jesse Golik Meineke is a financial advisor with The Mather Group, LLC in Chicago, IL, holding a Series 65 credential and two years of industry experience. He previously worked at Trinity Financial Advisors and Integra Financial Advisory. The Mather Group primarily serves high-net-worth individuals, family offices, trusts, corporations, and other entities, offering integrated financial planning, investment management, tax and estate planning, and family office services. The firm employs an evidence-based investment approach with multiple risk-based allocation models and customization options, combining technology tools with human oversight.

James Begley is a financial advisor at Zacks Investment Management, Inc. with two years of industry experience. He holds a Series 65 credential and has worked at Zacks Investment Management since 2022. In addition to his advisory role, Begley is involved in real estate as a broker and manager with Exclusive Realtors. Zacks Investment Management provides discretionary portfolio management to a diverse client base, including individuals, trusts, retirement plans, and institutional investors. The firm uses proprietary quantitative and qualitative models centered on earnings-estimate revisions and serves both direct clients and third-party advisers through a broad range of investment vehicles and strategies.

Matthew Spokas is a financial advisor at Forum Financial Management, LP with three years of industry experience. He holds a Series 65 designation and has been associated with Forum Financial Management since 2019. Outside of his advisory role, he is the principal of Spokas & Associates CPAs LLC, a firm he has been involved with since 2011. Forum Financial Management, LP provides investment advisory and related services to individuals, retirement plan sponsors, charitable organizations, and other institutional clients. The firm utilizes model asset-allocation portfolios based on Modern Portfolio Theory, primarily implementing those models through institutional mutual funds, ETFs, and selectively incorporates private investment vehicles and outside managers.

Sophia Bernardi is a financial advisor at Centennial Securities Company, Inc. with a Series 66 credential and one year of industry experience. Prior to joining Centennial, she worked at Conagra Brands for three years and Walgreens Co for three years. She also has a four-year academic background from Indiana University. Centennial Securities Company, Inc. provides discretionary and non-discretionary investment management, financial planning, and consulting services to a diverse client base including individuals, high-net-worth clients, corporate pension and profit-sharing plans, trusts, estates, foundations, endowments, and other business entities. The firm’s investment advice is delivered through its representatives, employing a range of strategies tailored to client objectives.

Christopher Gongola is a financial advisor with IHT Wealth Management LLC based in Chicago, IL. He holds a Series 66 designation and has 23 years of industry experience, including prior roles at LPL Financial and Wunderlich Securities. Gongola is also involved with investment-related activities at United Healthcare and Blue Cross Blue Shield of Illinois. IHT Wealth Management serves individuals, corporate and institutional clients, and retirement plan sponsors, providing discretionary asset management, financial planning, ERISA plan consulting, outsourced CIO arrangements, and access to third-party managers. The firm employs a combined investment process of fundamental value screening, quantitative optimization, and periodic rebalancing, utilizing proprietary models and discretionary mandates tailored to client objectives.

Ryan Evans is a CFP® and ChFC® with 21 years of industry experience. He is currently an advisor at Merit Financial Advisors and PKS Investments, having previously worked at Blueprint Wealth Advisors, LLC and Commonwealth Financial Network. Outside of his advisory roles, he owns George St. Securities, an operating LLC involved in business support activities. Merit Financial Group, LLC is an SEC-registered advisory firm managing approximately $10.6 billion in assets and serving a diverse client base that includes individuals, corporate clients, retirement plan sponsors, and charitable organizations. The firm employs a long-term, diversified investment approach through customizable model portfolios and offers specialized services such as independent fiduciary and ESOP trustee work.

Andrea Diltz is a financial advisor at Ritholtz Wealth Management with Series 65 credentials and two years of industry experience. Prior to joining Ritholtz in 2024, she worked for CG Financial Services and spent five years in secondary education. Ritholtz Wealth Management serves individual and institutional clients, including high-net-worth individuals and retirement plans, offering portfolio management, financial planning, and retirement consulting. The firm employs a goal-based investment approach that emphasizes asset allocation and behavioral finance, utilizing diversified low-cost ETFs alongside tactical overlays and alternative investments.

Mitchell Despinich is a financial advisor at Private Client Services, LLC with 26 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has worked at Private Client Services since 2010. Prior to that, he was with Nationwide Securities, LLC and 1717 Capital Management Company. He also sells insurance products including life, disability, long-term care, and health coverage through his financial services practice. Private Client Services is an independent investment adviser serving individuals, families, trusts, pension plan sponsors, corporations, and charitable organizations. The firm employs a discovery-driven process focused on risk profiling and tailored platform selection, offering a range of advisory services through multiple investment platforms.

Bailey Yablonsky is a financial advisor at The Mather Group, LLC with one year of industry experience. He holds a Series 65 designation and has previously worked at Boston Scientific, Optum, Collins Aerospace, and several other organizations. The Mather Group serves high-net-worth individuals, family offices, trusts, corporations, and other entities by providing financial planning, investment management, tax and estate planning guidance, and family office services. The firm employs an evidence-based investment approach with customizable portfolio options and integrates AI and machine-learning tools alongside human oversight.

Kevin Antosz is a financial advisor with Zacks Investment Management, Inc. in Chicago, IL, holding a Series 66 designation and eight years of industry experience. His work history includes roles at LBMZ Securities Inc, Edward Jones, Pittsburgh Field Club, and Miami University. Zacks Investment Management provides discretionary investment management to individuals, trusts, retirement plans, and institutional clients, offering a range of strategies that combine proprietary quantitative models with qualitative management. The firm also manages mutual funds and ETFs and distributes its strategies through various wrap-fee and unified managed account programs.

David Anderson is a Series 65 licensed advisor at Financial & Tax Architects, LLC with one year of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at Butler Brothers, Wolverine Trading, UMB Bank, and State Street. Outside of his advisory work, he provides security services for the Chicago Cubs. Financial & Tax Architects offers discretionary portfolio management and financial planning primarily for individual and high-net-worth clients, focusing on those nearing or in retirement. The firm employs proprietary investment strategies utilizing ETFs, individual securities, and trend-aware rebalancing, with most client relationships managed on a discretionary basis.

Benjamin Sevcik is a CFP® and PFS™ with 11 years of industry experience, currently serving as an advisor at Forum Financial Management, LP since 2014. He is also a partner at Forum Tax and Accounting Services LLC, where he provides accounting and tax preparation services. Forum Financial Management, LP offers fee-based wealth management, financial planning, and qualified plan services to individual and institutional clients, while also acting as a sub-advisor and turnkey asset management platform for other independent RIAs. The firm employs a Modern Portfolio Theory approach, primarily using DFA institutional mutual funds and ETFs, and manages approximately $9 billion in assets.

Eric Maddix is a financial advisor at Chicago Capital, LLC with 26 years of industry experience. He holds the Series 63 and Series 65 designations and has worked at Chicago Capital since 2018, following a 19-year tenure at William Blair & Company, L.L.C. Chicago Capital provides discretionary investment management, financial planning, and related consulting services to individuals, high-net-worth clients, families, foundations, registered investment advisers, and corporations. The firm is an active manager combining fundamental and technical research to build individualized portfolios across a broad range of asset classes, while overseeing over $4.8 billion in client assets with a relatively small team of 11 advisors.

Adam Bernthal is a CFP® and holds a Series 65 license with 12 years of industry experience. He has been with Plante Moran Financial Advisors in Chicago since 2014. Plante Moran Financial Advisors provides investment advisory, financial planning, and estate planning services to a diverse client base, including individual households, institutional clients, and sovereign wealth funds. The firm employs a blend of fundamental, technical, and cyclical analysis alongside a proprietary market valuation model and primarily manages assets on a non-discretionary basis.

Michelle Weindruch is a CFP® professional with 15 years of experience in the financial advisory industry. She has been with Forum Financial Management, LP since 2012 and previously worked at Pinnacle Wealth Management, LLC and PURSHE KAPLAN STERLING INVESTMENTS, Inc. She holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses. Forum Financial Management, LP provides investment advisory and related services to individuals, retirement plan sponsors, charitable organizations, and institutional clients. The firm uses model asset-allocation portfolios based on Modern Portfolio Theory and offers a range of portfolio management and advisory services, including sub-advisory and back-office support for independent advisors and RIAs.

Jeffrey Jones is a financial advisor at McAdam LLC in Chicago, holding a Series 65 designation with four years of industry experience. Before joining McAdam in 2022, he worked at Trimedx from 2017 to 2022 and at IUPUI from 2015 to 2017. McAdam LLC is an enterprise-scale registered investment adviser serving individuals, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, corporations, and retirement plans. The firm employs fundamental analysis to manage portfolios using mutual funds, ETFs, independent managers, and individual securities, offering a range of traditional and alternative investment strategies tailored to client objectives.

Daniel Toledo is a CFP®, CFA®, and Series 66-registered advisor with 12 years of industry experience. He has worked at Chicago Partners Investment Group LLC since 2013 and was previously with Retirewise CFP from 2022 to 2023. Chicago Partners Investment Group LLC serves a diverse client base including individuals, trusts, endowments, corporations, and not-for-profit plans. The firm employs a long-term, diversified investment strategy using fundamental analysis and offers customized portfolio management, financial planning, retirement plan services, and family-office reporting.

David Gross is a financial advisor with Jefferies Investment Advisers LLC in Chicago, IL, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and over 40 years of industry experience. He has been with Jefferies & Company, Inc. since 2011. Jefferies Investment Advisers LLC provides fee-based financial planning services to a diverse client base, including individuals, trusts, estates, and charitable organizations, using a customized, collaborative process supported by third-party planning software and probability-based outcome analysis.