Melanie Husk is a financial advisor at Mel Consulting Co. d/b/a Mel & Co in Chicago, IL, with 22 years of industry experience. She holds Series 63, 65, and 66 licenses and previously worked at World Equity Group and Raymond James & Associates. Mel Consulting Co. provides discretionary portfolio management and financial planning services to individuals, high-net-worth clients, and small- to mid-sized businesses. The firm employs a modern portfolio theory approach focused on passive, asset-class-based portfolios and emphasizes personalized, behavioral financial planning alongside educational programming and public speaking.

Harold Rosen is a financial advisor at Pinnacle Peak Capital Management LLC with 25 years of industry experience. He holds a Series 66 designation and has worked at H.P. Becker & Co. since 2000, while also operating as a consultant since 1999. In addition to his advisory role, he conducts part-time business and financial consulting. Pinnacle Peak Capital Management is a small, independent registered investment adviser serving individual and high-net-worth clients with discretionary asset and portfolio management. The firm focuses on equity-centered portfolios with optional equity options strategies and maintains a deliberately limited client base to allow for personalized service and portfolio adjustments.

Benjamin Gutstein is a financial advisor at White Crest Capital in Glencoe, IL, with 10 years of industry experience. He holds the Series 63 and Series 65 designations and has been with White Crest Capital since 2015. White Crest Capital provides discretionary asset management and portfolio supervision to individuals, high-net-worth clients, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, and business entities. The firm manages a broad range of securities using a combination of cyclical, fundamental, and technical analysis, tailoring advice through personalized interviews and questionnaires.

Adam Faust is the sole advisor at Deep Blue Financial LLC in Northbrook, IL, holding Series 63 and Series 66 credentials with 22 years of industry experience. He has led Deep Blue Financial since its founding in 2014. Outside of financial advising, Mr. Faust is the owner of a photography business specializing in author and wedding photography and serves on the board of directors for the Metropolis Performing Arts Centre, a nonprofit theater in Arlington Heights. Deep Blue Financial LLC provides investment advisory services to individuals, families, and related entities, focusing on portfolio management, retirement income planning, and investment consulting. The firm constructs low-cost, tax-aware portfolios primarily using diversified ETFs, incorporates loss harvesting and periodic rebalancing, and offers non-discretionary management to clients who retain trade decision authority.

Danielle Schultz is a CFP® and Series 65-licensed financial advisor with 14 years of industry experience. She is the sole advisor at Haven Financial Solutions, Inc., an independent advisory firm based in Evanston, IL. In addition to her advisory work, she devotes time to freelance writing outside of securities trading hours. Haven Financial Solutions primarily serves individual clients, offering comprehensive financial planning and investment supervisory services. The firm employs a strategic, passive investment approach focused on diversified asset allocation using indexed mutual funds and ETFs, with an emphasis on long-term buy-and-hold and periodic rebalancing. It also provides educational workshops and written financial contributions, with specialized services in divorce and college planning.

Rutvik Joglekar is the founder of DIYFi Advisors LLC and holds a Series 65 credential. He has prior experience at Econ One, where he serves as a consultant providing economic analysis and litigation support, and has worked in various roles including at Capital One and Bates White Economic Consulting. Outside of his advisory work, he manages expert reports in healthcare-related litigation as part of his consulting practice. DIYFi Advisors LLC serves individual clients, particularly recent graduates and young professionals, by providing financial planning and portfolio transition guidance through fixed-fee and hourly engagements. The firm focuses on passive, low-cost, globally diversified investment strategies and delivers advice as point-in-time planning rather than ongoing portfolio management.

Michael Stanton is a CFP® professional with 10 years of experience in financial planning. He is the sole advisor at Stanton Financial Planning, LLC, an independent firm he has led since 2015. Stanton Financial Planning, LLC offers fee-only holistic financial and tax planning services to individuals and families, focusing on comprehensive planning engagements, project retainers, and hourly consultations rather than ongoing portfolio management. The firm emphasizes disciplined asset allocation, global diversification, and tailored recommendations, operating without discretionary trading authority or custody of client assets.

James Martinelli is a financial advisor with JDN Financial LLC in Glenview, IL, holding a Series 66 designation and 17 years of industry experience. He has worked with WSP Commodity Trading, LLC since 2011 and has been an independent insurance agent since 2003, including activities involving equity indexed annuities. JDN Financial LLC provides portfolio management and financial planning services to individuals, including high-net-worth clients, as well as institutional clients such as banks, pension plans, and corporations. The firm employs a variety of analytical approaches for portfolio implementation and offers commissionable insurance products through its principal’s insurance licensure.

Stephanie Van Vlerah is a CFP® professional with 11 years of industry experience, currently serving as the sole advisor at Financial Illumination Advisors, LLC since 2021. Prior to this, she worked at Oxford Financial Group, Ltd for eight years and briefly pursued entrepreneurial activities. She serves on the boards of the Rosecrance Chicago Foundation and Rosecrance Health Network, and is the Spousal Forum Chair for YPO Chicagoland. Financial Illumination Advisors provides financial planning and outsourced CFO services to high-net-worth individuals, family entities, and private foundations. The firm focuses on personalized written plans and coordination with outside specialists, offering family office–style services without providing asset management or discretionary trading.

Evan Kakis is the principal of Kakis Financial Services Inc. in Des Plaines, IL, holding a Series 65 designation with 17 years of experience in financial advising. He has operated Evan S. Kakis Ltd since 1999, a CPA and accounting firm where he serves as president. Additionally, he is president of Payroll Solutions and Services Inc., a payroll processing company. Kakis Financial Services is an independent registered investment adviser managing discretionary portfolios primarily for individuals, families, not-for-profit organizations, and closely held businesses. The firm emphasizes risk management through customized asset allocation and ongoing portfolio adjustments, utilizing a variety of mutual funds, ETFs, and government securities.

Bekim Redzic is a financial advisor at Keystone Asset Management LLC with 14 years of industry experience. He holds a Series 65 designation and also serves as an office manager at Beta Electric, Inc., a family-owned electrical construction business. Keystone Asset Management LLC manages private investment funds for accredited and qualified investors, employing multi-strategy proprietary approaches that include fundamental research, quantitative analysis, and various instruments such as swaps, options, and credit derivatives. The firm utilizes affiliated broker-dealers for trade execution and frequently invests in sub-funds it manages.

Brian Thompson is a CFP® professional with 10 years of industry experience. He leads Brian Thompson Financial in Chicago, IL, and also prepares taxes and provides tax representation through Brian Thompson Tax LLC. Brian Thompson Financial offers financial planning and portfolio management to individuals, high-net-worth clients, and businesses. The firm employs a primarily passive investment approach with diversified, low-cost index funds and ETFs, and coordinates with outside managers when appropriate. Its services include a Comprehensive Care personal planning program and a business-focused model integrating planning, advisory, and fractional CFO support.

Daniel Borstein is a financial advisor with Boon Capital Advisors LLC in Northbrook, IL, holding Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and having 21 years of industry experience. He has been with Boon Capital Advisors since 2015. Boon Capital Advisors LLC provides discretionary portfolio management and investment advice to individuals, small businesses, and pooled investment vehicles, managing approximately $158.7 million in discretionary assets. The firm employs a range of investment strategies, including fundamental and technical analysis, options and margin trading, and uses model portfolios tailored to client suitability.

Christian Wray is a financial advisor at Hazelwood Investment Advisors LLC in Chicago, IL. He holds a Series 65 designation and has prior experience at HWCP, Hines, CA Ventures, and Grant Thornton LLP. Hazelwood Investment Advisors LLC is a small, independent firm that provides discretionary and non-discretionary portfolio management, financial planning, and consulting services to individuals, high-net-worth clients, families, and related retirement and trust accounts. The firm focuses on a long-term, growth-oriented equity strategy emphasizing large-cap and technology companies, combining fundamental, technical, and macroeconomic research.

Eric Edwards is a financial advisor with Edwards Premier Financial in Bellwood, IL, holding Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and bringing 15 years of industry experience. He previously worked at Berthel Fisher & Company Financial Services from 2013 to 2018. Outside of advisory work, he is licensed to sell fixed insurance and annuity products. Edwards Premier Financial provides portfolio management and financial planning primarily for individual investors, with occasional service to small businesses and non-profits. The firm employs a range of investment strategies from passive fixed-income to active trading and combines fundamental and technical analysis tailored to client objectives.

Siravich Krasaeath is a financial advisor at Diversey Capital, LLC in Chicago, IL, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses with 11 years of industry experience. He has been employed at Cushman & Wakefield since 2006, overlapping with his advisory career. He also maintains an active state managing broker real estate license, an unusual credential given the size of his firm. Diversey Capital provides discretionary portfolio management and financial planning services primarily to mid- to high-net-worth individuals and related entities. The firm’s investment approach focuses on matching client time horizons with diversified asset allocations and offers a proprietary absolute-return multi-strategy program under a performance-based fee arrangement.

Andrew Feldman is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ professional with 18 years of industry experience. He has operated A J Feldman Financial, LLC, an independent advisory firm based in Deerfield, IL, since 2010. Feldman holds a minority ownership interest in GemShares, LLC, an ETF development company. A J Feldman Financial, LLC provides discretionary investment management and financial planning services to individuals and various entities, including charitable organizations. The firm employs a long-term, buy-and-hold asset allocation strategy using exchange-traded funds, no-load mutual funds, stocks, and bonds, and manages approximately $112.6 million in regulatory assets across about 144 client accounts.

Matthew Furlong is the principal advisor at Furlong Investment Solutions, LLC in Chicago, IL. He holds the CFP® and CFA® designations and has 10 years of industry experience. Since 2016, he has led his independent firm, providing financial planning and investment management services. Furlong Investment Solutions, LLC is a fee-only registered investment adviser serving individuals, family trusts, estates, qualified retirement plans, and corporate clients. The firm employs a core-and-satellite strategic asset allocation approach with an emphasis on low-cost passive investments supplemented by tactical active positions, alongside integrated financial planning and retirement plan consulting under a fiduciary model.

Jonathan Seed is the sole advisor at Seed Wealth Management, Inc. in Evanston, IL, holding Series 63 and Series 66 licenses with 12 years of industry experience. He has been with Seed Wealth Management since its founding in 2014. Outside of advising, Seed is a passive investor in multiple ventures including an online retailer, a social media start-up, and a data center retail business. Seed Wealth Management primarily serves high-net-worth individuals, trusts, estates, and other investment advisers, providing discretionary, fee-based portfolio management and sub-advisory services. The firm employs a tailored investment process that incorporates individual securities, ETFs, fixed income, alternative products, and quantitative analysis, and utilizes AI tools with human oversight for data analysis and compliance.

Stanley Pillman is a financial advisor with Addison Asset Management, LLC in Chicago, IL. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has 27 years of industry experience, including roles at Addison Asset Management since 2010 and UBS Financial Services since 2004. Addison Asset Management is a single-advisor independent registered investment adviser that provides customized wealth management and portfolio management primarily for individual clients, including high-net-worth investors. The firm uses a tailored asset allocation process supported by NaviPlan Ibbotson software and manages portfolios on a non-discretionary basis, requiring client approval for trades.