Brian Ellerman is a financial advisor with Principal Financial Services in Downers Grove, IL, holding Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and bringing 33 years of industry experience. He has been with Principal Securities and Principal Life Insurance Co since 2015. Ellerman serves on the board of the Kenilworth Community Fund, a nonprofit that raises donations for local community organizations. Principal Securities provides brokerage and registered investment advisory services to a diverse client base, including individuals, retirement plans, trusts, and charitable organizations. The firm offers financial planning, retirement plan consulting, and access to third-party money manager programs under both adviser and promoter arrangements.

Benjamin Welch is a financial advisor with Lincoln Investment in Lombard, IL, holding Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and 19 years of industry experience. His prior experience includes roles at LPL Financial, J. McGovern and Associates, Lincoln Investment Planning, and Merrill. Outside of his advisory work, he serves as a Boys U5 Division Coordinator and board member for AYSO 300, a youth soccer organization. Lincoln Investment Planning, LLC is a large enterprise advisory and broker-dealer serving a broad client base, including individuals, high-net-worth investors, trusts, charities, and retirement plans. The firm combines advisor-led consulting with model portfolios developed by an in-house investment management team and offers both discretionary and non-discretionary services across various platforms.

Jorge Seda Rivera is a financial advisor with Principal Financial Services, holding a CFP® designation and 26 years of industry experience. He has worked at Principal Securities Inc and Principal Life Insurance Company since 2020, following prior roles at The Huntington Investment Company and PNC Investments. Outside of financial advising, he manages behavioral health practice management businesses, providing administrative and consulting support. Principal Securities offers brokerage and registered investment advisory services to a diverse client base including individual investors, retirement plans, trusts, and charitable organizations. The firm’s advisory services emphasize direct advisory programs, financial planning, and access to third-party money manager solutions, with investment implementation generally carried out on a discretionary basis by these managers.

Daniyal Ahmed is a CFP® professional with nine years of industry experience. He is currently with Cetera Planning Partners and has previously worked at firms including Avantax Planning Partners, Avantax Insurance Services, and Honkamp Krueger Financial Services. His background includes roles in financial planning and client advisory services. Cetera Planning Partners serves individual and high-net-worth clients, particularly pre-retirees and retirees, offering investment management, comprehensive financial planning, Social Security optimization, and retirement-related advice. The firm provides a diversified investment approach using mutual funds and ETFs aligned with client objectives and risk tolerance, supported by a range of ancillary services such as tax planning, bookkeeping, payroll support, and estate-planning solutions.

Nikola Plavsic is a financial advisor at Principal Financial Services with Series 66 and Series 63 licenses and two years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at J.P. Morgan Securities LLC, JP Morgan Chase Bank, and LPL Enterprise LLC. Principal Securities provides brokerage and registered investment advisory services to a diverse client base, including individual investors, retirement plans, trusts, and charitable organizations. 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.

Russell Game is a financial advisor with Brookstone Capital Management LLC, holding a ChFC® designation and Series 63 and 66 licenses, with 36 years of industry experience. He has worked at Brookstone since 2017 and previously spent time with Center Street Advisors and Center Street, as well as owning and operating Game & Associates Financial Services, Inc. Outside of his advisory work, he is the owner and president of Game & Associates Financial Services, which sells insurance products including fixed annuities. Brookstone Capital Management provides fee-based asset management and financial planning to individuals, retirement plans, corporations, trusts, and other entities. The firm utilizes strategic and dynamic asset-allocation models alongside a diversified mix of investment vehicles and serves both as a primary advisor and sub-advisor through its turnkey platform.

Maureen Zygler is a financial advisor with Voya Financial Advisors, Inc., holding Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and nine years of industry experience. Her prior roles include positions at Mutual of Omaha Insurance Company and Mutual of Omaha Investor Services. She also has experience in the hospitality sector, having worked at Kona Grill and Uncle Julio's Restaurant. Voya Financial Advisors, Inc. is an enterprise-scale advisory and broker-dealer affiliate of Voya Financial serving individuals, pension plans, charitable organizations, and corporate clients. The firm offers financial planning, portfolio management, unified managed accounts, and retirement advisory services through a large network of investment adviser representatives and a range of affiliated and unaffiliated investment products.

Bryan Brooks is a financial advisor at TIAA-CREF with 17 years of industry experience. He holds a Series 66 designation and has held roles at firms including Charles Schwab, Fidelity, Nuveen, and TIAA. TIAA-CREF Individual & Institutional Services, LLC’s Advice & Planning Services division offers financial planning and discretionary managed account programs to individuals, trusts, estates, and small retirement plans, often serving clients with existing TIAA-administered employer retirement plan relationships. The firm provides both point-in-time planning and ongoing portfolio management services, acting as adviser to a donor-advised fund and operating within a vertically integrated structure that includes affiliated funds.

Eric Walania is a CFA® charterholder with 27 years of industry experience. He has been with William Blair And Company, L.L.C. since 2004. He holds a Series 63 designation and is based in Western Springs, IL. William Blair’s Private Wealth Management division provides investment management, financial planning, and wealth services to individuals, foundations, pension, and corporate clients. The firm emphasizes active, research-driven management across multiple asset classes and offers proprietary models as well as access to private funds and co-investment opportunities.

Samuel Awad is a CFP® professional with nine years of experience in financial advising. He has worked at Integrated Wealth Concepts LLC since 2026, following six years at HighTower Advisors LLC and four years at Private Vista, LLC. Outside of financial advising, he provides operational and IT consulting and executive coaching, assisting with strategic IT programs and coaching high-potential executives. Integrated Wealth Concepts LLC serves individuals, families, trusts, 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 primarily long-term investment approach with customized portfolios and a variety of model and wrap-fee program options.

Joseph Florina is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ professional with seven years of industry experience. He is currently with Brookstone Capital Management LLC and Wealth Financial Services & Tax Advisory. His prior experience includes roles at Interactive Brokers, First American Bank, and Mass Mutual Investors Services. Brookstone Capital Management provides fee-based asset management and financial planning services to a diverse client base, including individuals, retirement plans, corporations, and trusts. The firm utilizes strategic and dynamic asset-allocation models, a turnkey asset management platform, and a range of investment strategies including ETFs, mutual funds, and options-enhanced approaches.

David Kohlmeyer is a CFP® professional with 34 years of industry experience. He is currently with Benjamin F. Edwards & Company, Inc., where he has worked since 2018. His prior experience includes roles at Stifel Nicolaus & Co Inc, Wells Fargo Clearing, and A. G. Edwards & Sons, Inc. He serves as treasurer for the Wheaton Academy Foundation in a volunteer capacity. Benjamin F. Edwards & Company is an integrated broker-dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser serving individuals, high-net-worth clients, pension and profit-sharing plans, charitable organizations, and corporate clients through a network of more than 500 advisors. The firm offers a range of advisory and brokerage services, including proprietary and third-party investment strategies with discretionary and non-discretionary managed solutions.

James Wilkins is a financial advisor with Stratos Wealth Partners, Ltd., holding Series 63 and Series 66 credentials and having 34 years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at LPL Financial LLC, OSAIC, Securities America Advisors, and National Planning Corporation. Wilkins also works as a wealth advisor specializing in variable annuities. Stratos Wealth Partners, Ltd. is an SEC-registered enterprise 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—offering investment management and financial planning through a network of affiliated and independent advisers using an open-architecture model with multiple third-party platforms.

Nader Maalouf is a financial advisor at Citigroup Global Markets with Series 66 and Series 63 licenses and three years of industry experience. His prior work includes roles at Citibank, Uber, J.P. Morgan Securities, and AXA Advisors. Citigroup Global Markets serves individual and institutional clients across various wealth segments, offering a range of investment advisory programs, broker-dealer execution, and custody services. The firm employs multi-asset, multi-manager strategies through discretionary and non-discretionary programs, leveraging both internal oversight and external partnerships to manage client portfolios.

Michael Krucek is a financial advisor at SPC with 34 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 designations and has been with SPC since 2011. Krucek also has a long tenure at Sigma Financial Corporation beginning in 2004. In addition to advisory work, he sells insurance products including life, health, disability, and long-term care insurance. SPC serves a diverse client base including individuals, charitable organizations, corporations, and employer-sponsored retirement plans, managing approximately $5.66 billion in assets. The firm offers portfolio management, financial planning, and ERISA-related retirement plan services, delivering both discretionary and nondiscretionary solutions tailored to client needs.

Trenton Grens is a financial advisor at Brookstone Capital Management LLC with 20 years of industry experience. He holds the Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has worked previously at AssetMark Brokerage, Northern Lights Distributors, and Astor Investment Management. Brookstone Capital Management provides fee-based asset management and financial planning to a diverse client base including individuals, retirement plans, corporations, and trusts. The firm utilizes strategic and dynamic asset-allocation models, a range of investment vehicles, and serves as both an investment advisor and sub-advisor through its turnkey asset management platform.

Daniel Sommers is a Certified Financial Planner® with 26 years of experience in the financial services industry. He has been with Kestra Advisory since 2016 and has a long tenure at Kestra Investment Services, LLC, as well as Freiburger Financial Group. Outside of his advisory work, he serves as director of an education loan trust established by his family to assist grandchildren with secondary education funding and acts as a trustee for a 401(k) plan. Kestra Advisory Services provides investment advisory and retirement-plan consulting to plan sponsors and a diverse range of institutional and individual clients. The firm offers services including fiduciary consulting, plan design, employee education, and access to multiple management platforms, serving large institutional investors and specialized clients such as sovereign wealth funds.

Andrew Doten is a CFP® and Series 66 credentialed financial advisor at William Blair with eight years of industry experience. Prior to joining William Blair in 2025, he worked at Fiducient Advisors, Brownson, Rehmus & Foxworth, Urban Financial Advisory, and Vivaldi Capital Management. William Blair’s Private Wealth Management division offers discretionary and non-discretionary investment management, financial planning, and wealth services to individuals, foundations, pension, and corporate clients. The firm employs active, research-driven management across multiple asset classes and provides proprietary models and access to private funds and co-investment opportunities.

Patricia Reilly is a financial advisor at William Blair with 30 years of industry experience. She has been with William Blair & Company L.L.C. since 1989. She holds Series 63 and Series 65 designations. William Blair’s Private Wealth Management division offers discretionary and non-discretionary investment management, financial planning, and wealth services to individuals, foundations, pension, and corporate clients. The firm uses active, research-driven management across equities, fixed income, and alternative strategies, providing proprietary models and access to private funds and co-investment opportunities.

Drew Mullarkey is a financial advisor at Mariner with five years of industry experience. He holds a Series 66 designation and has worked previously at Capital Group Companies - American Funds, DoorDash, Morgan Stanley, and Valeo Financial Advisors. Mariner serves a broad range of clients including individuals, pension plans, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, corporations, and private funds, offering investment management, financial planning, retirement plan consulting, and coordinated tax and family office services. The firm employs discretionary, customized portfolios that combine in-house research with third-party managers and provides specialized tax integration and financial wellness solutions.