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.

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.

Mark Lachmann is a financial advisor at Thrivent Investment Management with 15 years of industry experience. He has held his current roles since 2010 at Thrivent Financial for Lutherans and Thrivent Investment Management. He holds the Series 63 and Series 65 designations. Thrivent Investment Management provides Dedicated Planning Services to individuals, families, businesses, and nonprofit clients through a network of financial advisors. The firm offers holistic, goal-based financial planning that covers various topics such as retirement, tax, estate, and special needs planning, with the option to combine planning with managed-account services under a consolidated billing arrangement.

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.

Antoinette Bennett is a financial advisor at Robert W. Baird & Co. with four years of industry experience. She holds a Series 66 designation and has previously worked at Porcaro Stolarek Mete Partners and State Farm Insurance Co. Outside of her advisory role, she is employed at Yo Fresh Cafe in Evanston, IL. Baird’s Private Wealth Management department, where Bennett is part of the DDK Group team, serves a diverse client base including individuals, corporate and business clients, pensions, profit-sharing plans, and charitable organizations. The firm offers a range of services such as financial planning, portfolio management, separately managed accounts, and custody and brokerage services, utilizing both manager-traded and model-traded strategies along with internal research and technology.

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.

Brian Mueller is a CFP® certificant and financial advisor at Edward Jones with 22 years of industry experience. He has been with Edward Jones since 2003. Edward Jones is a full-service wealth management firm serving individual and institutional clients with approximately $1.01 trillion in assets under management. The firm offers a range of advisory programs, including discretionary and non-discretionary strategies, separately managed accounts, and affiliated mutual funds, operating under a fiduciary standard.

Brett Gerber is a financial advisor with LPL Financial in Glencoe, IL, holding Series 63 and Series 66 credentials and having 10 years of industry experience. His prior work includes roles at J.P. Morgan Securities, Bankers Life Securities, and Country Capital Management Company. LPL Financial is a national broker-dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser serving individuals, retirement plan participants, banks, trust companies, and other institutions with a broad range of advisory and brokerage services.

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.

Chad Christell is a financial advisor with Edward Jones in Arlington Heights, IL, holding a Series 66 designation and 15 years of industry experience. He has been with Edward Jones since 2008. Edward Jones is a full-service wealth management firm serving over four million individual and institutional clients. The firm offers a range of advisory programs and investment strategies supported by a large nationwide network of financial advisors and branch offices.

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.

Nicholas De Nicolo is a CFP® with 15 years of experience in the financial industry, currently serving at J.P. Morgan Securities. His work history includes roles at JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. and operating his own independent practice. Outside of advisory work, he is the owner of MND Real Estate Ventures, LLC. J.P. Morgan Securities provides institutional consulting services to plan sponsors, corporations, endowments, and other institutional clients. Their approach involves non-discretionary, written asset allocation advice supported by centralized due diligence and a combination of quantitative and qualitative research.

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.

Slavko Ivanisevic is the Vice President and Executive Planning Consultant at Fidelity Investments. In this role, he supports executives in utilizing their company's benefits and developing efficient wealth plans across all five pillars of Wealth Planning. He has held this position since 2022. Slavko has been with Fidelity Investments since 2006, progressing through roles including Stock Plan Services Representative, Financial Consultant, and Vice President, Financial Consultant. He holds the Certified Financial Planner (CFP) designation and has extensive experience in helping clients grow and protect their wealth. Outside of his professional work, Slavko has interests in music, soccer, and traveling.

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.

Victor Simonelli is a financial advisor with Edward Jones in Mt Prospect, IL, holding a Series 66 designation and one year of industry experience. His prior work history includes roles at Ernst & Young LLP and DJE Holdings. Edward Jones is a full-service wealth management firm serving more than four million individual and institutional clients, offering discretionary and non-discretionary wrap fee strategies, separately managed accounts, and affiliated mutual funds. The firm manages approximately $1.01 trillion in assets under management through a large nationwide network of advisors and branch offices.

Adam Herakovich is a financial advisor with Fisher Investments, holding a Series 65 designation and over 22 years of industry experience. He worked at Morningstar Investment Services, Inc. for 21 years prior to joining Fisher Investments in 2026. Fisher Investments serves a global mix of institutional and private clients, including pension plans, foundations, and high-net-worth individuals, offering discretionary portfolio management across various asset classes. The firm employs a centralized investment approach that combines quantitative and qualitative research to construct globally diversified portfolios and manages risk through tax-aware strategies and defensive tactics.