Donald Bechter is a CFA® charterholder and Series 63 licensee with 14 years of industry experience. He is currently with Curi Capital, LLC and has worked at RMB Capital Management since 2011. Outside of his advisory role, he is an investor in several private equity and real estate loan funds. Curi Capital provides wealth management, investment management, retirement plan consulting, family office services, and specialized offerings for early-career medical professionals. The firm serves individual, high-net-worth, and institutional clients using a long-term, fundamentally driven investment approach across a range of strategies and vehicles.

Evan Kasal is a financial advisor at FourStar Wealth Advisors, LLC in Chicago, IL, holding a Series 65 credential. He has experience working in various roles since 2015, including positions at NielsenIQ and Billtrust, and joined FourStar Wealth Advisors in 2024. FourStar Wealth Advisors serves a diverse client base, including individuals, high-net-worth clients, pension and profit-sharing plans, trusts, estates, and charitable organizations. The firm employs a combination of fundamental and technical analysis to manage assets across various investment vehicles, tailoring portfolios to client risk tolerances and objectives.

Kenneth Valentino is a financial advisor at World Equity Group, Inc. with 24 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has been associated with Patriot Capital Services, Inc. and Patriot Capital Management, Inc. since 2004. Outside his advisory role, he is involved in residential mortgage origination and serves as vice president of business development for a water filtration company. He also owns and manages an outdoor marijuana growing business in Michigan. World Equity Group, Inc. provides fee-based investment advisory and financial planning services to a diverse client base, including individuals, pension plans, trusts, and corporations. The firm offers managed portfolios mainly through wrap-fee programs and employs a risk-tolerance questionnaire to guide asset allocation, with discretionary management granted to third-party money managers and investment adviser representatives.

Jason Johnson is a financial advisor with LaSalle St. Investment Advisors, L.L.C., holding a Series 66 credential and 18 years of industry experience. His prior work includes roles at Wells Fargo and Northwestern Mutual. Outside of his advisory work, he serves as Deputy Commissioner for USA Softball of Nevada and is involved as an assistant high school softball coach and part-time substitute teacher. LaSalle St. Investment Advisors provides personalized, fee-based financial planning and investment supervisory services to individuals, trusts, pension plans, charitable organizations, and small businesses. The firm offers both non-discretionary and discretionary management programs, utilizing asset-allocation models and a range of investment vehicles, with a notable emphasis on non-discretionary assets.

Mark Harmon is a financial advisor at FourStar Wealth Advisors, LLC with 29 years of industry experience. He holds a Series 65 designation and has worked at FourStar since 2016. Prior to that, he was with Kingsview Wealth Management, LLC and Everett Wealth Solutions, Inc. Outside of his advisory role, Harmon is also an independent insurance agent, focusing on life insurance sales to complement overall financial planning. FourStar Wealth Advisors serves a diverse client base including individuals, high-net-worth clients, pension and profit-sharing plans, trusts, and charitable organizations. The firm uses a combination of fundamental and technical analysis to tailor portfolios across various asset classes while providing financial planning, investment management, and retirement plan consulting.

Thomas Clark is a financial advisor at Merit Financial Advisors with two years of industry experience. He holds a Series 66 designation and has worked at firms including Commonwealth Financial Network, Blueprint Wealth Advisors, Charles Schwab Investment Management, and Jackson National Asset Management. Merit Financial Advisors is a multi-team registered investment adviser with 264 advisors serving around 20,040 clients across 66 offices and managing approximately $23.9 billion in client assets. The firm offers coordinated wealth-management services and employs a long-term, diversified investment approach using centrally managed sleeves and standard model allocations overseen by an internal Investment Management team.

Edilberto Ortiz is a financial advisor with IHT Wealth Management LLC in Chicago, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and bringing 39 years of industry experience. He previously worked at LPL Financial for 15 years and was a partner at E.C. Ortiz & Co. LLP, where he provided accounting and auditing services. Ortiz continues to maintain a role at E.C. Ortiz & Co. LLP as a CPA and tax preparer. IHT Wealth Management serves individuals, corporations, and institutional clients, offering discretionary asset management, financial planning, ERISA plan consulting, outsourced CIO services, and access to third-party managers. The firm’s approach combines fundamental value screening with quantitative optimization and employs strategies such as tax-lot harvesting and covered-call options.

Byron Mandell is a CFP® and holds a Series 65 license, currently serving as a financial advisor at Chicago Partners Investment Group LLC with seven years of industry experience. He has been with Chicago Partners since 2017 and also has a teaching role at Loyola University Chicago. Chicago Partners Investment Group LLC provides investment advisory services to high-net-worth individuals, trusts, nonprofit plans, endowments, corporations, and other entities. The firm employs a long-term, diversified, asset-allocation investment approach that utilizes fundamental analysis and quantitative optimization across various asset classes, including mutual funds, ETFs, and alternative strategies.

Terry Mccaffrey is a financial advisor at VestGen Advisors, LLC with 18 years of industry experience. He holds a Series 66 designation and previously worked at Optimum Investment Advisors and Banc Of America Investment Services, Inc. He is a co-founder and member of VestGen Wealth Partners Holdings, LLC, a financial services holding company based in Chicago. VestGen Advisors, LLC provides investment management, financial planning, and retirement plan services to individuals, high-net-worth clients, small businesses, trusts, and pooled investment vehicles. The firm integrates advisor-level client relationships with centralized portfolio construction and serves a diverse client base including other investment advisers, banking institutions, and government entities.

Manish Jain is a financial advisor at Zacks Investment Management, Inc. in Chicago, IL, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses with 20 years of industry experience. He has been with Zacks Investment Management since 2007. Zacks Investment Management provides discretionary portfolio management to a diverse client base including individuals, trusts, retirement plans, and institutional investors. The firm employs a proprietary stock-ranking approach centered on earnings-estimate revisions and offers a wide range of strategies and investment vehicles, operating across retail, institutional, and third-party distribution channels.

Patrick Wade is a CFA® charterholder with seven years of industry experience. He has worked at Chicago Partners Investment Group LLC since 2019 and previously was employed at Wintrust Financial Corp. from 2017 to 2019. Chicago Partners Investment Group LLC provides investment advisory services to high-net-worth individuals, trusts, not-for-profit plans, endowments, corporations, and other business entities. The firm employs a long-term, diversified, asset-allocation approach incorporating fundamental analysis and quantitative optimization across a range of investment vehicles.

Gary Costarella is a financial advisor with Nations Financial Group, Inc. in Chicago, IL, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and bringing 40 years of industry experience. Prior to joining Nations Financial Group in 2025, he worked for Wells Fargo Advisors Financial Network LLC for 16 years. He is also the owner of C & R Capital Management, through which he provides investment and advisory services. Nations Financial Group, Inc. offers investment advisory services to a diverse client base, including individuals, high-net-worth investors, pension plans, trusts, and charitable organizations. The firm’s investment approach combines proprietary model portfolios with the option to select outside managers, tailoring strategies to client objectives, risk tolerance, and liquidity needs.

George Fludas is a financial advisor at Zacks Investment Management, Inc. in Chicago, IL, holding a Series 65 credential with three years of industry experience. He co-founded Esygma Inc., a digital marketing and web development firm supporting small businesses, though he is no longer actively involved in its operations. Prior to joining Zacks in 2022, his work history includes roles outside the financial industry. Zacks Investment Management provides discretionary investment management to individuals, trusts, estates, retirement plans, pooled investment vehicles, and institutional clients. The firm employs proprietary quantitative models combined with qualitative portfolio management across diverse strategies and manages affiliated mutual funds and ETFs, distributing strategies through various wrap-fee and unified managed account programs.

Benjamin Wozniak is a financial advisor at The Mather Group, LLC in Chicago, IL, holding a Series 65 credential. He has one year of experience in the industry, including time spent at The Mather Group and prior roles outside finance such as Benoot Pressure Washing and Poplar Creek Country Club. The Mather Group serves high-net-worth individuals, family offices, trusts, corporations, and other entities with combined financial planning, investment management, tax and estate planning guidance, and family office services. The firm employs an evidence-based investment approach with risk-based allocation models and offers customized strategies including direct indexing and ESG portfolios.

Grant Luebe is a financial advisor at LaSalle St. Investment Advisors, L.L.C. in Elmhurst, IL, with eight years of industry experience. He previously worked at Heartland Investment Associates and Cedar Rapids Bank & Trust. Luebe serves as a board member of the Birkey Investment Fund, teaching investment topics to students, and participates in finance committees for Wellington Heights Community Church and Heritage Area Agency. He is also involved with Junior Achievement of Eastern Iowa. LaSalle St. Investment Advisors provides personalized, fee-based financial planning and investment supervisory services to individuals, trusts, pension plans, charitable organizations, and small businesses. The firm offers both non-discretionary and discretionary investment approaches, managing a substantial majority of assets on a non-discretionary basis.

Liza Blundell is a financial advisor with Jefferies Investment Advisers LLC, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and bringing 30 years of industry experience. She has worked at Jefferies LLC since 2013. Jefferies Investment Advisers LLC provides fee-based financial planning services to a broad range of clients including individuals, trusts, estates, and corporations. The firm employs a customized, collaborative planning process supported by financial planning software and scenario analysis, focusing on comprehensive planning topics without offering security-specific investment recommendations.

Liam Duffy is a financial advisor at FourStar Wealth Advisors, LLC with a Series 65 designation and three years of industry experience. His prior work includes roles at John B. Sanfilippo And Son, Lifetime Fitness, and Joe's Brewery. FourStar Wealth Advisors serves a diverse client base including individuals, pension and profit-sharing plans, trusts, estates, and business entities. The firm combines fundamental and technical analysis to tailor portfolios across a variety of investment vehicles, providing financial planning, investment management, and retirement plan consulting.

Charles Garrido is a financial advisor with A.G.P. / Alliance Global Partners in Chicago, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and bringing 43 years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at McDonald Partners LLC, Sanctuary Securities, Inc., and KeyBanc Capital Markets Inc. Outside of advising, he serves as president of the FAF Foundation, a charitable organization, and holds board and finance committee roles with RAICES, a nonprofit focused on asylum and migrant advocacy. He is also working on authoring two books, one about his Cuban upbringing and another on financial strategies. A.G.P. / Alliance Global Partners is a dually registered investment adviser and broker-dealer serving individual clients, retirement plans, and institutional vehicles through a multi-team platform. The firm emphasizes international investing and offers a range of portfolio management, financial planning, and brokerage services.

Nicole Polanco is a CFP® with nine years of industry experience, currently serving at Chicago Partners Investment Group LLC since 2015. She holds a Series 65 license and works from Chicago, IL. Chicago Partners Investment Group LLC provides investment advisory services to high-net-worth individuals, trusts, not-for-profit plans, endowments, corporations, and other business entities, offering family office, trustee, and retirement-plan consulting services. The firm employs a long-term, diversified, asset-allocation approach combining fundamental analysis with quantitative optimization across various investment strategies, including mutual funds, ETFs, direct indexing, and fixed income.

Herman Tkach is a CFP® professional at Soltis Investment Advisors, LLC with 19 years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at Mercer Global Advisors, U.S. Bancorp Investments, U.S. Bank, and TIAA-CREF. He serves on the board of his condominium association and is a board member and endowments committee member of the Jewish United Fund of Metropolitan Chicago’s Russian Speaking Jewish Division. Soltis Investment Advisors provides discretionary investment management, financial planning, and pension consulting to individuals, institutions, trusts, endowments, and retirement plans, managing approximately $13 billion in assets. The firm employs a Modern Portfolio Theory-based approach that integrates quantitative screening and qualitative manager due diligence and emphasizes ongoing client communication through regular reviews and market commentary.