Ellen Crabtree is a financial advisor with LPL Financial in Crystal Lake, IL, holding a Series 66 designation and four years of industry experience. Her prior roles include positions at BMO Harris Bank and Home State Bank NA. LPL Financial is a national broker-dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser that provides advisory and brokerage services to individuals, retirement plan participants, banks, trust companies, and other institutions through a large network of investment adviser representatives. The firm offers a variety of financial planning and investment management solutions, including model portfolios, third-party asset management, and institutional platforms.

John Bassmaji is a Financial Consultant at Fidelity Investments, where he has worked since 2020. He serves as a primary point of contact for clients, developing financial plans and consulting on holistic wealth management strategies. His approach focuses on understanding what is important to his clients and their families to help them feel confident with every aspect of their financial picture. Prior to his current role, John held several positions at Fidelity Investments, including Investment Consultant (2019-2020), Relationship Manager (2017-2019), and Financial Representative (2016-2017). Before joining Fidelity, he worked as a Relationship Banker at JP Morgan Chase Bank from 2011 to 2016. Outside of his professional work, John enjoys biking, football, golf, traveling, and exploring food.

Thaddeus Kon is a financial advisor at Edward Jones in Schaumburg, IL, holding Series 66 and Series 63 licenses with two years of industry experience. His prior work includes roles at JPMorgan Chase, Guaranteed Rate, and Key Mortgage Services. Edward Jones is a full-service wealth management firm serving over four million individual and institutional clients. The firm offers a range of advisory programs and investment strategies, including tax-efficient services, and operates under a fiduciary standard.

Joan Winter is a financial advisor with Morgan Stanley in Barrington, Illinois, holding Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and bringing 31 years of industry experience. She has worked with Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC since 2009. Outside of her advisory role, she is involved in photography through her proprietorship, PhotoJJenic, and as a partner in Julie Gockman Photography. Morgan Stanley Wealth Management is an SEC-registered investment adviser and broker-dealer serving both individual and institutional clients with a broad range of advisory programs, including tailored financial planning. The firm manages approximately $2.74 trillion in client assets and employs structured planning tools and analyses developed by its Global Investment Committee.

Celeste Bailey is a financial advisor with Morgan Stanley in Barrington, IL, holding a Series 66 designation and bringing 14 years of industry experience. She has been with Morgan Stanley Private Bank, N.A. since 2015. Outside of her financial career, she works as a freelance soccer referee and is involved in teaching and mentoring through the Illinois Soccer Referee Committee. Morgan Stanley Wealth Management is an SEC-registered investment adviser and broker-dealer serving both individual and institutional clients with a variety of advisory programs. The firm’s financial planning approach uses structured discovery conversations and firm-approved tools to develop tailored plans, serving approximately $2.74 trillion in client assets.

Kamaljit Kalia is a financial advisor with LPL Financial in Crystal Lake, Illinois, holding Series 65 and Series 63 credentials and two years of industry experience. Prior to his current role, he worked at BMO Harris Bank for nine years. LPL Financial is a national broker-dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser serving individuals, retirement plan participants, banks, trust companies, and institutions. The firm offers a range of advisory and brokerage services, including financial planning, model portfolio programs, third-party asset management, and institutional platforms.

Andrew Messerschmidt is a financial advisor with Thrivent Investment Management in Barrington, IL, holding a Series 66 designation and two years of industry experience. His prior experience includes roles at Thrivent Financial and Thrivent Investment Management, as well as positions at Valparaiso University and Barrington High School. Thrivent Investment Management offers Dedicated Planning Services to individuals, families, businesses, and nonprofit clients, providing comprehensive written recommendations on topics such as retirement, income tax, estate, business continuation, divorce, and special needs planning. The firm’s approach combines goal-based analyses and allows clients to integrate planning with managed-account programs while maintaining separate service structures.

Trevor Thomas is a financial advisor with LPL Financial, holding a Series 66 designation and 17 years of industry experience. He has previously worked at Aon Hewitt Financial Advisors and Equitable Advisors. In addition to his advisory role, he is involved with Baxter Credit Union. LPL Financial is a national broker-dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser serving individuals, retirement plan participants, banks, trust companies, and institutions. The firm offers a range of services including financial planning, model portfolios, third-party asset management, and institutional platforms, supporting advisors with a variety of investment strategies and operational tools.

Sergio Pedroza is a Financial Advisor at Merrill Lynch Wealth Management. In his role, he focuses on managing new wealth, portfolio management services, and small business strategies. As a Merrill Financial Solutions Advisor, Sergio works closely with clients to understand their priorities and develop strategies to pursue their short-, mid-, and long-term financial goals. He provides resources for investing, retirement planning, unexpected savings, and access to Bank of America specialists for banking, credit, home financing, and small business solutions. Sergio holds a Bachelor's Degree from Northern Illinois University and has earned professional designations including Accredited Wealth Management Advisor (AWMA), Chartered Retirement Planning Counselor (CRPC), and Personal Investment Advisor (PIA). He is a bilingual fiduciary advisor fluent in English and Spanish, committed to offering ongoing advice and guidance as clients' needs evolve. Outside of his professional work, Sergio has personal interests in chess, soccer, and traveling. He emphasizes a client-centered approach, stating that he helps clients uncover what matters to them and their families to create financial strategies aligned with their goals.

Jacob Lewandowski is a financial advisor with LPL Financial based in Huntley, Illinois. He holds the Series 66 designation and has four years of industry experience, including roles at BMO Harris Bank and Packback Inc. His background also includes positions in education and race management. LPL Financial is a national broker-dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser that serves individuals, retirement plan participants, banks, trust companies, and other institutions through a large network of investment adviser representatives. The firm offers a range of advisory and brokerage services, including financial planning, model portfolios, third-party asset management, and institutional platforms.

Christopher Cagadas is a financial advisor with Ameriprise in Glen Ellyn, IL, holding a Series 66 designation and 22 years of industry experience. He has been with Ameriprise and its affiliated entities since 2005. Outside of his advisory role, he co-owns PMM Partners Inc, a business managing practice operations, and serves on the board of the Ascension Illinois Foundation. Ameriprise offers a retirement-income planning service targeting individuals with significant investable assets, combining research, modeling, and tax-efficiency analysis to deliver tailored income strategies. The firm provides a broad range of advisory, brokerage, and insurance solutions through its affiliated companies.

Tamara Fuhrman is a financial advisor with Primerica Advisors in Rolling Meadows, IL, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and 24 years of industry experience. She has worked with PFS Investments Inc. and Primerica Financial Services since the early 2000s. Outside of financial advising, she has served as a cantor for United Lutheran Church since 2016. Primerica Advisors manages a wrap-fee asset management program primarily for individual investors, including both non-high-net-worth and high-net-worth clients, as well as corporate and charitable clients. The firm uses model-delivery strategies developed by unaffiliated asset managers and offers a limited number of discretionary separately managed account options.

Paul Pavelski is a financial advisor with Morgan Stanley in Barrington, IL, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and bringing 36 years of industry experience. His career includes roles at Landolt Securities, Inc. from 2005 to 2024 before joining Morgan Stanley’s Private Bank and Smith Barney divisions. Morgan Stanley Wealth Management serves individual and institutional clients, offering a range of advisory and financial planning services supported by firm-approved tools and research, managing approximately $2.74 trillion in client assets.

Susan Schwarm is a financial advisor with Ameriprise in Libertyville, IL, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and possessing 41 years of industry experience. She has been with Ameriprise and its affiliated entities since 2005. Outside of advising, she manages an LLC that holds commercial property used exclusively for conducting Ameriprise business. Ameriprise provides retirement-income planning services targeted at clients approaching or in retirement who meet specific asset thresholds, combining research and modeling with tax-efficient strategies. The firm serves a broad client base through advisory, brokerage, and insurance solutions typical of a large institutional provider.

Kolleen Zbilski is a financial advisor with Morgan Stanley in Barrington, IL, holding a Series 66 designation and 19 years of industry experience. She has been with Morgan Stanley since 2014. Morgan Stanley Wealth Management is an SEC-registered investment adviser and broker-dealer serving individuals and institutional clients with a range of advisory programs, including tailored financial planning. The firm manages approximately $2.74 trillion in client assets and utilizes structured planning tools and modeling techniques in its financial planning process.

Kerry Schwarcz is a financial advisor at J.P. Morgan Securities with 25 years of industry experience. He holds a Series 66 designation and has worked at UBS for 10 years and Morgan Stanley for one year prior to joining J.P. Morgan Securities and JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. in 2026. J.P. Morgan Securities provides institutional consulting services to plan sponsors, corporations, endowments, and other institutional clients through a select group of Wealth Advisors, focusing on written asset allocation advice, investment manager searches, and customized performance reporting. The firm’s advisory process combines quantitative screens and qualitative research to build model asset allocations and includes broader derivatives and commodities capabilities uncommon among institutional advisory programs.

Frederic Hoffman III is a financial advisor at Cambridge Investment Research Advisors with Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and 42 years of industry experience. He has been associated with several related firms since 1986, including The Guardian Life Insurance Company and Associated Pension Services, and has served as a head and assistant coach for youth sports teams in Arlington Heights since 1993. Cambridge Investment Research Advisors serves individual and institutional clients, including pension and charitable organizations, offering financial planning, investment management, and retirement-plan advisory services through thousands of Financial Professionals and multiple platform options.

Marcin Kapral is a financial advisor with Ameriprise in Bloomingdale, IL, holding Series 63 and Series 66 designations and 16 years of industry experience. He has worked with Ameriprise and its affiliated entities since 2013. Kapral serves on the boards of the Bloomingdale School District 13 Board of Education and the North DuPage Special Education Cooperative Governing Board. Ameriprise provides retirement-income planning services tailored to individuals approaching or in retirement with significant investable assets. The firm combines research, modeling, and tax-efficiency analysis to offer non-discretionary, written recommendations, supported by a centralized consulting team and a range of advisory, brokerage, and insurance solutions.

Richard Scheflow is a Certified Financial Planner (CFP®) with 13 years of experience at Edward Jones, where he has worked since 2013. He is based in Schaumburg, IL. Edward Jones is a full-service wealth management firm serving individual and institutional clients, including both non-high-net-worth and high-net-worth households. The firm offers a range of advisory programs and investment strategies, managing approximately $1.01 trillion in assets through a large network of financial advisors and branch offices nationwide.

Bonnie Weckler is a financial advisor at Wells Fargo Clearing with a Series 66 designation and one year of industry experience. She previously worked at Wells Fargo Advisors and Vanguard Dealer Services. Wells Fargo Clearing provides retirement plan consulting to qualified ERISA plans and non-qualified deferred compensation plans, offering a range of services including investment policy statement preparation, investment recommendations, and participant education. The firm’s advisory approach is IPS-driven and grounded in modern portfolio theory, with a notable inclusion of insurance-related vehicles and bank deposit sweep options among its investment offerings.