Erica Kowalczyk is a financial advisor with Cetera, holding Series 63 and Series 65 registrations and two years of industry experience. She previously worked at Edward Jones for four years and also has experience in the restaurant and service industries. Cetera Investment Advisers LLC is an SEC-registered firm serving individual, retirement plan, corporate, charitable, and institutional clients through a nationwide network of independent advisors. The firm offers a range of portfolio management and financial planning services with multiple program structures and access to both affiliated and third-party investment managers.

Louis Cassara is a ChFC® with 42 years of industry experience, currently serving at Mass Mutual Investors Services since 2014. He is also chairman and CEO of The Cassara Clinic, a professional development and executive coaching firm focused on coaching and teaching representatives and entrepreneurs. Additionally, he is involved in individual and group life insurance sales through The Financial Resource Network. Mass Mutual Investors Services is a broker-dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser that provides ongoing financial planning and asset management services to individuals, business owners, and various organizations, employing firm-approved analytical tools to deliver tailored recommendations.

Peter Krebs is a financial advisor at Fidelity with a Series 66 credential and approximately one year of experience in the industry. His background includes time at Marquette University and Menards before joining Fidelity. Fidelity’s Strategic Advisers LLC provides investment management and advisory services to retail and institutional clients, utilizing a blend of fundamental research, quantitative analysis, and algorithmic portfolio construction. The firm offers discretionary and non-discretionary advisory services, manages multiple registered investment companies, and applies systematic methodologies and oversight controls in its investment approach.

Michael Ruggiero is a financial advisor at Ameriprise with 20 years of industry experience and holds a Series 66 designation. He has worked at Ameriprise and its affiliated entities since 2011. Outside of his advisory role, he is an adjunct professor at Purdue University and owns a consulting business, AMD&C, LLC. Ameriprise offers retirement-income planning services targeted at individuals approaching or in retirement with substantial investable assets, combining research and modeling with personalized recommendation reports delivered by a centralized consulting team.

Margret Birch is a financial advisor with Morgan Stanley in Oak Brook, IL, holding Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and bringing 24 years of industry experience. She has worked at Morgan Stanley since 2013 and has been with Morgan Stanley Private Bank, National Association since 2015. Outside of her advisory role, Birch serves as a board member of Brightside Theatre, an arts and culture organization in Naperville, IL. Morgan Stanley Wealth Management offers a wide range of advisory programs to individual and institutional clients, providing tailored financial planning that incorporates structured discovery conversations and firm-approved planning tools. The firm manages approximately $2.74 trillion in client assets and employs various investment strategies and products alongside planning services.

Anna Siwula is a financial advisor with UBS Financial Services in Oakbrook Terrace, IL, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and bringing 16 years of industry experience. She has been with UBS Financial Services since 2013. UBS Financial Services serves individual, corporate, and institutional clients with a range of brokerage and investment advisory offerings, combining institutional trading capabilities with wealth management services through a large network of advisors.

Jack Duffner is a CFP® professional with five years of industry experience, currently serving at OSAIC since 2024. His prior experience includes roles at Woodbury Financial Services, Guggenheim Partners Investment Management, and the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago. He is also involved with Duffner Financial Group, a separate financial services business. OSAIC Wealth, Inc. serves a diverse range of clients, including individual and institutional investors, through a large network of affiliated advisors. The firm offers integrated brokerage and advisory services, employing asset-allocation tools and third-party platforms to manage portfolios across multiple asset classes.

Andrew Koleno is a financial advisor with LPL Financial in Orland Park, IL, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and having 21 years of industry experience. He previously worked at J.P. Morgan Securities for 11 years and Chase Investment Services Corp. for one year. LPL Financial is a national broker-dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser serving individuals, retirement plan participants, banks, trust companies, and institutions. The firm offers a range of advisory and brokerage services, including financial planning, model portfolios, third-party asset management, and institutional platforms.

Chris Ambrose is a financial advisor with Wells Fargo Advisors holding Series 65 and Series 66 licenses and 23 years of industry experience. His career includes roles at Merrill Lynch, JP Morgan Chase, Bankers Life, and multiple Wells Fargo entities. Wells Fargo Advisors Financial Network provides investment and financial planning services to individuals, trusts, and institutions, offering a broad menu of planning options including retirement, education, and niche areas such as business-owner transition and special-needs planning. The firm combines advisory services with other financial products and referral channels, serving clients through a network of financial advisors.

James Bann is a financial advisor with Wells Fargo Clearing in Naperville, IL, holding Series 63 and Series 66 credentials and 32 years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at Morgan Stanley Private Bank, Morgan Stanley Smith Barney, UBS Financial Services, and Great Lakes Advisors, LLC. Wells Fargo Advisors is a national securities firm serving individual, corporate, and institutional clients with investment advisory services, financial planning, and retirement plan consulting. The firm manages roughly $671 billion in assets through more than 14,000 advisors and employs research-driven investment strategies that incorporate diversification and modern portfolio theory.

Brad Freitag is a CFP® professional with 17 years of experience in the financial services industry. He has worked at LPL Financial since 2021 and previously held roles at Waddell & Reed, Edward Jones, and various insurance carriers. Outside of his advisory work, he is involved with Chicago Portable Power Co. LPL Financial is a national broker-dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser serving individuals, retirement plan participants, banks, trust companies, and other institutions. The firm offers a range of advisory services including financial planning, model portfolio programs, third-party asset management, and institutional platforms.

Thomas Palumbo is a Series 66-licensed financial advisor at Ameriprise with two years of industry experience. His prior work includes roles at Wintrust Financial Corporation, Glen Ellyn Bank & Trust, and Elmhurst University. Ameriprise Financial Services is a large, diversified advisory firm serving individual and institutional clients, offering specialized retirement income planning through its Premier Retirement Income service, which focuses on tax-aware withdrawal strategies and dependable income sources.

Christopher Gonzales is a financial advisor at Osaic Wealth, Inc. with 12 years of industry experience. He holds the Series 66 designation and has worked previously at Brickwork Financial Planning, Ltd., 4 Wealth Advisors, Inc., IPI Wealth Management, Inc., Investment Planners Inc., and Cetera Wealth Services, LLC. Gonzales is also licensed as an insurance agent and sells fixed insurance products including life, health, disability, annuities, and long-term care. Osaic Wealth, Inc. serves a diverse client base that includes individual and high-net-worth investors, pension and profit-sharing plans, corporations, and charitable organizations. The firm offers integrated brokerage and investment advisory services using a variety of platforms and employs asset-allocation tools, risk-tolerance questionnaires, and automated rebalancing to manage portfolios across a broad range of investment types.

Carlos Ortiz is a financial advisor at J.P. Morgan Securities with 10 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and has worked at Fidelity Investments and various J.P. Morgan entities since 2015. J.P. Morgan Securities provides institutional consulting services to corporations, foundations, and defined contribution plan sponsors, offering asset allocation advice, investment manager searches, and customized performance reporting through a team of Wealth Advisors. The firm combines large institutional advisory operations with broker-dealer, investment adviser, and commodity-related registrations to deliver a broad range of services.

Violette Hawkins is a CFP® and holds a Series 66 license, serving as a financial advisor at Edward Jones since 2007 with 19 years of industry experience. She is based in Lombard, IL. Outside of her advisory role, she owns a real estate partnership that holds her Edward Jones office. Edward Jones is a full-service wealth management firm serving over four million individual and institutional clients with approximately $1.01 trillion in assets under management. The firm offers a range of discretionary and non-discretionary investment strategies, affiliated mutual funds, and operates under a fiduciary standard.

William Del Cotto is a financial advisor with Ameriprise in Oakbrook Terrace, IL, holding Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and bringing 22 years of industry experience. He has worked at Ameriprise since 2017, as well as Edward Jones and First Trust Portfolios earlier in his career. Del Cotto is co-owner of Absolute Group LLC, a business unrelated to investments. Ameriprise Financial Services is a large advisory firm serving individual and institutional clients, known for its specialized Premier Retirement Income service that offers written recommendations and ongoing planning focused on income sources and tax-aware withdrawal strategies.

James Smith is a financial advisor at Merrill with Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and 30 years of industry experience. He has been with Merrill since 1997. Merrill serves a broad range of clients, including individuals, retirement plans, corporations, charities, and institutional clients, offering managed account programs, third-party manager selection, discretionary portfolio management, and brokerage execution services through multiple program strategies governed by the firm’s CIO and platform oversight.

Ryan Brendel is a financial advisor at J.P. Morgan Securities with seven years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and has been with J.P. Morgan since 2018. Prior to his current role, he was involved with MedPro Waste Disposal LLC for five years. J.P. Morgan Securities provides investment consulting and advisory services primarily to institutional clients and retirement plan sponsors, combining quantitative asset-allocation modeling with due diligence and an ESG eligibility framework in its investment approach.

Brian Page is a financial advisor at Osaic with 25 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 designations and previously worked at Woodbury Financial Services from 2015 to 2024. He is also involved with Kiefer Financial Group, a joint financial advisory business. Osaic Wealth, Inc. serves a diverse client base including individual investors, pension plans, corporations, and charitable organizations through a broad network of affiliated advisers. The firm offers integrated brokerage and investment advisory services, utilizing asset-allocation tools, risk-tolerance assessments, and automated rebalancing to manage portfolios across various asset classes.

Joseph Sutton is a CFP® with 19 years of experience in the financial services industry. He has worked at Wells Fargo Advisors and its affiliated entities since 2009. Sutton is currently based in Oakbrook, IL. Wells Fargo Advisors Financial Network is a large broker-dealer and registered investment adviser affiliated with Wells Fargo, serving individuals, trusts, and institutional clients. The firm offers a broad range of investment and financial planning services, utilizing proprietary research and planning tools to develop tailored recommendations.