Matthew Spokas is a financial advisor at Forum Financial Management, LP in Lombard, IL, holding a Series 65 credential with four years of industry experience. He has worked at Forum Financial Management since 2019 and is also involved with Spokas & Associates CPAs LLC, where he has been active for over 15 years. Outside of advising, he serves as treasurer for Forum Administrative Services and manages several private investment-related and non-investment-related entities. Forum Financial Management, LP provides investment advisory services to individuals, retirement plan sponsors, charitable organizations, and institutional clients. The firm employs model asset-allocation portfolios based on Modern Portfolio Theory and offers sub-advisory and back-office services primarily to independent advisors and RIAs.

Sophia Bernardi is a financial advisor at Centennial Securities Company, Inc. with a Series 66 credential and one year of industry experience. Prior to joining Centennial, she worked at Conagra Brands for three years and Walgreens Co for three years. She also has a four-year academic background from Indiana University. Centennial Securities Company, Inc. provides discretionary and non-discretionary investment management, financial planning, and consulting services to a diverse client base including individuals, high-net-worth clients, corporate pension and profit-sharing plans, trusts, estates, foundations, endowments, and other business entities. The firm’s investment advice is delivered through its representatives, employing a range of strategies tailored to client objectives.

Michelle Juras is a ChFC® credentialed financial advisor with 20 years of industry experience. She is currently with HighPoint Planning Partners and has held positions at LPL Financial and MassMutual. HighPoint Advisor Group serves individuals, including high-net-worth clients, as well as pension and profit-sharing plans, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, and corporate entities. The firm provides discretionary asset management and comprehensive financial planning utilizing fundamental analysis and a range of investment vehicles, including mutual funds, ETFs, individual securities, and third-party platforms.

Christopher Gongola is a financial advisor with IHT Wealth Management LLC based in Chicago, IL. He holds a Series 66 designation and has 23 years of industry experience, including prior roles at LPL Financial and Wunderlich Securities. Gongola is also involved with investment-related activities at United Healthcare and Blue Cross Blue Shield of Illinois. IHT Wealth Management serves individuals, corporate and institutional clients, and retirement plan sponsors, providing discretionary asset management, financial planning, ERISA plan consulting, outsourced CIO arrangements, and access to third-party managers. The firm employs a combined investment process of fundamental value screening, quantitative optimization, and periodic rebalancing, utilizing proprietary models and discretionary mandates tailored to client objectives.

Ryan Evans is a CFP® and ChFC® with 21 years of industry experience. He is currently an advisor at Merit Financial Advisors and PKS Investments, having previously worked at Blueprint Wealth Advisors, LLC and Commonwealth Financial Network. Outside of his advisory roles, he owns George St. Securities, an operating LLC involved in business support activities. Merit Financial Group, LLC is an SEC-registered advisory firm managing approximately $10.6 billion in assets and serving a diverse client base that includes individuals, corporate clients, retirement plan sponsors, and charitable organizations. The firm employs a long-term, diversified investment approach through customizable model portfolios and offers specialized services such as independent fiduciary and ESOP trustee work.

Calvin Rowland is a financial advisor with HighPoint Planning Partners who holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has 26 years of industry experience. He previously worked at Prudential Financial Planning Services, The Prudential Insurance Company of America, and Pruco Securities, LLC from 2016 to 2024 before joining HighPoint Advisor Group and LPL Financial. HighPoint Advisor Group serves individuals, pension and profit-sharing plans, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, and corporate entities. The firm offers discretionary asset management, financial planning, retirement plan advisory, and wrap-fee program management, utilizing fundamental analysis and a range of investment vehicles including mutual funds, ETFs, equities, debt securities, REITs, and third-party platforms.

Andrea Diltz is a financial advisor at Ritholtz Wealth Management with Series 65 credentials and two years of industry experience. Prior to joining Ritholtz in 2024, she worked for CG Financial Services and spent five years in secondary education. Ritholtz Wealth Management serves individual and institutional clients, including high-net-worth individuals and retirement plans, offering portfolio management, financial planning, and retirement consulting. The firm employs a goal-based investment approach that emphasizes asset allocation and behavioral finance, utilizing diversified low-cost ETFs alongside tactical overlays and alternative investments.

James Chase Jr. is a financial advisor with HighPoint Planning Partners in Downers Grove, IL, holding Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and 22 years of industry experience. He has worked with HighPoint Advisor Group since 2018 and previously with Level Four Advisory Services and LPL Financial. Outside of his advisory roles, he is involved in non-investment activities including retail work at farmers markets and a home-based solar energy business. HighPoint Advisor Group serves individuals, pension and profit-sharing plans, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, and corporate entities. The firm offers discretionary asset management and financial planning, constructing client investment policies through personal consultations and implementing diversified portfolios with fundamental analysis across various asset classes, utilizing both proprietary and third-party platforms.

Mitchell Despinich is a financial advisor at Private Client Services, LLC with 26 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has worked at Private Client Services since 2010. Prior to that, he was with Nationwide Securities, LLC and 1717 Capital Management Company. He also sells insurance products including life, disability, long-term care, and health coverage through his financial services practice. Private Client Services is an independent investment adviser serving individuals, families, trusts, pension plan sponsors, corporations, and charitable organizations. The firm employs a discovery-driven process focused on risk profiling and tailored platform selection, offering a range of advisory services through multiple investment platforms.

James Noe is a financial advisor at Capital Analysts based in Lombard, IL, with 44 years of industry experience. He holds the Series 63 and Series 65 designations and has been with Lincoln Investment Planning, Inc. since 2005. Capital Analysts serves a diverse client base including individual and high-net-worth investors, trusts, foundations, and charitable organizations. The firm offers portfolio management, advisor-managed custom and model portfolios, access to third-party managers, and retirement-plan advice through a network of independent advisors and in-house investment teams.

Bailey Yablonsky is a financial advisor at The Mather Group, LLC with one year of industry experience. He holds a Series 65 designation and has previously worked at Boston Scientific, Optum, Collins Aerospace, and several other organizations. The Mather Group serves high-net-worth individuals, family offices, trusts, corporations, and other entities by providing financial planning, investment management, tax and estate planning guidance, and family office services. The firm employs an evidence-based investment approach with customizable portfolio options and integrates AI and machine-learning tools alongside human oversight.

Kevin Antosz is a financial advisor with Zacks Investment Management, Inc. in Chicago, IL, holding a Series 66 designation and eight years of industry experience. His work history includes roles at LBMZ Securities Inc, Edward Jones, Pittsburgh Field Club, and Miami University. Zacks Investment Management provides discretionary investment management to individuals, trusts, retirement plans, and institutional clients, offering a range of strategies that combine proprietary quantitative models with qualitative management. The firm also manages mutual funds and ETFs and distributes its strategies through various wrap-fee and unified managed account programs.

David Kujawa is a CFP® and ChFC® financial advisor with 20 years of industry experience. He is affiliated with Highpoint Planning Partners and has worked with HighPoint Advisor Group, LLC and LPL Financial for over a decade. Outside of his advisory work, he is involved in the sale of fixed insurance products through his agency and collects watches as a non-investment related activity. HighPoint Advisor Group serves a diverse client base including individuals, pension and profit-sharing plans, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, and corporate entities. The firm offers discretionary asset management and financial planning services, implementing portfolios through fundamental analysis and a range of investment vehicles while utilizing multiple advisory platforms.

Paul Alberts is a CFP® and ChFC® with 40 years of industry experience. He is affiliated with Ausdal Financial Partners, Inc. and also leads Alberts Wealth Advisors, LLC. Additionally, he serves as an election judge in Cook County, Illinois. Ausdal Financial Partners, Inc. is an SEC-registered investment adviser and FINRA-member broker-dealer managing approximately $2.13 billion in client assets through a network of 152 advisors. The firm offers investment advisory programs, retirement plan services, and financial planning to individuals, trusts, corporations, pension plans, and charitable organizations, utilizing both discretionary and non-discretionary strategies across a range of investment products.

David Anderson is a Series 65 licensed advisor at Financial & Tax Architects, LLC with one year of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at Butler Brothers, Wolverine Trading, UMB Bank, and State Street. Outside of his advisory work, he provides security services for the Chicago Cubs. Financial & Tax Architects offers discretionary portfolio management and financial planning primarily for individual and high-net-worth clients, focusing on those nearing or in retirement. The firm employs proprietary investment strategies utilizing ETFs, individual securities, and trend-aware rebalancing, with most client relationships managed on a discretionary basis.

Benjamin Sevcik is a CFP® and PFS™ with 12 years of industry experience, currently serving at Forum Financial Management, LP since 2014. He is also a partner at Forum Tax and Accounting Services LLC, where he provides accounting and tax preparation services. Forum Financial Management, LP offers investment advisory and related services to individuals, retirement plan sponsors, charitable organizations, and institutional clients. The firm uses model asset-allocation portfolios based on Modern Portfolio Theory, employing institutional mutual funds and ETFs, and provides turnkey asset-management and back-office services to other RIAs.

Eric Maddix is a financial advisor with Chicago Capital, LLC, holding Series 63 and Series 65 designations and bringing 27 years of industry experience. He previously worked at William Blair & Company, L.L.C. for 19 years before joining Chicago Capital in 2018. Chicago Capital provides discretionary investment management, financial planning, and consulting services to individuals, high-net-worth clients, families, foundations, registered investment advisers, and corporations. The firm actively manages portfolios using both fundamental and technical research across multiple asset classes, with a focus on long-term value growth and risk mitigation.

Adam Bernthal is a CFP® and holds a Series 65 license with 12 years of industry experience. He has been with Plante Moran Financial Advisors in Chicago since 2014. Plante Moran Financial Advisors provides investment advisory, financial planning, and estate planning services to a diverse client base, including individual households, institutional clients, and sovereign wealth funds. The firm employs a blend of fundamental, technical, and cyclical analysis alongside a proprietary market valuation model and primarily manages assets on a non-discretionary basis.

Michelle Weindruch is a CFP® professional with 15 years of experience in the financial advisory industry. She has been with Forum Financial Management, LP since 2012 and previously worked at Pinnacle Wealth Management, LLC and PURSHE KAPLAN STERLING INVESTMENTS, Inc. She holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses. Forum Financial Management, LP provides investment advisory and related services to individuals, retirement plan sponsors, charitable organizations, and institutional clients. The firm uses model asset-allocation portfolios based on Modern Portfolio Theory and offers a range of portfolio management and advisory services, including sub-advisory and back-office support for independent advisors and RIAs.

Dennis Lipoff is a Series 66 credentialed advisor with 25 years of industry experience. He has been with Ausdal Financial Partners, Inc. since 2012. In addition to his advisory role, he owns an independent insurance sales business focusing on health, life, long-term care, and disability insurance. Ausdal Financial Partners serves a diverse client base including individuals, trusts, estates, retirement plans, and business entities. The firm manages approximately $3.73 billion through a network of investment advisor representatives, offering a range of investment and financial planning services tailored to clients’ specific needs.