Hamza Bendjabeur is a financial advisor with Thrivent Investment Management, holding a Series 66 designation and one year of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at Merrill and Rasier LLC, as well as a year at the College for Financial Planning. Thrivent Investment Management provides Dedicated Planning Services to individuals, families, businesses, and nonprofit clients through a network of Financial Advisors. The firm offers holistic, goal-based financial plans covering a range of topics and allows clients to combine planning with managed-account services under a consolidated billing option called WealthPlan.

William Sparks II is a Certified Financial Planner (CFP®) with 30 years of industry experience, currently advising at Raymond James & Associates since 2016. He holds Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and is based in Kenosha, WI. Raymond James & Associates is a large, dually registered broker-dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser with approximately $501 billion in assets under management. The firm serves a diverse client base including high-net-worth individuals, institutions, and municipal entities, offering financial planning, non-discretionary investment consulting, and municipal advisory services.

Philip Fernandez is a financial advisor at Edward Jones in Gurnee, IL, holding a Series 66 designation with one year of industry experience. Prior to joining Edward Jones, he held positions at firms including Epividian and Hangar Two, and has a background that includes full-time education at DePaul University. 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 strategies supported by a large nationwide network of advisors and branch offices.

Casey Sackman is a Series 66-licensed financial advisor at LPL Financial with two years of industry experience. Prior to joining LPL Financial, Casey worked at Evergreen Medical Services, Excel Ltd Inc, and Franconi Development. Outside of his advisory role, he is involved with Sackman and Son Financial Services, a business affiliated with his LPL practice. 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 portfolio programs, third-party asset management, and institutional platforms, supported by extensive technology and oversight of over $819 billion in discretionary assets.

Peter Cole Jr. is a financial advisor at J.P. Morgan Securities with 20 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and has been with J.P. Morgan Securities since 2012, also working at JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. since 2009. J.P. Morgan Securities LLC provides institutional consulting services to corporations, foundations, and defined contribution plan sponsors, offering asset allocation advice, investment manager searches, and customized performance reporting. As a subsidiary of J.P. Morgan, the firm combines large institutional advisory operations with brokerage, distribution, and investment management capabilities.

Kathryn Baness is a financial advisor with Thrivent Investment Management, holding a Series 66 credential and six years of industry experience. Her prior firms include LPL Financial, Wells Fargo Advisors, Morgan Stanley, and Northwestern Mutual Investment Services. She is also a notary with the National Notary Association. Thrivent Investment Management provides Dedicated Planning Services to individuals, families, businesses, and nonprofit clients, focusing on holistic, goal-based financial analyses and planning without discretionary trading authority. The firm’s approach allows clients to integrate planning with managed-account services under a consolidated billing option called “WealthPlan.”

Joseph Velez is a financial advisor with Ameriprise in Grayslake, IL, holding a Series 66 designation and 18 years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at OSAIC, SagePoint Financial, Cambridge Investment Research, Sequoia Wealth Management, and LPL Financial. Outside of his advisory work, he is co-owner of a real estate business, JAJK LLC. Ameriprise offers retirement-income planning services for individuals approaching or in retirement, primarily serving clients with significant investable assets. The firm combines research, modeling, and tax-efficiency analysis to provide tailored, non-discretionary recommendations delivered through a centralized consulting team.

Connor Cook is a financial advisor at Ameriprise with one year of industry experience. He holds a Series 66 designation and has prior work experience in various roles, including at Jimmy Johns, Amazon, and Hy-Vee. His background also includes entrepreneurial activity with a business called Sticker Dude. Ameriprise Financial Services is a large, diversified advisory firm serving individual and institutional clients. The firm offers a specialized Premier Retirement Income service that provides clients with written recommendation reports and ongoing retirement-income planning advice focused on dependable income sources and tax-aware withdrawal strategies.

John Chiappetta is a CFP®-designated financial advisor with 23 years of industry experience. He currently works with Cetera and has held roles with Kaizen Financial Partners and Cambridge Investment Research. Outside of his advisory work, he owns and manages a restaurant group. Cetera Investment Advisers LLC is a large SEC-registered firm serving individual, retirement plan, corporate, charitable, and institutional clients through a multi-manager platform offering discretionary and non-discretionary portfolio management, financial planning, and access to third-party money managers.

Michael Thomey is a financial advisor at OSAIC with 28 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and has worked at OSAIC since 2023. His prior experience includes positions at Eighth Avenue Advisors and Cadaret, Grant & Co., Inc., as well as ownership of Thomey Financial Services, where he provides financial advice and account management. In addition to advising, he owns and operates a CPA firm offering tax preparation and advice. OSAIC serves a diverse client base, including individual and high-net-worth investors, pension and profit-sharing plans, corporations, and charitable organizations. The firm provides integrated brokerage and advisory services, utilizing asset-allocation tools and third-party platforms to manage portfolios across various asset classes on both discretionary and non-discretionary bases.

Brian Gregg is a financial advisor at J.P. Morgan Securities with 23 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 66 credentials and has been with J.P. Morgan Securities and JPMorgan Chase Bank since 2012. 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 select group of Wealth Advisors. The firm combines institutional advisory services with brokerage, distribution, and investment management capabilities.

Ellen Tippow is a financial advisor at Ameriprise with one year of industry experience. She previously worked at Capital One and Synchrony Financial. Tippow is a co-owner of PaxCo LLC, a business related to managing her Ameriprise practice. Ameriprise offers a retirement-income planning service focused on individuals approaching or in retirement with substantial investable assets. The firm combines research, modeling, and tax-efficiency analysis to provide tailored, non-discretionary recommendations delivered through a centralized consulting team.

Marfina Peralta Alfonso is a financial advisor with Primerica Advisors, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and seven years of industry experience. Her prior work includes roles at Soul Care Services, Advocate at Home, and several home health care organizations. She is also involved in the sale of loan products and home security and automation referrals through affiliated companies. Primerica Advisors manages a wrap-fee asset management program serving individual, corporate, and charitable clients. The firm operates at scale with nearly 3,700 advisors and $15.5 billion in assets under management, offering model-based investment strategies supported by third-party managers and custodians.

Michael Amrozowicz is a financial advisor at Edward Jones in Gurnee, IL, holding a Series 66 designation with 11 years of industry experience. He has worked at Edward Jones since 2014, with a brief period at Primerica Advisors and Primerica Financial Services in 2016 and 2017. Edward Jones is a full-service wealth management firm serving over four million clients, including individuals, institutions, and charitable organizations. The firm offers a range of investment advisory programs and services, managing approximately $1.01 trillion in assets through a nationwide network of financial advisors and branch offices.

Nathan Niewinski is a financial advisor at LPL Financial with six years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and has previously worked with firms including Morgan Stanley, UBS Financial Services, and 818 Capital Group. Niewinski also functions as an independent insurance agent. LPL Financial is a national broker-dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser serving individuals, retirement plans, banks, trust companies, and institutions through a large network of advisors. The firm offers a range of advisory and brokerage services including financial planning, model portfolios, third-party asset management, and institutional platforms.

Kathy Merritt is a financial advisor at Ameriprise with 21 years of industry experience. She holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has worked previously at OSAIC, SagePoint Financial, Cambridge Investment Research Advisors, and LPL Financial. Merritt is also a co-owner of JPV Financial Inc., an advisory business based in Grayslake, IL. Ameriprise provides retirement-income planning services primarily for individuals approaching or in retirement with significant investable assets. The firm combines research and modeling with tax-efficient strategies and offers a wide range of advisory, brokerage, and insurance solutions through affiliated entities.

Steven Howard is a financial advisor with LPL Financial, holding Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and 21 years of industry experience. His prior work includes roles at Park Avenue Securities, Guardian Life Insurance, and Northwestern Mutual Investment Management. Outside of his advisory duties, he is also the owner of Howard Farms in Maquon, IL. 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 financial planning and portfolio management services through a large network of advisors, utilizing both proprietary research and third-party strategies.

Ann Rieder is a CFP® professional with 29 years of experience, currently affiliated with Cetera. She is the founder and president of Regatta Wealth Management, where she has provided financial planning, investment management, and life insurance products since 2015. Rieder also volunteers teaching personal finance to inner-city Chicago students through Junior Achievement and serves as a financial professional for a National Football League Players Association advisor referral program. Cetera Investment Advisers LLC is an SEC-registered adviser that serves a broad range of clients including individuals, retirement plans, corporate and charitable entities, and institutional accounts. The firm offers diversified portfolio management and financial planning services through a large network of independent advisors and provides access to multiple program platforms and third-party money managers.

Jaclyn Smith is a financial advisor at Edward Jones in Kenosha, WI, holding a Series 66 designation with two years of industry experience. She has been with Edward Jones since 2022. Edward Jones is a full-service wealth management firm serving more than four million individual and institutional clients. The firm manages approximately $1.01 trillion in assets and offers a range of advisory programs and investment strategies supported by a large nationwide network of financial advisors and branch offices.

Charles Koules is a financial advisor at J.P. Morgan Securities with six years of industry experience. He holds a Series 66 credential and has previously worked at Merrill and Equitable Advisors LLC. Outside of finance, he holds an active 50-ton U.S. Coast Guard Master Captain license and works as an instructor and commercial boating captain. J.P. Morgan Securities provides investment consulting and advisory services primarily to institutional clients and retirement plan sponsors, delivering customized asset allocation advice and manager search services through a structured, non-discretionary approach.