Nathaniel Chan is a financial advisor at Mariner with a Series 66 designation and no prior industry experience. Before entering the financial sector, he worked at Lu's Sushi and Chinese and spent ten years at Wheaton College. Mariner serves a diverse client base including individuals, pension plans, trusts, and charitable organizations through investment management, financial planning, and retirement consulting. The firm offers customized discretionary portfolios supported by in-house research and third-party managers, with notable capabilities in tax and accounting integration and administrative family office services.

Michael Wapner is a financial advisor with Kestra Advisory Services, holding a Series 66 designation and eight years of industry experience. He has worked at Kestra Advisory and Kestra Investment Services since 2017 and previously was with Utopia Green Consulting from 2011 to 2017. Outside of his advisory role, he serves as a member of the Board of Trustees and Board Secretary for Park Ridge Friends of the Parks. Kestra Advisory Services provides investment advisory and retirement plan consulting to a diverse client base including institutional and individual investors. The firm offers services ranging from fiduciary consulting and plan design to advisor-managed accounts and acts as an ERISA fiduciary where applicable.

Jacob Lee is a financial advisor at Primerica Advisors with seven years of industry experience. He holds a Series 66 designation and has previously worked at Guardian Life Insurance Company, Prudential Insurance Company of America, Pruco Securities, LLC, and Axa Advisors, LLC. Outside of his advisory role, he is involved in insurance activities beyond Guardian. Primerica Advisors serves a broad retail client base, offering both brokerage and advisory services along with financial and retirement planning. The firm employs a mix of proprietary and third-party investment strategies and supports a range of account-level services, including lending solutions and tax-harvesting features.

Vincent Allegra is a financial advisor with Creative Planning, LLC, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and bringing 22 years of industry experience. Prior to joining Creative Planning in 2023, he worked for Mesirow Financial, Inc. for 19 years. Outside of his advisory role, Allegra serves on the boards of Choose DuPage and Hinsdale Swim Club, contributing to community development and local recreational activities. Creative Planning provides investment advisory and financial planning services to a diverse client base including individuals, corporations, and retirement plans. The firm employs a financial planning-led investment process emphasizing low-cost indexing and buy-and-hold strategies, supported by a broad range of supplemental portfolio management techniques and integrated retirement plan services.

Amit Kumar is a financial advisor with Voya Financial Advisors, Inc. and holds a Series 66 designation. He has nine years of industry experience and also serves as a lecturer at Benedictine University and an adjunct instructor at Saint Xavier University. Outside of his advisory work, he is involved in music as a performing musician. Voya Financial Advisors, Inc. serves a diverse client base including individuals, institutions, retirement plan sponsors, and high-net-worth clients. The firm offers financial planning, portfolio management, and various advisory programs, operating primarily under non-discretionary, recommendation-based arrangements.

Luis Markin is a financial advisor with Fifth Third Securities, Inc. in Lemont, IL, holding Series 63 and Series 66 credentials and 18 years of industry experience. His career includes roles at Merrill, Bank of America, JP Morgan Securities LLC, and JP Morgan Chase Bank. Markin has been with Fifth Third Securities and Fifth Third Bank since 2018. Fifth Third Securities, Inc. serves a diverse range of clients including individuals, high-net-worth clients, and institutional entities through investment advisory and brokerage services. The firm offers multiple program types and third-party portfolio managers on the Passageway Managed Account platform, with a focus on customized risk profiles and strategies such as mutual fund/ETF models, SMA strategies, tax-overlay services, and direct indexing.

Patrick Oconnor is a financial advisor at TIAA-CREF with 18 years of industry experience. He holds the Series 66 designation and has been with TIAA-CREF since 2016. TIAA-CREF Individual & Institutional Services, LLC provides financial planning and discretionary managed account programs primarily to individuals connected to TIAA-administered employer retirement plans, as well as trusts, estates, and corporate entities. The firm separates one-time planning services from ongoing portfolio management and acts as adviser to a donor-advised fund while operating within a vertically integrated group.

Noah Swift is a financial advisor at Brookstone Capital Management LLC with a Series 65 credential and one year of industry experience. Prior to joining Brookstone, he worked at Wealth Financial Services and Tax Advisory and has experience in design and self-employment. Brookstone Capital Management provides fee-based asset management and financial planning to a diverse client base, including individuals, retirement plans, corporations, and trusts. The firm employs strategic and dynamic asset-allocation models and offers discretionary portfolio management through both internal and external sub-advisors.

Edward Dunphy is a financial advisor at William Blair with 33 years of industry experience. He has been with William Blair & Company since 2013 and holds the Series 63 and Series 65 designations. William Blair’s Private Wealth Management division provides investment management, financial planning, and wealth services to individuals, foundations, pension, and corporate clients. The firm employs an active, research-driven investment approach across multiple asset classes and offers proprietary models and access to private funds and co-investment opportunities.

Paul Niemiec is a financial advisor with Lincoln Investment in Lombard, IL, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and four years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at Valic Financial Advisors, Bank of America, Merrill, and Equitable Advisors. Outside of financial services, he works as an assistant coordinator for Sarah Kathleen Events, a special events company. Lincoln Investment serves individuals, charitable organizations, businesses, and employer-sponsored retirement plans, with a focus on educators and 403(b)/457(b) participants. The firm offers financial planning, retirement plan advice, and managed portfolio programs, utilizing a mix of in-house and third-party strategies overseen by an Investment Management & Research team.

James Trabadela is a financial advisor at The Huntington Investment Company with four years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and has previously worked at Ameriprise Financial Services, LLC, The Huntington National Bank, and TCF Bank. The Huntington Investment Company, operating as Huntington Financial Advisors, serves individuals—including high-net-worth clients—charitable organizations, corporations, and other business entities with advisory and brokerage services. The firm utilizes an open-architecture investment model combining third-party sub-managers and proprietary private bank offerings, delivering portfolio management through various wrap-fee programs on the Envestnet platform.

Robert Duwa is a CFA® charterholder with 28 years of industry experience. He has been with William Blair & Co LLC since 2010. William Blair’s Private Wealth Management division provides investment management, financial planning, and wealth services to individuals, foundations, pension, and corporate clients. The firm emphasizes active, research-driven management across multiple asset classes and offers proprietary model portfolios along with access to private funds and co-investment opportunities.

Michael Greenen is a CFP® and PFS™ with 25 years of experience in the financial industry. He is currently with Cerity Partners LLC and previously worked at Edge Financial Advisors, Lantern Wealth Guardians, and operated his own CPA practice. He is the owner of Michael J. Greenen CPA PC, dedicating part of his time to this business during trading hours. Cerity Partners provides customized wealth management and related services to a broad national client base, including individuals, families, trusts, business entities, and institutional investors. The firm employs tailored asset-allocation and manager selection processes, incorporating proprietary quantitative screens and a range of investment options, including private-market offerings and affiliated pension, insurance, and venture services.

James Noe is a financial advisor at Lincoln Investment with 44 years of industry experience. He has been with Lincoln Investment Planning, Inc. since 2005. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses. Lincoln Investment serves individuals, charitable organizations, businesses, and employer-sponsored retirement plans, with a focus on educators and 403(b)/457(b) participants. The firm offers a range of financial planning and retirement plan advisory services, managing both discretionary and non-discretionary portfolios using strategic and tactical investment approaches.

Valbona Ceci is a CFP® professional with nine years of industry experience, currently serving as a financial advisor at Mariner. Prior to joining Mariner in 2017, she worked at BMO Private Bank from 2013 to 2017. Mariner serves a diverse client base including individuals, high-net-worth households, pension plans, trusts, and charitable organizations, offering services such as investment management, financial planning, retirement plan consulting, and coordinated tax services. The firm combines in-house research with third-party manager allocations across various strategies and maintains integrated tax and administrative capabilities uncommon for firms of its size.

Sharif Husseini is a CFP® professional with 20 years of industry experience, currently serving at Brookstone Capital Management LLC since 2025. His prior experience includes roles at Morningstar Investment Management LLC and Nuveen Investments. Brookstone Capital Management provides fee-based asset management and financial planning to a diverse client base, including individuals, retirement plans, corporations, and trusts. The firm employs strategic and dynamic asset-allocation models, utilizes a range of investment vehicles, and serves as a sub-advisor to other advisory programs.

Larsa Heil is a financial advisor with Fifth Third Securities, Inc. in Naperville, IL, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and bringing 11 years of industry experience. She has been with Fifth Third Securities since 2014 and also has a background with Fifth Third Bank dating back to 2011. Fifth Third Securities, Inc. offers brokerage and investment advisory services through its Passageway Managed Account Program to individuals, charitable organizations, corporate clients, and institutional investors. The firm combines its municipal-advisor registration with its affiliation to Fifth Third Bank, providing access to multiple managed-account programs and features such as direct indexing and tax-overlay services.

Themi Pieropoulos is a financial advisor with Principal Financial Services, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and bringing 24 years of industry experience. He has worked with Principal Financial Services since 2016 and has been affiliated with Principal Life Insurance Company since 2012. Pieropoulos also maintains a fixed insurance agent role focused on life and health products. Principal Securities provides brokerage and registered investment advisory services to a broad client base, including individual investors, retirement plans, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, corporations, and active-duty U.S. military personnel. The firm offers direct advisory programs, financial planning, retirement plan consulting, and access to third-party money manager asset allocation and separately managed account solutions.

Jack Hansen is a Series 65-licensed financial advisor at Mariner with three years of industry experience. He has worked at Mariner Wealth Advisors since 2018. Prior to his advisory career, he held roles at Afton House Inn and Finish Line. Mariner serves a diverse client base including individuals, pension plans, trusts, charitable organizations, and corporations, providing investment management, financial planning, retirement consulting, and tax services. The firm employs discretionary, customized portfolio strategies supported by in-house research and third-party managers, and offers integrated tax, accounting, and family office capabilities not commonly found at large advisory firms.

Thomas Cleland is a financial advisor with Benjamin F. Edwards & Company, Inc. He holds a Series 66 designation and has 20 years of industry experience. Cleland has been with Benjamin F. Edwards & Co since 2016. Benjamin F. Edwards & Company is an SEC-registered investment adviser and broker-dealer with approximately 436 advisors and $15.7 billion in client assets. The firm serves individuals, corporations, retirement plans, trusts, and nonprofit organizations, offering a range of advisory programs and investment management services that combine firm-developed and third-party strategies with ongoing oversight from an Investment Strategy Committee.