Shawn Wears is a financial advisor with Capital Analysts, holding the CFP® designation and Series 63 and 66 licenses, and has 19 years of industry experience. He has worked at Lincoln Investment since 2014, with prior roles at Cambridge Investment Research Advisors, Guggenheim Investments, and Rydex Advisory Services. Outside of his advisory work, he is the president of Wears Financial Corp and serves as financial secretary for the McWhinney Benevolent Association. Capital Analysts provides portfolio management and retirement-plan advice to a diverse client base including individual and high-net-worth investors, trusts, foundations, businesses, and charitable organizations. The firm employs both discretionary and non-discretionary investment management strategies and offers access to third-party managers through a nationwide network of independent advisors.

Seamus Kelly is a financial advisor with Chicago Partners Investment Group LLC, holding a Series 65 designation and beginning his industry career in 2024. Prior to joining Chicago Partners in 2025, he worked at UBS and has academic experience from the University of Chicago. Chicago Partners Investment Group serves a diverse client base, including individuals, trusts, endowments, corporations, and nonprofit plans. The firm employs a long-term, diversified investment approach with customized portfolios, utilizing fundamental analysis and strategies such as direct indexing and tax-loss harvesting.

Robert Mortimer is a CFP® with 49 years of industry experience, currently serving as a financial advisor at B. Riley Wealth Advisors, Inc. since 2022 and with B. Riley Wealth Management since 2010. He is based in Chicago, IL. Outside of his advisory role, he serves as Treasurer for a family-owned nonprofit corporation that manages a vacation property. B. Riley Wealth Advisors, Inc. is an SEC-registered firm managing approximately $7.03 billion in client assets through 274 advisors. The firm provides a range of services including advisory programs, financial planning, and retirement solutions to individuals, high-net-worth clients, charitable organizations, corporations, and retirement plans.

Barry Link is a financial advisor with World Equity Group, Inc. in Schaumburg, IL, holding a Series 63 designation and 48 years of industry experience. He has worked at World Equity Group since 2001 and operates Link Diversified Services, which he started in 1982. Outside of advising, he is involved as an independent contractor with Abacus Life Settlements, assisting with policy evaluations and transactions for senior clients. World Equity Group, Inc. provides fee-based investment advisory and financial planning services to a range of clients, including individuals, pension plans, trusts, and charitable organizations. The firm offers managed portfolios through its Adhesion Money Management wrap-fee program and utilizes third-party managers to implement asset allocation models based on client risk tolerance.

Paul Mangiardi is a financial advisor at Zacks Investment Management, Inc. in Chicago, IL, with 19 years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at LBMZ Securities, IHT Wealth Management, and Charles Schwab. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 designations. Zacks Investment Management provides discretionary investment management to individuals, trusts, estates, retirement plans, and institutional clients. The firm combines proprietary quantitative models with qualitative portfolio management and offers a variety of strategies through its own and third-party wrap-fee and unified managed account programs.

Ben Petrie is a financial advisor at The Mather Group, LLC in Chicago, IL, with two years of industry experience. He holds a Series 65 designation and has been with The Mather Group since 2022. Prior to his current role, his work experience includes positions outside the financial industry. The Mather Group primarily 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 utilizes an evidence-based investment approach with risk-based allocation models and offers customizable portfolio options, including ESG portfolios and liability-matching bond ladders.

Marc Lawrence is a Series 65-registered financial advisor with three years of industry experience. He currently works at FourStar Wealth Advisors, LLC in Chicago, IL. His prior experience includes roles at Merino Wealth Management, State Farm agencies, Rosen Harwood, Citizens Bank of Fayette, and the University of Alabama. FourStar Wealth Advisors serves a diverse client base, including individuals, high-net-worth clients, pension and profit-sharing plans, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, corporations, and other business entities. The firm offers financial planning, investment management, and retirement plan consulting, employing both fundamental and technical analysis to tailor portfolios across various asset classes.

Bradley Shaps is a financial advisor with Alera Investment Advisors, LLC, holding a Series 66 credential and bringing 22 years of industry experience. His career includes roles at Securian Financial Services, Minnesota Life Insurance Company, Triad Advisors, and GCG Financial. He serves on the board of trustees and the fundraising committee at Congregation Beth Shalom and is currently the vice president of fundraising there. Alera Investment Advisors provides investment management, financial planning, and retirement plan advisory services to individuals, families, businesses, and institutions. The firm employs a diversified investment approach utilizing internal management, affiliate platforms, and independent managers, with a focus on long-term fundamental analysis and offers comprehensive ERISA-related services for retirement plans.

Ian Crowley is a financial advisor at IHT Wealth Management LLC with two years of industry experience. He holds the Series 66 designation and has previously worked at LPL Financial and PKF Mueller. IHT Wealth Management serves individuals, corporate and institutional clients, and retirement plan sponsors by providing discretionary asset management, financial planning, ERISA plan consulting, and outsourced CIO services. The firm’s investment approach combines fundamental value screening, quantitative optimization, and periodic rebalancing, with access to proprietary model portfolios, third-party managers, and discretionary mandates.

Jaclyn Garcia is a CFP® with 10 years of industry experience and has been with JMG Financial Group Ltd since 2015. She serves as a manager of Glass Pumpkin Vineyard, LLC, a vineyard business unrelated to investments. JMG Financial Group Ltd provides comprehensive wealth and portfolio management to individuals, trusts, retirement plans, business entities, and charitable organizations. The firm employs a planning-based, long-term approach with strategic asset allocation and offers tax consulting and access to private investment funds.

James Lapera is a financial advisor at Forum Financial Management, LP with 25 years of industry experience. He holds the Series 63 and Series 66 designations and has worked with firms including Purshe Kaplan Sterling Investments, Inc., Pinnacle Financial Solutions, PC, and Forum Tax & Accounting LLC. Outside of advisory roles, he is involved in insurance sales and owns a holding company. Forum Financial Management, LP provides investment advisory and related services to individuals, retirement plan sponsors, charitable organizations, and institutional clients. The firm employs model asset-allocation portfolios based on Modern Portfolio Theory, using institutional mutual funds and ETFs, and offers a turn-key asset-management platform with back-office and sub-advisory services to other RIAs.

Jon Adams is a CFA® charterholder and holds a Series 63 license with three years of industry experience. He currently serves as an advisor at Calamos Wealth Management LLC and Calamos Financial Services LLC since 2023. Prior to this, he worked at Citigroup for one year and BMO Global Asset Management for seven years. Adams is a member of the Ares Advisory Board, where he participates in discussions on private markets and best practices. Calamos Wealth Management LLC provides discretionary wealth management and institutional advisory services to high-net-worth individuals, family offices, endowments, private foundations, and retirement plans. The firm’s investment process includes idea sourcing, quantitative and qualitative evaluation, portfolio construction, and ongoing monitoring, often utilizing affiliated investment vehicles and maintaining governance controls.

Jacob Kerstein is an investment advisor representative at Latitude Advisors, LLC, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses with one year of industry experience. He has held roles at GWN Securities, Jeffrey Lasky Financial Services, and Latitude Financial since 2025. His prior background includes four years at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and teaching experience at various schools. Latitude Advisors serves individuals, high-net-worth clients, and institutions with financial planning, discretionary portfolio management, third-party manager selection, and pension consulting. The firm employs valuation-driven and momentum-based multi-asset model strategies, managing most accounts on a discretionary basis with ongoing monitoring and rebalancing.

Gregory Murphy is a financial advisor at Zacks Investment Management, Inc. with 25 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63, Series 65, and Series 66 licenses and has worked at both Zacks Investment Management since 2007 and LBMZ Securities, Inc. since 2009. Zacks Investment Management offers discretionary investment management to individuals, trusts, estates, retirement plans, pooled investment vehicles, and institutional clients, serving as portfolio manager to mutual funds and ETFs. The firm combines proprietary quantitative models with qualitative portfolio management across various strategies and distributes its offerings through wrap-fee and unified managed account programs.

Jeffrey Cismoski is a CFP® with 12 years of industry experience. He is currently with Ascentis Independent Advisors, LLC, where he has worked since 2026. Prior to this, he held positions at ORG Partners LLC, WealthShield Partners, LLC, Cresset Asset Management, LLC, and Evanston Investments Inc DBA Evanston Advisors. Ascentis Independent Advisors serves individuals, trusts, estates, pension and profit-sharing plans, and business entities, providing asset management, comprehensive portfolio management, financial planning, and retirement plan consulting. The firm customizes investment advice based on client objectives and employs a combination of discretionary management, third-party managers, and platform solutions, including a Private Direct Investments program for allocating clients to illiquid private funds.

Jack Long is a financial advisor at Summit Financial, LLC with one year of industry experience. He holds a Series 66 designation and has worked at firms including World Equity Group and Midway Wealth Partners. Jack attended Auburn University from 2021 to 2025. Summit Financial, LLC is a multi-team advisory firm that manages about $26.35 billion in assets for roughly 17,800 clients. The firm offers a range of investment advisory and portfolio management programs, combining discretionary and consultative services tailored to client preferences.

Joseph Esposito Jr. is a financial advisor at VestGen Advisors, LLC with 34 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 registrations and has worked at firms including Commonwealth Financial Network, Ek&A, and Mass Mutual Investors Services. In addition to his advisory role, he is involved in fixed insurance products. VestGen Advisors provides investment management, financial planning, and retirement plan services to individuals, high-net-worth clients, small businesses, trusts, and pooled investment vehicles. The firm combines advisor-level client relationships with centralized portfolio construction and serves a diverse client base that includes other investment advisors and institutional clients.

Joseph Vogenthaler is a financial advisor at Forum Financial Management, LP in San Diego, CA, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses with five years of industry experience. Prior to joining Forum in 2020, he worked at Twitch, LLC for 14 years and was involved with several school districts in 2020. Outside of his advisory role, he operated a sole proprietorship in real estate management. Forum Financial Management, LP provides fee-based wealth management, financial planning, qualified plan services, and educational workshops to individual and institutional clients. The firm also serves as a sub-advisor and turnkey asset management platform for other independent RIAs, managing portfolios primarily with DFA mutual funds and ETFs within a Modern Portfolio Theory framework.

James Geake is a financial advisor at Madison Avenue Securities, LLC with 30 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has been with Madison Avenue Securities since 2006. Geake is also a 50% owner of Wayne Messmer & Associates, LLC, which provides sales and service of life and health insurance and annuities. Additionally, he serves as a board member of Voyageur Crossings Condominium. Madison Avenue Securities, LLC provides investment advisory and related services to individual clients, charitable institutions, foundations, trusts, and employer-sponsored retirement plans, managing approximately $2.0 billion in assets. The firm offers a variety of account platforms and investment strategies, delivering portfolio management, financial planning, pension consulting, and college-savings services through its network of investment adviser representatives.

Patrick Macy is a financial advisor at Curi Capital, LLC based in Chicago, IL. He holds a Series 65 designation and has been with Curi Capital since 2025. Prior to joining the firm, he worked at Burlingame Country Club and had various roles over a ten-year period from 2016 to 2026. Curi Capital provides wealth management, investment management, retirement plan consulting, family office services, and a subscription offering for early-career medical professionals. The firm serves individuals, high-net-worth clients, and institutional clients, employing a long-term, fundamentally driven investment approach across multiple vehicles and strategies.