Mazen Zanayed is a financial advisor with PNC Wealth Management in Clarendon Hills, IL, holding Series 63 and Series 66 credentials and bringing 32 years of industry experience. He has been with PNC Wealth Management since 2014. PNC Wealth Management offers retail brokerage and advisory services through model-based programs, including an invitation-only digital discretionary model account that uses algorithmic questionnaires to guide portfolio strategy and implements investments via approved model strategies managed by PNC or third-party strategists.

Katelyn Depew is a Series 66-licensed financial advisor with 14 years of industry experience. She currently works at Mercer Global Advisors Inc. and previously spent 11 years at TIAA-CREF and Tiaa. Mercer Global Advisors serves individuals, families, small business owners, plan sponsors, foundations, non-profits, and endowments, providing a range of investment advisory, financial, tax, retirement, and estate planning services. The firm follows an investment approach based on Modern Portfolio Theory with globally diversified portfolios implemented through low-cost ETFs, index funds, separate account managers, and other strategies.

Charles Villano is a CFP® professional with 31 years of experience in the financial services industry. He is currently affiliated with Primerica Advisors and has an extensive background including roles at Guardian Life Insurance Company and Park Avenue Securities. Outside of his advisory work, Villano serves as a CPE instructor for local CPAs and operates a life coaching program for business owners. Park Avenue Securities LLC serves a diverse retail client base, offering both brokerage and advisory services along with financial planning and business consulting. The firm employs a variety of investment strategies through proprietary and third-party platforms, managing approximately $15 billion in regulatory assets under management.

Howard Suss is a financial advisor with Guardian Life and Park Avenue Securities, holding Series 65 and Series 63 credentials and bringing 31 years of industry experience. He has worked at Guardian Life since 2004 and at Park Avenue Securities since 2005. Outside of his advisory roles, he sells life and disability insurance through Suss Financial Group. Park Avenue Securities LLC, operating as Park Avenue® Wealth Management, is a broker-dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser serving individuals, pension plans, charitable organizations, and corporate clients with brokerage services, financial planning, and a range of investment advisory programs.

Linda Diebold is a financial advisor at Cetera Planning Partners with 27 years of industry experience and holds a Series 65 designation. She previously worked at Avantax Planning Partners, Inc. for 27 years and has been affiliated with Honkamp Krueger Financial Services and Diebold & Associates during her career. 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, bookkeeping, payroll support, and estate-planning through a third-party provider, and integrates resources from the broader Cetera network.

Edward Meek is a Certified Financial Planner (CFP®) with 34 years of industry experience. He is currently with Cerity Partners LLC and has previously worked at Edge Portfolio Management, LLC for 21 years and Alpha Cubed Investments, LLC for one year. He is also a licensed independent agent selling life, health, and disability insurance on a limited basis. Cerity Partners provides customized wealth management and related services to a broad national client base, including high-net-worth individuals, families, trusts, and institutional investors. The firm utilizes tailored asset allocation, manager selection, and proprietary quantitative tools to build client investment programs.

Chad Stein is a financial advisor with TIAA-CREF in Wheaton, IL, holding Series 63 and Series 66 designations and possessing 25 years of industry experience. He has been with TIAA-CREF since 2006. TIAA-CREF Individual & Institutional Services, LLC provides financial planning and discretionary managed account programs to individuals, trusts, estates, and small retirement plans, often serving clients connected through TIAA-administered employer retirement plans. The firm combines point-in-time planning with ongoing portfolio management using both model and customized portfolios, and also acts as adviser to a donor-advised fund.

Andrew Blessman is a CFP® professional with eight years of industry experience, currently serving as a financial advisor at Creative Planning since 2019. Prior to joining Creative Planning, he worked at Sebold Capital Management from 2015 to 2019. He holds the Series 66 designation and is based in Oak Brook, Illinois. Creative Planning provides investment advisory and financial planning services to a diverse client base, including individuals, corporations, foundations, trusts, and retirement plans. The firm emphasizes a financial planning–led investment process with low-cost indexing and buy-and-hold strategies, complemented by supplemental approaches such as direct indexing and tax-loss harvesting, supported by a broad team and centralized investment infrastructure.

Mark Hughes is a financial advisor with Principal Financial Services in Downers Grove, IL, holding the ChFC® designation along with Series 63 and Series 65 licenses. He has 38 years of industry experience, including roles at Hughes Financial since 2000 and positions at Principal Life Insurance Company and Principal Securities INC dating back to the late 1980s. In addition to advisory services, he is involved in selling and servicing fixed life, fixed annuities, and health insurance products through an outside insurance business. Principal Securities provides brokerage and registered investment advisory services to a diverse client base, including individual investors, retirement plans, trusts, businesses, and active-duty military personnel overseas. The firm offers financial planning, retirement consulting, and access to third-party money manager solutions through various advisory and promoter arrangements.

Pavel Yurevich is a CFP® professional at PNC Wealth Management with eight years of industry experience. He has previously worked at Fidelity Investments, Bank of America, Merrill Lynch, and Capital One. Outside of his advisory role, Pavel is an owner and operator of residential rental properties. PNC Wealth Management offers retail brokerage and advisory services through model-based programs, including an online discretionary model account available by invitation to employees. The firm employs algorithm-driven risk assessments and external portfolio delegates, focusing on mutual funds and ETFs with annual rebalancing.

Trevor Merkley is a financial advisor at &PARTNERS with Series 66 and Series 63 licenses and one year of industry experience. His prior work experience includes roles at K Force, Chicago Public Schools, and several financial services firms including JPMorgan Securities LLC and Prime Trading LLC. &PARTNERS serves a diverse client base of individual and institutional investors, offering investment management, financial and tax planning, and retirement plan consulting services. The firm employs a combination of fundamental, technical, and quantitative strategies through discretionary and non-discretionary accounts managed via the Envestnet platform and NFS brokerage infrastructure.

Scott Biestek is a financial advisor with Commonwealth Financial Network, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and possessing 15 years of industry experience. He has been affiliated with Commonwealth since 2013 and operates Biestek Wealth Management, LLC, where he is involved in both advisory services and insurance sales. In addition, Biestek maintains a law practice as an attorney. Commonwealth Financial Network is a dual-registered broker/dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser serving a national network of approximately 2,900 advisors and managing over $212 billion in client assets. The firm provides a broad adviser-support platform including managed-account programs, access to third-party asset managers, retirement consulting, and custody services.

Thomas Drennan is a financial advisor with Transamerica Financial Advisors who holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has 22 years of industry experience. He has been with Transamerica Financial Advisors since 2012 and has also worked with World Financial Group since 2002. In addition to his advisory work, he is involved in the sale of insurance products affiliated with Transamerica Financial Advisors. Transamerica Financial Advisors serves a broad client base including individual investors, retirement plans, trusts, and businesses. The firm employs a model portfolio and third-party manager approach to investment advisory services, supported by a large advisor network and multiple program platforms.

John O'Callaghan is a financial advisor with SPC in Mount Prospect, IL, holding a ChFC® designation along with Series 63 and Series 65 licenses. He has 52 years of industry experience and has been with Sigma Planning Corporation and Sigma Financial Corporation since 2014. Outside of his advisory role, he is an independently licensed insurance agent operating under Touch Financial Group in Northfield, IL. SPC serves a diverse client base including individuals, charitable organizations, corporations, and employer-sponsored retirement plans. The firm offers portfolio management, financial planning, and a range of ERISA-related retirement plan services, delivering both discretionary and nondiscretionary management through a large network of advisers.

Max Wasserman is a financial advisor at Wealth Enhancement Advisory Services, LLC with 27 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has previously worked at Miramar Capital LLC and UBS Financial Services Inc. Wealth Enhancement Advisory Services provides financial planning, asset management, and retirement-plan consulting for individuals, high-net-worth clients, corporations, and retirement plans. The firm manages over $122 billion in assets and uses a diversified, risk-class based investment approach that combines passive and active management with quantitative, momentum, and fundamental analysis.

Brian Rapacki is a financial advisor with TIAA-CREF in Wheaton, IL, holding Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and having 19 years of industry experience. He has been with TIAA-CREF since 2015. TIAA-CREF Individual & Institutional Services, LLC’s Advice & Planning Services division offers financial planning and discretionary managed account programs to individuals and various entities, often serving clients connected through TIAA-administered retirement plans. The firm operates a fiduciary advisory model with a mix of model and customized portfolios and acts as adviser to a donor-advised fund.

Todd Kemp is a financial advisor with Transamerica Financial Advisors, holding Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and 28 years of industry experience. He has been associated with Transamerica Financial Advisors since 2012 and has also been involved with several other ventures, including ownership of The Kemp Group and serving as a registry instructor at the Heartland Institute of Financial Education. Additionally, he offers estate planning services through Net Law. Transamerica Financial Advisors serves a wide range of clients, including individual investors, pension plans, trusts, and corporations, providing both advisory and broker-dealer services. The firm offers proprietary and third-party model portfolios with discretionary and non-discretionary program choices and supports plan clients through affiliated retirement and recordkeeping entities.

Michael Warren is a CFP®-designated financial advisor with Commonwealth Financial Network, based in Lombard, IL, with 39 years of industry experience. He has been affiliated with Commonwealth and Garrett Consulting since 2008 and has been self-employed since 1985. His additional business activity includes work in fixed insurance. Commonwealth Financial Network is a dual-registered broker/dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser serving a national network of approximately 2,900 advisors and managing around $212.7 billion in client assets. The firm provides a comprehensive adviser-support platform, including managed-account programs, third-party asset manager access, and custody services.

Barbara Natale is a financial advisor at PNC Wealth Management with 35 years of industry experience. She holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has been with PNC Investments since 2014. PNC Wealth Management offers retail brokerage and advisory services through model-based programs, including an invitation-only digital portfolio strategy pilot for employees that uses algorithmic risk assessment and manages investments via mutual funds and ETFs with annual rebalancing.

Laura Linger is a financial advisor at William Blair with 21 years of industry experience. She holds a Series 66 designation and has been with William Blair & Company, LLC since 2004. Outside her advisory role, she owns Exquisite Presentations, a tapestry placement business with inventory held for charitable donations. 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 active, research-driven management across multiple asset classes and provides proprietary models, third-party sub-managers, and access to private funds through its MB Investments Program.