Benjamin Shirley is a Financial Consultant at Fidelity Investments, a position he has held since 2022. He has extensive experience in the financial services industry, having worked as a Financial Advisor at Stifel from 2018 to 2022, an Advisor Consultant at Neuberger Berman from 2015 to 2017, in Municipal Bond Sales at Oppenheimer & Co. from 2010 to 2014, and in Municipal Bond Trading and Portfolio Management at Nuveen from 2004 to 2009. Benjamin focuses on wealth planning and financial strategy, leveraging his experience managing market changes and utilizing the resources available at Fidelity to develop comprehensive financial plans for his clients. His career reflects a consistent dedication to client-centered service and financial planning. Outside of his professional work, Benjamin enjoys family activities, golf, tennis, traveling, and volunteering.

Jennifer Tomasino is a financial advisor at UBS Financial Services with nine years of industry experience. She has previously worked at State Street Global Advisors Trust Company and its affiliated entities. Tomasino holds the Series 63 and Series 66 designations. UBS Financial Services serves individual, corporate, and institutional clients with brokerage and investment advisory offerings, including fee-based financial planning and discretionary portfolio management. The firm combines institutional trading capabilities with wealth management services and provides research-driven, tailored financial plans through its network of advisors.

Ralph Kunzmann is a CFP®-certified financial advisor with 40 years of industry experience, currently with Wells Fargo Clearing since 2016. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and is based in Barrington, Illinois. Outside his advisory role, he serves as a trustee and personal representative for family trusts. Wells Fargo Advisors is a national securities firm serving individual, corporate, and institutional clients with investment advisory services, financial planning, and retirement plan consulting. The firm utilizes research and analytics to support portfolio construction and offers a broad range of brokerage and advisory solutions.

Julie Grace is a financial advisor at Wells Fargo Advisors with 24 years of industry experience. She holds a Series 66 designation and has previously worked at Wells Fargo Clearing, Morgan Stanley, and Citigroup Global Markets. Wells Fargo Advisors Financial Network is a large broker-dealer and registered investment adviser affiliated with Wells Fargo that provides investment and financial planning services to individuals, trusts, and institutions. The firm offers a broad range of planning services using proprietary research and tools, with clients having flexibility in implementing recommendations through various firm programs.

Elizabeth Baldwin is a financial advisor with J.P. Morgan Securities, holding Series 63 and Series 66 licenses, and has 21 years of industry experience. She has worked at J.P. Morgan Securities and JPMorgan Chase Bank since 2010 and previously held positions at Landaas & Company and Russell Investments. J.P. Morgan Securities provides institutional consulting services to plan sponsors, corporations, endowments, and other institutional clients, focusing on written asset allocation advice, investment manager and fund searches, and customized performance reporting within a non-discretionary program. Their advisory approach combines quantitative and qualitative research with forward-looking capital market assumptions and incorporates ESG eligibility criteria.

Steven Cueto is a Financial Consultant at Fidelity Investments, where he currently works to build long-term relationships with clients by partnering with them to achieve their financial goals. He emphasizes planning, dependability, and collaboration to create customized planning and investment strategies tailored to each client's desired lifestyle and legacy. Steven's professional experience includes roles as a Financial Consultant and Investment Consultant at Fidelity Investments in 2023, as well as serving as a Wealth Advisor at IDEX Financial Group from 2018 to 2023. This background provides him with a foundation in investment consulting and wealth advisory services. Outside of his professional work, Steven has personal interests that include cars, concerts, football, golf, parenthood, and pets.

Catherine Gathman is a financial advisor at Merrill with 18 years of industry experience and holds a Series 66 designation. She has worked with Merrill since 2006. Outside of her advisory role, she serves as the director of music at St. Matthew Lutheran Church, where she administers the music program and directs two choirs. Merrill, along with its affiliate Managed Account Advisors LLC, provides managed account services to Bank of America fiduciary clients through the Select Portfolio Solutions Program, offering model-based and discretionary investment strategies for a range of clients including individuals, high-net-worth clients, and charitable organizations.

Mannan Abbasi is a financial advisor at Merrill with two years of industry experience. He holds the Series 66 designation and has prior work experience at Bank of America and the University of Illinois at Chicago. Outside of his advisory role, he is involved in a family furniture business, A-Z Furniture Company, focusing on logistics. Merrill, together with its affiliate Managed Account Advisors LLC, provides managed account services through the Select Portfolio Solutions Program, serving individuals, high-net-worth clients, pension and profit-sharing plans, corporations, and charitable organizations with model-based and discretionary investment strategies.

Bradley Skiba is a financial advisor with Morgan Stanley in Barrington, IL, holding Series 63 and Series 65 designations and bringing 26 years of industry experience. He has worked at Morgan Stanley Private Bank, National Association since 2015 and has been with Morgan Stanley Smith Barney since 2011. Morgan Stanley Wealth Management serves both individual and institutional clients, offering tailored financial planning through its Financial Advisors and Estate Planning Strategies Group. The firm manages approximately $2.74 trillion in client assets and employs a structured planning process that incorporates firm-approved tools and scenario modeling.

James Bertucci is a financial advisor with Equitable Advisors in Arlington Heights, IL, holding the CFP® and ChFC® designations and possessing 38 years of industry experience. He has been with Equitable Advisors and its predecessor, Axa Advisors, since 1999. Outside of his advisory role, Bertucci serves as a Board Trustee for the Village of Arlington Heights, providing guidance on budget and policy matters. Equitable Advisors serves a broad client base, including individuals across wealth levels, pension and profit-sharing plans, corporations, and charitable organizations. The firm offers financial planning, retirement plan consulting, and asset-management programs, utilizing a range of third-party advisory models and investment options to meet client needs.

Pamela Cain is a financial advisor with Morgan Stanley in Deerfield, IL, holding Series 63 and Series 66 designations and bringing 24 years of industry experience. She has been with Morgan Stanley for 10 years since 2016. Morgan Stanley Wealth Management is an SEC-registered investment adviser and broker-dealer serving both individual and institutional clients. The firm offers a range of advisory programs and tailored financial planning, employing structured planning tools and various analytic methods to support client outcomes.

Nicholas Needs is a financial advisor with UBS Financial Services in Northbrook, IL, holding Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and five years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at Ameriprise Financial Services, Merrill, and the University of Illinois Foundation. He has also worked in non-financial sectors including Uber and Climate Corporation (Bayer). UBS Financial Services serves individual, corporate, and institutional clients through a combination of brokerage and investment advisory offerings, using proprietary research and model-based asset allocations to tailor client solutions. The firm integrates institutional trading capabilities with wealth management services, operating as a broker-dealer, investment adviser, and futures commission merchant.

Darren Woodmore is a financial advisor with LPL Financial, holding Series 65 and Series 63 credentials and seven years of industry experience. His prior work includes roles at J.P. Morgan Securities and BMO Bank NA. Outside of finance, he has experience with Crosskicks Fitness LLC and Nuffield Health/Fitness and Wellbeing. 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 portfolios, third-party asset management, and institutional platforms.

Damary Marrero is a financial advisor with Ameriprise in Deerfield, IL, holding Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and 25 years of industry experience. She has been with Ameriprise since 2009, working across various roles within the firm over the past 15 years. Ameriprise Financial Services is a large, diversified advisory firm serving individual and institutional clients, offering a specialized Premier Retirement Income service focused on retirement income planning through written recommendations and ongoing advice.

Brandon De Berry is a financial advisor at Merrill with nine years of industry experience. He holds the Series 66 designation and has been with Bank of America and Merrill since 2015. Merrill, together with its affiliate Managed Account Advisors LLC, provides managed account services to Bank of America fiduciary clients through the Select Portfolio Solutions Program. The firm offers model-based and discretionary investment strategies for individuals, high-net-worth clients, pension and profit-sharing plans, corporations, and charitable organizations.

Michael Benedict is a financial advisor at Merrill with a Series 66 designation and less than one year of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at Bank of America, Echo Global Logistics, PepsiCo, and Morgan Stanley. Merrill, together with its affiliate Managed Account Advisors LLC, provides managed account services to Bank of America fiduciary clients through the Select Portfolio Solutions Program. The firm offers model-based and discretionary investment strategies for a range of clients including individuals, high-net-worth clients, pension and profit-sharing plans, corporations, and charitable organizations.

Sharon Shapiro is a financial advisor at J.P. Morgan Securities with 39 years of industry experience. She holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has worked at firms including PNC Bank, Regal Advisory Services, Charles Schwab, and LaSalle Financial Services. Shapiro has been with J.P. Morgan Securities and Jpmorgan Chase Bank since 2017. J.P. Morgan Securities provides institutional consulting services to plan sponsors, corporations, endowments, and other institutional clients, focusing on non-discretionary asset allocation advice, investment manager searches, and customized performance reporting. The firm’s advisory process combines quantitative and qualitative research supported by a manager solutions team and incorporates an ESG eligibility framework within its recommendations.

Robert Michalak is a financial advisor with Equitable Advisors in Deerfield, IL, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and possessing 51 years of industry experience. He has been with Equitable Advisors since 1999 and previously worked at Axa Advisors, LLC for 21 years. Outside of his advisory role, he serves as president of a six-unit townhouse association. Equitable Advisors provides financial planning, retirement plan consulting, and asset-management services to individuals, pension and profit-sharing plans, corporations, charitable organizations, and institutional clients. The firm delivers its services through a network of Investment Adviser Representatives and emphasizes matching clients to program models or discretionary managers, utilizing both proprietary and third-party asset management solutions.

Sharon Wierzba is a financial advisor at Morgan Stanley in Deerfield, IL, with 25 years of industry experience. She holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has worked at firms including Citigroup Global Markets, Hightower Advisors, Noyes Advisors LLC, and David A. Noyes & Company. Outside of her advisory role, she is involved with Curion, a market research company. Morgan Stanley Wealth Management serves individuals and institutional clients with a wide range of advisory programs and financial planning services, managing approximately $2.74 trillion in client assets. The firm’s planning process uses structured discovery and approved tools, including the Global Investment Committee’s projections and Monte Carlo simulations, to model financial outcomes.

John Huff is a financial advisor with Cetera who holds Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and has 28 years of industry experience. He has worked with Cetera since 2005 and also owns Huff Enterprises Inc., a tax and accounting business. Additionally, he serves as treasurer for the McHenry Chamber of Commerce. Cetera Investment Advisers LLC is an SEC-registered firm that serves individuals, retirement plans, corporate and charitable clients, and institutional accounts. The firm offers a range of portfolio management and financial planning services through a large network of independent advisors and provides access to both affiliated and third-party investment managers.