Ruth Goran is a financial advisor with Cetera Planning Partners and holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses. She has 25 years of industry experience, including 25 years at Avantax Planning Partners, Inc. Outside of her advisory role, she is president of Entertain2Educate, an organization involved in developing original scripts for continuing education programs, and serves as president of the not-for-profit Parks Earhart, which researches women breaking the glass ceiling in business. She also holds several voluntary board and treasurer roles with nonprofit organizations. Cetera Planning Partners serves individual and high-net-worth clients, focusing on pre-retirees and retirees by providing investment management, comprehensive financial planning, Social Security optimization, and retirement-related advice. The firm offers additional services such as tax planning and preparation, bookkeeping, payroll support, and estate-planning through a third-party provider, integrating a diversified investment approach with a formal planning process.

William Mc Carty IV is a financial advisor at Fifth Third Securities, Inc. with 25 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and has worked at Fifth Third Bank and Fifth Third Securities since 2023, following prior roles at Charles Schwab and First Trust Portfolios. Outside of his advisory work, he engages in personal item sales on eBay and Facebook Marketplace. Fifth Third Securities provides brokerage and investment advisory services to individuals, charitable organizations, corporate and business clients, and institutional investors. The firm offers multiple discretionary managed-account programs through its Passageway Managed Account Program and operates as a wholly owned subsidiary of Fifth Third Bank, combining bank affiliation with a broker-dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser structure.

Michael Muersch is a financial advisor with Principal Financial Services in Downers Grove, IL, holding Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and 18 years of industry experience. He has been with Principal Securities Inc. since 2016 and with Principal Life Insurance Company since 2008. He is also involved in health and fixed life insurance brokerage activities. Principal Securities provides brokerage and registered investment advisory services to a diverse client base, including individuals, retirement plans, trusts, and business entities. 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.

Connor Simios is a CFP® and Series 65-licensed advisor with Wealth Enhancement Advisory Services, LLC. He has six years of industry experience, including prior roles at Vermillion Financial Advisors and Willow Creek Community Church. He joined Wealth Enhancement Advisory Services in 2025. Wealth Enhancement Advisory Services, LLC is an SEC-registered enterprise advisory firm serving individuals, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, corporations, and retirement plans. The firm offers financial planning, asset management, and specialized retirement consulting through a network of advisors, employing a strategic investment process that combines passive and active management guided by an internal Investment Committee.

Jesus Olmedo is a financial advisor with TIAA-CREF and holds Series 63 and Series 66 licenses. He has 16 years of industry experience, including prior roles at J.P. Morgan Securities and JPMorgan Chase Bank. Olmedo has been with TIAA-CREF since 2018. TIAA‑CREF Individual & Institutional Services, LLC provides financial planning and discretionary managed account programs to individuals, trusts, estates, partnerships, corporate entities, and small retirement plans, often serving clients connected through TIAA-administered employer retirement plans. The firm combines point-in-time planning services with ongoing managed account programs that utilize model or customized portfolios, and it acts as adviser to a donor-advised fund.

Brian Marshall is a financial advisor at William Blair with 32 years of industry experience. He has been with William Blair & Company L.L.C. since 1994 and holds 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 approach across multiple asset classes and offers proprietary models and access to private funds through its MB Investments Program.

Jeffrey Graff is a financial advisor with Eagle Strategies (NY Life) based in Deerfield, IL, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and bringing 17 years of industry experience. He has worked at Graff Financial Group since 2015 and Oakwell Financial Partners from 2017 to 2019. Outside of his advisory work, he volunteers as a youth football coach in Orland Park. Eagle Strategies serves a diverse client base including individual investors and institutional sponsors, offering financial planning, investment management, and retirement-plan advisory services. The firm provides tailored advisory solutions through various program types, with a significant portion of assets managed on a non-discretionary basis.

Eric Freckman is a CFP® professional with 26 years of industry experience. He has worked at Private Advisor Group, LLC since 2015 and previously spent over two decades at LPL Financial, LLC. In addition to his advisory role, Mr. Freckman serves as a notary public. Private Advisor Group serves individuals, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, businesses, and retirement plans by offering discretionary and non-discretionary portfolio management, financial planning, retirement plan consulting, and managed account solutions. The firm employs a fiduciary-based model, utilizing a variety of strategies and technology platforms while often implementing advice through third-party managers and tactical asset management programs.

George Costakis is a financial advisor with Eagle Strategies (NY Life) in Deerfield, IL, holding the ChFC® designation and Series 63 license. He has 50 years of industry experience, including over two decades with Eagle Strategies and long tenures at Nylife Securities LLC and New York Life Insurance Company. Outside of his advisory role, he is involved in insurance brokering across multiple product lines and is a shareholder in NYLARC Holding Company, Inc. Eagle Strategies serves a diverse client base including individuals and institutional investors, providing financial planning, investment management, and retirement-plan advisory services. The firm emphasizes tailored advice delivered through various program types, primarily managing assets on a non-discretionary basis and operating within an integrated New York Life affiliate structure.

Geralyn Sullivan is a financial advisor with William Blair, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and bringing 42 years of industry experience. She has been with William Blair & Company L.L.C. since 1988. William Blair’s Private Wealth Management division offers discretionary and non-discretionary investment management, financial planning, and wealth services to individuals, foundations, pension, and corporate clients. The firm employs an active, research-driven approach across equities, fixed income, and alternative strategies, and provides access to proprietary models, third-party sub-managers, and private investment opportunities.

Candace Vondra is a CFA® charterholder with 23 years of industry experience, currently serving at William Blair since 2006. She holds the Series 63 designation and is based in Des Plaines, IL. 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 approach across multiple asset classes and offers proprietary models, third-party sub-advisers, and access to private funds and co-investment opportunities.

Bart Newman is a financial advisor with Brookstone Capital Management LLC, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and eight years of industry experience. He previously worked at IAMS Wealth Management and Secure Investment Management. Outside of his advisory role, Newman has been an independent insurance agent since 2004 and serves as a football official and assignor for the Dukane conference. Brookstone Capital Management is an SEC-registered adviser providing fee-based asset management and financial planning services to a diverse client base, including individuals, retirement plans, corporations, charitable organizations, and institutional clients such as sovereign wealth funds and banking institutions. The firm delivers investment management primarily on a discretionary basis through model portfolios, unified managed accounts, and separately managed accounts, and supports a large advisor network with back-office and turnkey asset management platform services.

James Tilley is a financial advisor with Foundations Investment Advisors LLC, holding a Series 65 credential and six years of industry experience. He has worked at multiple firms, including AE Wealth Management and CreativeOne Wealth, and currently serves as managing partner at Liberty Hill Financial Planners. Foundations Investment Advisors, LLC provides financial planning and ongoing portfolio management to a diverse client base, including individuals, high-net-worth clients, retirement plans, and registered investment companies. The firm uses a combination of fundamental, technical, and cyclical analysis, employs model portfolios with asymmetric rebalancing, and offers access to third-party sub-advisers and custodians.

Grace Bossert is a CFP® professional at Mercer Global Advisors Inc. with two years of industry experience. Her work history includes roles at Mercer Global Advisors since 2021, as well as positions at MOKA and T. Anton Investment House. Outside of finance, she was involved with Rags Consignments for five years. Mercer Global Advisors provides investment advisory and planning services to a diverse client base, including individuals, high-net-worth families, small business owners, corporate plan sponsors, foundations, and nonprofits. The firm’s investment approach is based on Modern Portfolio Theory, focusing on globally diversified, risk-appropriate portfolios using low-cost index vehicles and multi-factor tilts, complemented by financial planning, retirement consulting, tax support, and estate-planning coordination.

Christian Wathen is a financial advisor with TIAA-CREF who holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has 25 years of industry experience. He has worked at TIAA-CREF and Tiaa since 2014, and previously at Steele Capital Management, Inc. from 2012 to 2014. TIAA-CREF Individual & Institutional Services, LLC provides financial planning and discretionary managed account programs to individuals, trusts, estates, partnerships, corporate entities, and small retirement plans. The firm often serves clients connected through TIAA-administered employer retirement plans and offers both model-based and customized portfolio management under a fiduciary standard.

Samuel Pollack is a financial advisor at Guardian Life and Park Avenue Securities LLC with a Series 66 designation and three years of industry experience. His background includes positions at CliftonLarsonAllen, LLP and FGMK, LLC, as well as founding a tax preparation service, SP Tax Services, LLC. Park Avenue Securities LLC, a subsidiary of The Guardian Life Insurance Company of America, provides brokerage and investment advisory services to individuals, pension plans, charitable organizations, and corporate clients, utilizing a range of proprietary and third-party investment programs.

Ester Viti is a financial advisor with Guardian Life and Park Avenue Securities who holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has 23 years of industry experience. She has worked with Guardian Life and Park Avenue Securities for the past 10 years. Outside of her advisory roles, she serves on the College of Lake County Foundation Board. Park Avenue Securities LLC, operating as Park Avenue® Wealth Management, is a broker-dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser wholly owned by The Guardian Life Insurance Company of America. The firm offers brokerage services, financial planning, retirement plan consulting, and investment advisory programs to individuals, pension plans, charitable organizations, and corporate clients.

Joseph Dowling is a financial advisor with Brookstone Capital Management LLC, holding a Series 65 designation and 14 years of industry experience. He has been with Brookstone since 2016. Outside of his advisory role, he serves as an Independent Insurance Producer and teaches community education courses at Joliet Junior College. Brookstone Capital Management offers fee-based asset management and financial planning to individuals, retirement plans, corporations, trusts, and other business entities. The firm employs a range of investment strategies including strategic and dynamic asset allocation models, Unified Managed Accounts, and options-enhanced strategies, and it acts as both a primary advisor and sub-advisor through its turnkey asset management platform.

Johnathan Ellison is a Series 66-licensed financial advisor with six years of industry experience. He currently works at Citigroup Global Markets and has previously held roles at several firms including Morgan Stanley, E*Trade Capital Management, and JPMorgan Chase Bank. Citigroup Global Markets serves a diverse client base ranging from workplace and high-net-worth individuals to ultra-high-net-worth segments. The firm offers a range of investment advisory programs and execution services, implementing multi-asset, multi-manager strategies through both discretionary and non-discretionary programs.

Daniel Ogrodny is a financial advisor at Mariner with two years of industry experience. He holds a Series 65 designation and has worked at Mariner Wealth Advisors since 2021, following prior roles at Arlington Wealth Management and The Planning Group. Mariner serves a diverse client base including individuals, pension plans, trusts, and charitable organizations, offering customized investment management, financial planning, retirement consulting, and coordinated tax services. The firm combines in-house research with third-party manager allocations and provides integrated tax and accounting services uncommon among large advisory enterprises.