Gary Shramuk is a financial advisor at Brookstone Capital Management LLC with 17 years of industry experience. He holds a Series 66 designation and has been associated with Gcg Financial Inc since 1999. In addition to his advisory role, he is a 50% owner of SAFE HARBOR FINANCIAL GROUP, where he sells life and health insurance. Brookstone Capital Management is an SEC-registered adviser providing fee-based asset management and financial planning through a turnkey asset management platform and wrap-fee program. The firm serves a diverse client base, including individuals, retirement plans, corporations, charitable organizations, other RIAs, sovereign wealth funds, and banking institutions, offering a range of discretionary investment strategies and support services.

Kyle Bakhshi is a financial advisor at William Blair with a Series 66 designation and six years of industry experience. He has worked at William Blair since 2021 and previously spent seven years at Nuveen. 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 uses an active, research-driven investment approach across equities, fixed income, and alternative strategies, and provides proprietary models as well as access to private funds and co-investment opportunities.

Christopher Snyder is a Series 66-licensed financial advisor with six years of industry experience. He is currently with Wealth Enhancement Advisory Services, LLC and has prior experience at LPL Financial, William Cartwright II, Michael McNally, Ronald Barton, and Waddell & Reed Inc. Snyder also provides fixed insurance services through the Wealth Enhancement Group. Wealth Enhancement Advisory Services, LLC is an SEC-registered enterprise firm serving individuals, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, corporations, and retirement plans. The firm offers financial planning, asset management, and retirement plan consulting with an investment approach that combines strategic asset allocation, passive and active management, and integration of third-party models and sub-advisors.

Jeffrey Geel is a financial advisor with Brookstone Capital Management LLC, holding Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and 13 years of industry experience. His work history includes roles at Ocean Pacific Investments, J4 Investment Advisors, Amazon, and Eag Led. Outside of finance, he manages the Geel Family Farm and coaches high school football at Saint Anne High School. Brookstone Capital Management is an SEC-registered adviser providing 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.

Mary Mclean is a CFP® with 15 years of experience in the financial industry. She is currently with Integrated Wealth Concepts LLC and previously worked at HighTower Advisors LLC and Private Vista, LLC. Integrated Wealth Concepts LLC serves individuals, high-net-worth clients, families, trusts, estates, businesses, and retirement plans through a network of independent financial advisors. The firm offers discretionary investment management, financial planning, consulting, family office services, and wrap-fee programs, emphasizing customized portfolios and a primarily long-term investment approach.

Molly Powers is a CFP® professional with four years of industry experience. She currently works at Creative Planning and has previously held roles at Sageview Advisory Group, Capital Strategies Investment Group, and Forum Financial Management. Creative Planning provides comprehensive investment advisory and financial planning services to individuals, corporations, foundations, trusts, and retirement plans. The firm manages approximately $217 billion in assets and employs a financial planning-led investment process that includes low-cost indexing, buy-and-hold strategies, and supplemental portfolio techniques, supported by a large advisory team and centralized investment infrastructure.

Scott Svoboda is a financial advisor at Farther with nine years of industry experience. He holds a Series 65 designation and has worked previously at Royal Fund Management, LLC DBA Tru Financial Strategies. Svoboda is also president of Svoboda Financial Group, Inc., where he operates an independent insurance agency focused on fixed annuities, Medicare supplements, life insurance, and long-term care. Farther provides discretionary investment management and advisory services primarily to individual investors, trusts, and estates through a web and mobile platform as well as in-person meetings. The firm employs a Modern Portfolio Theory-based approach using proprietary model portfolios or bespoke allocations, algorithmic rebalancing, and a selection of exchange-traded funds, mutual funds, individual equities, and fixed income.

Marzena Hanek is a financial advisor at Mercer Global Advisors Inc. with 21 years of industry experience. She holds Series 65 and Series 66 credentials and has worked at Mercer since 2017, with a brief hiatus from 2016 to 2017. Mercer Global Advisors serves individuals and families, small business owners, plan sponsors, foundations, non-profits, and endowments, offering investment advisory services alongside financial, tax, retirement, estate planning, and family office services. The firm employs a Modern Portfolio Theory-based investment approach that emphasizes globally diversified, risk-appropriate portfolios implemented through a mix of low-cost ETFs, index funds, separate account managers, and other strategies.

Allen Laya is a financial advisor at Lincoln Investment in Lombard, IL, holding the ChFC® and Series 63 designations with 54 years of industry experience. He has been with Lincoln Investment Planning, Inc. since 2005 and previously worked at PMG Asset Management Inc. from 2001 to 2005. Lincoln Investment serves individuals, charitable organizations, businesses, and employer-sponsored retirement plans, with a focus on educators and 403(b)/457(b) participants. The firm offers a range of financial planning and investment management services through both discretionary and non-discretionary programs, managing approximately $22.9 billion in advisory assets as of year-end 2025.

Daniel Larson is a financial advisor at Citigroup Global Markets with 14 years of industry experience. He holds Series 65 and Series 63 licenses and has previously worked at JPMorgan Securities LLC, LPL Financial, BMO Harris Bank, and RTS Financial. Citigroup Global Markets serves individual and institutional clients across various wealth segments, offering a broad range of investment advisory programs and execution services. The firm employs multi-asset, multi-manager strategies through both discretionary and non-discretionary programs, supported by in-house research and large-scale institutional capabilities.

Eric Otto is a financial advisor with Commonwealth Financial Network, holding a Series 66 designation and 24 years of industry experience. He has worked at Commonwealth since 2006 and is also affiliated with Triad Financial Group, LLC since 2024. Outside of his advisory work, he serves on the executive committee of the South Bay Beach Club in the Cayman Islands. Commonwealth Financial Network is a registered investment adviser serving a national network of approximately 2,950 advisors and their clients. The firm provides a range of advisory programs and support services, including wealth management, retirement plan consulting, and access to third-party asset managers, while offering advisors discretion in portfolio construction and a variety of program structures.

Robert Wack is a CFP® with seven years of industry experience. He is currently with Fifth Third Securities, Inc. and Fifth Third Bank, having joined in 2026. His prior experience includes roles at Schwab Wealth Advisory, Inc., Charles Schwab & Co., Inc., Merrill (Bank of America), Scottrade, and TD Ameritrade. Fifth Third Securities, Inc. serves a broad range of individual and institutional clients through both investment advisory and brokerage services. The firm offers multiple program types and third-party portfolio managers via its Passageway Managed Account Program and operates as a broker-dealer, SEC-registered investment adviser, and municipal advisor.

Robert Basile is a CFP® with 8 years of industry experience, currently serving at Mariner Wealth Advisors since 2021. He previously worked at Fifth Third Private Bank for nine years and The AYCO Company, L.P./Mercer Allied for seventeen years. Mariner Wealth Advisors serves individuals, pension plans, trusts, charitable organizations, corporations, and private funds with investment management, financial planning, retirement plan consulting, and access to pooled vehicles and third-party managers. The firm combines customized portfolio management with integrated tax, accounting, and financial wellness services.

Byron Ramult is a CFP® professional with 24 years of experience in the financial industry, currently affiliated with Stratos Wealth Partners, Ltd in Elmhurst, IL. His prior roles include positions at LPL Financial and Wealth Enhancement Group. Stratos Wealth Partners serves a diverse clientele, including high-net-worth individuals, retirement plans, and institutional clients, offering financial planning, advisor-managed programs, model portfolios, and retirement plan consulting through a broad network of investment adviser representatives. The firm combines individualized asset allocation with active monitoring and access to proprietary and third-party strategies across multiple custodians.

Thomas Thibeault is a Series 66-credentialed financial advisor with 13 years of industry experience. He has been with William Blair since 2015. Outside of his advisory role, he coaches individuals in lacrosse skills and conditioning through Athletes Academy. William Blair’s Private Wealth Management division offers investment management, financial planning, and wealth services to individuals, foundations, pension, and corporate clients. The firm employs an active, research-driven approach across asset classes and provides access to proprietary models, third-party sub-managers, and private investment opportunities.

Ramesh Poola is a CFA charterholder and financial advisor at Creative Planning with two years of industry experience. He previously worked at IRON Financial, LLC for eleven years before joining Creative Planning in 2021. Creative Planning provides investment advisory and financial planning services to a diverse client base, including individuals, corporations, foundations, trusts, and retirement plans. The firm manages approximately $217 billion in assets and employs a financial planning-led investment approach that incorporates low-cost indexing, buy-and-hold strategies, and supplemental tactics such as direct indexing and tax-loss harvesting.

Robert Malek is a financial advisor with PlanMember Securities Corporation in Chicago, IL, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and having 42 years of industry experience. His prior firms include Cambridge Investment Research Advisors and Prosperity Wealth Advisors, and he has operated Malek Wealth Advisors since 2007. Outside of his advisory roles, he is president of Priority Retirement Solutions, Inc., a banking and tax entity servicing financial advisors. PlanMember Securities Corporation provides retirement-plan advisory services to employers and plan participants, acting as an ERISA Section 3(38) fiduciary for many plans. The firm’s investment process emphasizes strategic asset allocation and risk-based mutual fund portfolios, complemented by education and support services for plan sponsors and participants.

Wesley Barnes is a CFP® with 15 years of industry experience, currently serving as a financial advisor at Mariner since 2025. He previously worked at Hightower Advisors and Hightower Securities, LLC from 2008 to 2022 and served in the United States Marine Corps Reserves from 2011 to 2017. Outside of his advisory role, Barnes is involved in managing a group of doughnut franchise locations and serves on the board of United Way Northwest Indiana. Mariner serves a diverse client base including individuals, pension plans, trusts, and charitable organizations through comprehensive investment management, financial planning, and retirement consulting. The firm emphasizes discretionary, customized portfolios overseen by an Investment Committee, integrating in-house research with third-party managers, and offers distinctive tax, accounting, and administrative CFO services.

Aaron Kim is a CFP® professional with 20 years of industry experience, currently affiliated with Voya Financial Advisors, Inc. since 2015. He holds a Series 66 license and operates as an independent insurance agent specializing in the sale of fixed insurance products. Voya Financial Advisors, Inc. serves a diverse client base including individuals, institutions, retirement plan sponsors, and high-net-worth clients. The firm provides services such as financial planning, portfolio management, and plan-sponsor consulting through various program structures, primarily offering non-discretionary advice.

Maria Burger is a financial advisor with First Command Advisory Services in Oak Brook, IL, holding a Series 66 designation and eight years of industry experience. She has been affiliated with First Command and related entities since 2017 and is the business owner of MVB Financial Services, LLC. Burger also serves as president and board member of the West Point Society of Chicago, a nonprofit supporting the United States Military Academy, admissions, and alumni. Additionally, she provides consulting services to chemical and manufacturing companies through the Gerson Lehrman Group. First Command Advisory Services is an SEC-registered investment adviser serving individuals, corporate, and charitable clients, with a focus on active-duty service members and their families. The firm offers financial planning and multiple wrap-fee asset management programs managed centrally by an Investment Management Team and Wealth Portfolio Managers, using a disciplined manager selection process and established platforms for portfolio administration and custody.