Andrew Blessman is a CFP® professional with eight years of industry experience, currently serving as a financial advisor at Creative Planning since 2019. Prior to joining Creative Planning, he worked at Sebold Capital Management from 2015 to 2019. He holds the Series 66 designation and is based in Oak Brook, Illinois. Creative Planning provides investment advisory and financial planning services to a diverse client base, including individuals, corporations, foundations, trusts, and retirement plans. The firm emphasizes a financial planning–led investment process with low-cost indexing and buy-and-hold strategies, complemented by supplemental approaches such as direct indexing and tax-loss harvesting, supported by a broad team and centralized investment infrastructure.

Mark Hughes is a financial advisor with Principal Financial Services in Downers Grove, IL, holding the ChFC® designation along with Series 63 and Series 65 licenses. He has 38 years of industry experience, including roles at Hughes Financial since 2000 and positions at Principal Life Insurance Company and Principal Securities INC dating back to the late 1980s. In addition to advisory services, he is involved in selling and servicing fixed life, fixed annuities, and health insurance products through an outside insurance business. Principal Securities provides brokerage and registered investment advisory services to a diverse client base, including individual investors, retirement plans, trusts, businesses, and active-duty military personnel overseas. The firm offers financial planning, retirement consulting, and access to third-party money manager solutions through various advisory and promoter arrangements.

Pavel Yurevich is a CFP® professional at PNC Wealth Management with eight years of industry experience. He has previously worked at Fidelity Investments, Bank of America, Merrill Lynch, and Capital One. Outside of his advisory role, Pavel is an owner and operator of residential rental properties. PNC Wealth Management offers retail brokerage and advisory services through model-based programs, including an online discretionary model account available by invitation to employees. The firm employs algorithm-driven risk assessments and external portfolio delegates, focusing on mutual funds and ETFs with annual rebalancing.

Thomas Drennan is a financial advisor with Transamerica Financial Advisors who holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has 22 years of industry experience. He has been with Transamerica Financial Advisors since 2012 and has also worked with World Financial Group since 2002. In addition to his advisory work, he is involved in the sale of insurance products affiliated with Transamerica Financial Advisors. Transamerica Financial Advisors serves a broad client base including individual investors, retirement plans, trusts, and businesses. The firm employs a model portfolio and third-party manager approach to investment advisory services, supported by a large advisor network and multiple program platforms.

Brian Rapacki is a financial advisor with TIAA-CREF in Wheaton, IL, holding Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and having 19 years of industry experience. He has been with TIAA-CREF since 2015. TIAA-CREF Individual & Institutional Services, LLC’s Advice & Planning Services division offers financial planning and discretionary managed account programs to individuals and various entities, often serving clients connected through TIAA-administered retirement plans. The firm operates a fiduciary advisory model with a mix of model and customized portfolios and acts as adviser to a donor-advised fund.

Todd Kemp is a financial advisor with Transamerica Financial Advisors, holding Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and 28 years of industry experience. He has been associated with Transamerica Financial Advisors since 2012 and has also been involved with several other ventures, including ownership of The Kemp Group and serving as a registry instructor at the Heartland Institute of Financial Education. Additionally, he offers estate planning services through Net Law. Transamerica Financial Advisors serves a wide range of clients, including individual investors, pension plans, trusts, and corporations, providing both advisory and broker-dealer services. The firm offers proprietary and third-party model portfolios with discretionary and non-discretionary program choices and supports plan clients through affiliated retirement and recordkeeping entities.

Michael Warren is a CFP®-designated financial advisor with Commonwealth Financial Network, based in Lombard, IL, with 39 years of industry experience. He has been affiliated with Commonwealth and Garrett Consulting since 2008 and has been self-employed since 1985. His additional business activity includes work in fixed insurance. Commonwealth Financial Network is a dual-registered broker/dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser serving a national network of approximately 2,900 advisors and managing around $212.7 billion in client assets. The firm provides a comprehensive adviser-support platform, including managed-account programs, third-party asset manager access, and custody services.

Barbara Natale is a financial advisor at PNC Wealth Management with 35 years of industry experience. She holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has been with PNC Investments since 2014. PNC Wealth Management offers retail brokerage and advisory services through model-based programs, including an invitation-only digital portfolio strategy pilot for employees that uses algorithmic risk assessment and manages investments via mutual funds and ETFs with annual rebalancing.

Rita Latnhotha is a financial advisor at Creative Planning with 18 years of industry experience. She holds a Series 66 designation and has worked previously at Mesirow Financial and Princor Financial. Creative Planning serves a diverse client base including individuals, corporations, foundations, trusts, and retirement plans, managing approximately $217 billion in assets. The firm employs a financial planning–led investment process focused on low-cost indexing and buy-and-hold strategies, complemented by supplemental approaches such as direct indexing and tax-loss harvesting, and offers integrated retirement plan services alongside affiliated legal, trust, and recordkeeping businesses.

Robert Blanford is a financial advisor with Commonwealth Financial Network in Lombard, IL, holding Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and five years of industry experience. He has worked at Garrett Consulting and Rockstar Rodeo in prior roles. Outside of finance, Blanford is also a musical performer. Commonwealth Financial Network is a dual-registered broker/dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser that supports a national network of approximately 2,900 advisors and their individual and institutional clients. The firm provides a broad platform including managed-account programs, access to third-party asset managers, and custody services.

Jorge Palacios Murphy is a financial advisor at &Partners with 14 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 66 designations and has previously worked at Wells Fargo Clearing Services, JP Morgan Securities, and JPMorgan Chase Bank. &Partners serves a diverse client base including high-net-worth individuals, retirement plans, charitable organizations, and private businesses, offering investment management, financial and tax planning, and retirement-plan consulting. The firm employs a variety of analytical approaches and investment strategies, managing accounts through both in-house advisors and third-party managers.

Derek Ghiotto is a financial advisor with PNC Wealth Management in Naperville, IL. He holds Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and has 12 years of industry experience, including roles at PNC Investments and PNC Bank. PNC Wealth Management offers retail brokerage and advisory services through model-based programs, including an invitation-only digital discretionary model account pilot for employees. The firm uses algorithmic risk assessment and approved model strategies managed by PNC or third-party strategists.

Christopher Karam is a financial advisor with Independent Financial Partners in Schaumburg, IL, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and 18 years of industry experience. He has worked at Independent Financial Partners since 2011 and previously held roles at LPL Financial and Sheridan Road Financial, LLC. Karam also serves as a Supervisor of Cuba Township in Barrington, Illinois, overseeing the township’s operations and finances. Independent Financial Partners provides investment advisory, financial planning, trust, and retirement-plan services through a nationwide network of independent advisers. The firm supports a multi-advisor platform focused on individualized investment strategies and is noted for its retirement-plan advisory and pension consulting services.

Glenn Stears Jr. is a financial advisor with United Planners' Financial Services of America, holding CFP® and ChFC® designations and bringing 46 years of industry experience. His prior work includes 37 years at Waddell & Reed, Inc., and he also serves as vice president and secretary of Sagrado & Stears, Inc. Outside of his advisory role, he is involved in an insurance agency he has operated since 1980. United Planners Financial Services is a national wealth-management enterprise serving a diverse client base including individual investors, retirement plans, corporations, trusts, and institutional clients. The firm delivers advisory and brokerage services through independent representatives and emphasizes non-discretionary account management.

Jordan Flowers is a Series 65-registered advisor with Brookstone Capital Management LLC in Wheaton, IL, where he has worked for 10 years. He has a decade of industry experience and maintains a licensed insurance agent role, offering life insurance and annuities through Wealth Financial Services & Tax Advisory. Brookstone Capital Management provides fee-based asset management and financial planning services to individuals, retirement plans, corporations, trusts, and other entities. The firm employs a range of investment strategies including strategic and dynamic asset allocation models, Unified Managed Accounts, and options-enhanced strategies, supported by proprietary funds and external sub-advisors.

Kimberly Mitchell is a financial advisor at Fifth Third Securities, Inc. with four years of industry experience. She holds a Series 66 designation and has worked at Ameriprise, Waddell and Reed, and as a self-employed advisor prior to joining Fifth Third Securities and Fifth Third Bank in 2025. Fifth Third Securities, Inc. offers brokerage and investment advisory services through its Passageway Managed Account Program, serving individuals, charitable organizations, corporate clients, and institutional investors. The firm provides multiple discretionary managed-account options, including advisor-directed models and separately managed accounts, and integrates municipal-advisor registration with its affiliation to Fifth Third Bank.

Rita Magic is a Series 66-credentialed financial advisor at Citigroup Global Markets with five years of industry experience. Her prior roles include positions at Edward Jones, JP Morgan Securities LLC, JPMorgan Chase Bank NA, LPL Financial, BMO Harris Bank, Morgan Stanley, and Bank of America. Citigroup Global Markets serves individual and institutional clients across various wealth segments, offering a range of investment advisory programs and execution services. The firm employs multi-asset, multi-manager strategies with internal oversight and supports both discretionary and non-discretionary programs, leveraging its scale and specialized market roles.

Zhenlin Lu is a financial advisor at Citigroup Global Markets with seven years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and has worked at Citigroup Global Markets since 2020 and Citibank N.A. since 2013. Citigroup Global Markets serves individual and institutional clients across multiple wealth segments, offering a range of investment advisory programs along with broker-dealer execution and custody services. The firm employs multi-asset, multi-manager strategies and operates with a combination of large institutional scale and unique market roles.

Tyler Glover is a CFA® charterholder with 18 years of industry experience, currently serving as a financial advisor at William Blair since 2014. Based in Geneva, IL, he holds a Series 63 registration. William Blair’s Private Wealth Management division delivers discretionary and non-discretionary investment management, financial planning, and wealth services to individuals, including high-net-worth clients, as well as foundations, pension, and corporate clients. The firm emphasizes active, research-driven management across equities, fixed income, and alternative strategies, providing proprietary models and access to private funds and co-investment opportunities.

Richard George is a financial advisor with Bankers Life Advisory Services, Inc. He holds CFP® and ChFC® designations and has 30 years of industry experience. His prior work includes positions at Morgan Stanley Smith Barney, Morgan Stanley Private Bank, UBS Financial Services, and Advocate Health Advisors. Bankers Life Advisory Services, Inc. primarily serves mass-affluent and high-net-worth individuals, providing discretionary portfolio management, investment consulting, and retirement plan consulting. The firm employs a combination of fundamental, technical, and cyclical analysis to create tailored asset allocations and portfolios aligned with clients’ goals and risk tolerances.