Christopher Karam is a financial advisor with Independent Financial Partners in Schaumburg, IL, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and 18 years of industry experience. He has worked at Independent Financial Partners since 2011 and previously held roles at LPL Financial and Sheridan Road Financial, LLC. Karam also serves as a Supervisor of Cuba Township in Barrington, Illinois, overseeing the township’s operations and finances. Independent Financial Partners provides investment advisory, financial planning, trust, and retirement-plan services through a nationwide network of independent advisers. The firm supports a multi-advisor platform focused on individualized investment strategies and is noted for its retirement-plan advisory and pension consulting services.

Kexin Yang is a financial advisor with Goldman Sachs Wealth Services, holding a Series 66 designation and three years of industry experience. Prior to joining Goldman Sachs, Yang has worked with nonprofit organizations such as the Asian Pacific American Legal Resource Center and The Bail Project. Yang’s background also includes roles at The George Washington University and Washington University in St. Louis. Goldman Sachs Wealth Services advises a diverse client base, including individual investors, corporate participants, executives, and institutional clients. The firm offers financial planning, portfolio management, and specialized services such as Private Family Office and Executive Wealth programs, utilizing strategic allocation models and access to a wide range of affiliated Goldman Sachs products and resources.

Glenn Stears Jr. is a financial advisor with United Planners' Financial Services of America, holding CFP® and ChFC® designations and bringing 46 years of industry experience. His prior work includes 37 years at Waddell & Reed, Inc., and he also serves as vice president and secretary of Sagrado & Stears, Inc. Outside of his advisory role, he is involved in an insurance agency he has operated since 1980. United Planners Financial Services is a national wealth-management enterprise serving a diverse client base including individual investors, retirement plans, corporations, trusts, and institutional clients. The firm delivers advisory and brokerage services through independent representatives and emphasizes non-discretionary account management.

Jordan Flowers is a Series 65-registered advisor with Brookstone Capital Management LLC in Wheaton, IL, where he has worked for 10 years. He has a decade of industry experience and maintains a licensed insurance agent role, offering life insurance and annuities through Wealth Financial Services & Tax Advisory. Brookstone Capital Management provides fee-based asset management and financial planning services to individuals, retirement plans, corporations, trusts, and other entities. The firm employs a range of investment strategies including strategic and dynamic asset allocation models, Unified Managed Accounts, and options-enhanced strategies, supported by proprietary funds and external sub-advisors.

Jin Liu is a financial advisor at Hightower Advisors in Deerfield, IL, holding Series 65 and Series 63 licenses with seven years of industry experience. Prior to joining Hightower Advisors in 2019, Liu worked at Navistar Inc. for five years. Outside of advising, Liu is a partner in Ecommerce Express LLC. Hightower Advisors provides investment advisory and planning services to a diverse range of individual and institutional clients, utilizing a multi-manager approach that includes affiliated and third-party managers. The firm offers portfolio management, financial planning, and retirement plan consulting through a network of Advisor Practices.

Fadel Krisht is a financial advisor at Kestra Advisory with five years of industry experience. He holds a Series 66 designation and has previously worked at Goldman Sachs, Strategic Wealth Advisors Group, and LPL Financial. Kestra Advisory Services provides investment advisory and retirement-plan consulting to plan sponsors and a diverse range of institutional and individual clients, offering services such as fiduciary consulting, comprehensive plan design, and advisor-managed accounts. The firm serves very large institutional investors and provides access to multiple management platforms and third-party solutions.

Kyle Odeshoo is a financial advisor at Carson Wealth with a Series 65 designation and one year of industry experience. His prior work includes positions at Carson Wealth and the March McLennan Agency. CWM, LLC is an SEC-registered investment adviser managing approximately $50.6 billion through a network of over 650 advisors. The firm serves corporate, institutional, and high-net-worth clients with discretionary asset management, financial planning, retirement plan services, and tailored investment solutions supported by a dedicated Investment Committee.

Rita Magic is a Series 66-credentialed financial advisor at Citigroup Global Markets with five years of industry experience. Her prior roles include positions at Edward Jones, JP Morgan Securities LLC, JPMorgan Chase Bank NA, LPL Financial, BMO Harris Bank, Morgan Stanley, and Bank of America. Citigroup Global Markets serves individual and institutional clients across various wealth segments, offering a range of investment advisory programs and execution services. The firm employs multi-asset, multi-manager strategies with internal oversight and supports both discretionary and non-discretionary programs, leveraging its scale and specialized market roles.

Zhenlin Lu is a financial advisor at Citigroup Global Markets with seven years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and has worked at Citigroup Global Markets since 2020 and Citibank N.A. since 2013. Citigroup Global Markets serves individual and institutional clients across multiple wealth segments, offering a range of investment advisory programs along with broker-dealer execution and custody services. The firm employs multi-asset, multi-manager strategies and operates with a combination of large institutional scale and unique market roles.

Tyler Glover is a CFA® charterholder with 18 years of industry experience, currently serving as a financial advisor at William Blair since 2014. Based in Geneva, IL, he holds a Series 63 registration. William Blair’s Private Wealth Management division delivers discretionary and non-discretionary investment management, financial planning, and wealth services to individuals, including high-net-worth clients, as well as foundations, pension, and corporate clients. The firm emphasizes active, research-driven management across equities, fixed income, and alternative strategies, providing proprietary models and access to private funds and co-investment opportunities.

Richard George is a CFP® and ChFC® with 30 years of experience in the financial services industry. He is currently an advisor at Bankers Life Advisory Services, Inc., having previously worked at Morgan Stanley and UBS Financial Services. He is also appointed to write business for Medicare Supplement, annuities, life insurance, health, and long-term care products through Bankers Life and Casualty Company. Bankers Life Advisory Services, Inc. serves mass-affluent and high-net-worth individuals, offering discretionary portfolio management, investment consulting, and retirement plan consulting. The firm combines fundamental, technical, and cyclical analysis to tailor asset allocations and manage portfolios aligned with clients’ goals and risk tolerances.

Dino Gavanes is a financial advisor at Centaurus Financial, Inc. with 18 years of industry experience. He holds Series 66 and Series 63 licenses and has previously worked at firms including Equitable Advisors LLC, MML Investors Services, LLC, Mass Mutual Life Insurance Company, and Advisers Group, Inc. Outside of his advisory role, he serves as a board member for the Village of Itasca, IL. Centaurus Financial, Inc. provides advisory and brokerage services to a diverse client base including individuals, families, small businesses, corporations, trusts, and foundations. The firm offers financial planning and portfolio management through its CLASSIC Plus platform, employing a range of analytical approaches and both discretionary and non-discretionary arrangements.

Vishaal Tummala is a CFP® with 10 years of industry experience. He is currently with Focus Partners Wealth, LLC and has previously worked at Kovitz Investment Group Partners, LLC, Strategic Wealth Partners, and Himalaya Enterprise. Focus Partners serves individuals, high-net-worth families, family offices, and institutional clients with wealth management, advisory, and retirement plan consulting services. The firm employs a long-term, tax- and fee-sensitive investment approach that combines active and passive strategies within an enhanced open architecture framework.

Anthony Williams is a financial advisor at Voya Financial Advisors, Inc. with two years of industry experience. He holds Series 65 and Series 63 credentials and has worked at Park Avenue Securities, Guardian Life Insurance Company, and Northwestern Mutual prior to joining Voya Financial Advisors. Voya Financial Advisors, Inc. serves individual, pension, profit-sharing, charitable, and corporate clients by providing financial planning, portfolio management, and retirement advisory services. The firm employs investment policy statements and model allocations supported by in-house and external strategists, offering both non-discretionary and limited discretionary account management through a broad network of advisers.

Nafissa Bounia Yahaya is a financial advisor at Goldman Sachs Wealth Services with three years of industry experience. She holds a Series 66 designation and has been with Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC since 2023. Prior to her advisory role, she spent four years affiliated with Lake Forest College. Goldman Sachs Wealth Services advises a diverse client base including individual investors, corporate participants, executives, and institutional clients. The firm offers financial planning, portfolio management, specialized executive wealth programs, and access to alternative investments, utilizing a range of strategies and integrated resources across the Goldman Sachs platform.

Colin Coine is a CFP® and Series 65-registered financial advisor with three years of industry experience. He is currently with Mariner and has previously worked at Waverly Advisors, LLC, StrategIQ Financial Group, LLC, Thrivent, and held roles outside of finance, including five years with the U.S. Soccer Federation. Mariner serves a wide range of clients, including individuals, pension plans, trusts, and charitable organizations, offering investment management, financial planning, retirement plan consulting, and tax services. The firm combines in-house research with third-party managers to implement customized portfolios and provides integrated tax and accounting services alongside administrative CFO capabilities.

Mark Pietsch is a financial advisor at Guardian Life with 39 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has worked previously at Securian Financial Services and PRUCO Securities. Pietsch is also associated with The Pietsch Financial Group, Inc. and True Wealth Strategies LLC. Guardian Life’s subsidiary, Park Avenue Securities LLC, provides brokerage and investment advisory services to individuals, institutional clients, and businesses. The firm offers a range of financial planning, discretionary management, and model-based strategies, combining proprietary and third-party platforms to tailor client solutions.

Peter Conway is a financial advisor with Brookstone Capital Management LLC in Buffalo Grove, IL, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and bringing 22 years of industry experience. He has worked at Brookstone since 2017 and has been president and owner of Conway Tax Advisors since 2005, where he is involved in insurance and annuity sales as well as tax preparation through a co-owned tax advisory firm. Brookstone Capital Management is an SEC-registered adviser that provides fee-based asset management and financial planning through a turnkey asset management platform and wrap-fee programs. The firm serves a diverse client base, including individuals, retirement plans, corporations, charitable organizations, other RIAs, sovereign wealth funds, and banking institutions, offering primarily discretionary investment management across various strategies and model portfolios.

Sharon Zumstein is a Series 66-licensed financial advisor with seven years of industry experience. She is currently with Empower Advisory Group and Empower Financial Services, having previously worked at Fidelity Investments, Bank of America, Merrill, and TD Ameritrade. Zumstein also holds an Illinois real estate license and works as an independent contractor with Century 21. Empower Advisory Group provides financial planning and investment management primarily to employer-sponsored retirement plan sponsors and their participants, offering integrated services through Empower’s recordkeeping and administrative platforms. The firm’s approach includes point-in-time financial plans and optional managed account solutions within plan lineups selected by plan sponsors.

Courtney Bonstrom is a Series 65-licensed advisor with Brookstone Capital Management LLC, based in Wheaton, IL, and has 15 years of industry experience. She has been with Brookstone Capital Management since 2011. Outside of her advisory role, she serves as an adjunct professor at Aurora University in a part-time, non-investment-related capacity. Brookstone Capital Management provides fee-based asset management and financial planning for a diverse client base, including individuals, retirement plans, corporations, and trusts. The firm employs a range of strategic and dynamic asset-allocation models and offers discretionary portfolio management through various programs and sub-advisory relationships.