Jack Petras is a CFP® with five years of industry experience currently advising at Wells Fargo Clearing. His prior work includes roles at Golden Trail Advisers LLC and Yeske Buie, Inc., as well as experience at the University of Illinois. Wells Fargo Advisors is a national securities firm serving individual, corporate, and institutional clients with investment advisory, financial planning, and retirement plan consulting services. The firm manages approximately $671 billion in assets through more than 14,000 advisors and utilizes research from Wells Fargo Investment Institute along with diversification and modern portfolio theory in its investment approach.

Charles Douthit is a financial advisor at Cetera with 38 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 designations and has previously worked at Morgan Stanley and Morgan Stanley Private Bank for over 15 years. In addition to his role at Cetera, he is affiliated with Coe Financial Group, where he also provides financial advisory services. Cetera Investment Advisers LLC serves a broad range of clients, including individuals, employer-sponsored retirement plans, corporate, charitable, and institutional accounts. The firm offers a variety of portfolio management and financial planning services through a multi-manager platform with access to affiliated and third-party managers.

Michael Davern is a financial advisor with LPL Financial in Lake Zurich, IL, holding Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and bringing 38 years of industry experience. Prior to joining LPL Financial in 2018, he worked for Cetera Advisor Networks LLC and has been involved with Exemplar Tax & Accounting since 2013. LPL Financial is an SEC-registered investment adviser and broker-dealer serving individuals, retirement plans, banks, credit unions, corporations, and charitable organizations through a national network of investment adviser representatives. The firm provides a range of advisory programs, retirement plan consulting, and brokerage services, offering both discretionary and non-discretionary management supported by in-house and third-party research.

Jolene Bateman is a financial advisor with Merrill, holding a Series 66 designation and eight years of industry experience, including four years at Ross Financial Services prior to joining Merrill in 2018. She serves as a conservator and representative payee for family members. Merrill, together with its affiliate Managed Account Advisors LLC, offers managed account services to Bank of America fiduciary clients through the Select Portfolio Solutions Program, providing model-based and discretionary investment strategies for a range of individual and institutional clients.

Paul Adams is a financial advisor with Edward Jones in Lake Forest, IL, holding CFP® and Series 66 credentials and bringing 15 years of industry experience. He has been with Edward Jones since 2010. Outside of his advisory role, he is a member of the Kiwanis Club of Lake Bluff/Lake Forest. Edward Jones is a full-service wealth management firm serving over four million clients, including individual, institutional, corporate, and charitable clients. The firm offers a range of advisory programs and investment strategies, operating under a fiduciary standard and managing approximately $1.01 trillion in assets.

Mark Hornok is a financial advisor at Edward Jones in Barrington, IL, holding Series 63 and Series 66 designations with 25 years of industry experience. He has been with Edward Jones since 2001. 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 solutions, managing approximately $1.01 trillion in assets through a nationwide network of financial advisors and branch offices.

Andrea Jones is a financial advisor at Stifel with 22 years of industry experience. She holds Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and previously worked at Merrill Lynch from 2008 to 2022 before joining Stifel Nicolaus & Co. Inc. in 2022. Andrea is also a commissioned notary with the American Association of Notaries. Stifel serves a broad range of clients including individuals, institutions, and charitable organizations, offering both brokerage and investment advisory services. The firm utilizes proprietary investment methodologies and provides fee-based financial planning and model allocations intended to support client decision-making.

Joseph La Vanne is a financial advisor with Cetera, holding a Series 66 designation and six years of industry experience. He has held roles at James Hamlin Financial Services, LLC dba Traverse, and JHFS Management Corporation, where he is involved in the active management of financial services entities. La Vanne has a background that includes engineering experience prior to entering the financial sector. Cetera Investment Advisers LLC is an SEC-registered firm serving individual, retirement plan, corporate, charitable, and institutional clients through a nationwide network of over 10,000 advisors. The firm offers a multi-manager platform with a variety of portfolio management and financial planning services, supporting both discretionary and non-discretionary account structures.

John Sikaras is a financial advisor with Mass Mutual Investors Services, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and 25 years of industry experience. He has been with Mass Mutual Investors Services and MassMutual Life Insurance Company since 2014. Mass Mutual Investors Services is a broker-dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser that serves individuals, business owners, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, and employers. The firm offers financial planning, asset management, and educational programs, structuring planning engagements as annual, collaborative relationships using firm-approved tools to analyze client goals and deliver written recommendations.

George Cook is a financial advisor with Morgan Stanley, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and bringing 45 years of industry experience. He has been with Morgan Stanley Private Bank, National Association since 2015 and has worked at Morgan Stanley Smith Barney since 2009. Morgan Stanley Wealth Management provides a range of advisory programs to individuals 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 uses structured discovery conversations and firm-approved planning tools in its financial planning process.

Ismat Khimani is a Wealth Management Advisor and Senior Vice President with Merrill Lynch Wealth Management in Deer Park, Illinois. She holds several professional designations, including Certified Financial Planner (CFP), Certified Divorce Financial Analyst (CDFA), Certified Plan Fiduciary Advisor (CPFA), and Chartered Retirement Planning Counselor (CRPC). Ismat earned her Bachelor's degree from Benedictine University and completed accredited certificate programs at Georgetown University and Dartmouth University. With over two decades of experience in wealth management, Ismat specializes in serving professionals, business owners, attorneys, executives, affluent, and multi-generational families. Her expertise encompasses portfolio management, family wealth management strategies, legacy planning, executive compensation, and philanthropic planning. She integrates Merrill Lynch's investment insights with Bank of America's trust and estate planning services to provide comprehensive financial strategies tailored to her clients' needs. Beyond her professional work, Ismat is involved in community initiatives such as The Aga Khan Foundation, which focuses on improving quality of life and promoting self-reliance in disadvantaged communities. Her approach centers on empowering clients with personalized financial strategies designed to establish a foundation for long-term prosperity.

Darren Golde is a financial advisor with Morgan Stanley in Deerfield, IL, holding Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and bringing 38 years of industry experience. He has been with Morgan Stanley Private Bank since 2015 and has worked at Morgan Stanley Smith Barney since 2009. Morgan Stanley Wealth Management offers a broad range of advisory programs to individual and institutional clients, providing tailored financial planning supported by structured discovery conversations and firm-approved planning tools. The firm manages approximately $2.74 trillion in client assets and delivers services both directly and through corporate financial planning agreements.

Jamie Lemkau is a financial advisor at Morgan Stanley with 26 years of industry experience. He has been with Morgan Stanley Smith Barney since 2009. Lemkau holds Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and is based in Barrington, Illinois. 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 financial planning services supported by structured discovery and modeling tools, managing approximately $2.74 trillion in client assets.

James Armstrong Jr. is a financial advisor with Merrill, holding Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and over 35 years of industry experience. He has worked with Merrill since 2013 and Bank of America, N.A. since 2014. Armstrong also serves as a trustee for SEA and JFA Trust in Illinois. 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 plans, corporations, and charitable organizations.

Richard Petras is a financial advisor with Wells Fargo Clearing, holding Series 63 and Series 66 credentials and bringing 35 years of industry experience. He has worked with Wells Fargo Clearing since 2016 and previously with Wells Fargo Advisors LLC from 2009 to 2016. He serves as a trustee for two family trusts in Illinois. Wells Fargo Clearing provides retirement plan consulting to qualified ERISA and non-qualified deferred compensation plans, offering both discretionary and non-discretionary services. The firm’s IPS-driven advisory approach incorporates modern portfolio theory and includes a broad range of investment options, including insurance-related vehicles and bank deposit sweep programs.

Marcus Jean Simon is a financial advisor with Merrill based in Northbrook, Illinois. He holds the Series 65 and Series 66 designations and has 21 years of industry experience. Simon has been with Merrill since 2012 and is also associated with Bank of America, N.A. since 2010. Outside his advisory role, he is involved with an outside business organization based in Shorewood, Illinois. 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 individual and institutional clients.

David Pike is a financial advisor with Morgan Stanley in Deerfield, IL, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and possessing 29 years of industry experience. He has worked at Morgan Stanley Private Bank, National Association since 2015 and has been affiliated with Morgan Stanley Smith Barney since 2012. 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 including tailored financial planning supported by structured discovery processes and analytical tools such as Monte Carlo simulations.

Amy Poduch is a CFP® with 25 years of industry experience and has been with Edward Jones since 2010. She holds Series 63, 65, and 66 licenses. Edward Jones is a full-service wealth management firm serving over four million individual and institutional clients, offering a range of advisory programs and investment solutions through a large nationwide network of advisors and branch offices.

Bethany Lackey is a financial advisor at Merrill with 20 years at the firm and 13 years of industry experience. She holds a Series 66 designation and is based in Northbrook, Illinois. 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. The firm serves individuals, high-net-worth clients, pension and profit-sharing plans, corporations, and charitable organizations using model-based and discretionary investment strategies developed by internal and third-party managers.

Jason Hersh is a financial advisor with Wells Fargo Advisors, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and bringing 29 years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at Cetera and CETERA Financial Specialists LLC. He currently operates in Barrington, Illinois. Wells Fargo Advisors Financial Network is a large broker-dealer and registered investment adviser that offers investment and fee-based financial planning services to individuals, trusts, and institutional clients. The firm provides a broad range of planning services supported by proprietary research and tools, with clients able to implement recommendations through various brokerage or advisory programs.