Caroline Shoener is a CFP® and holds a Series 65 license with five years of industry experience. She is currently with Integrated Wealth Concepts LLC and previously worked at Hightower Advisors and Vestor Capital, LLC. Prior to her financial advisory career, she spent four years working in the charter school sector. Integrated Wealth Concepts serves individuals, high-net-worth clients, families, trusts, estates, businesses, and retirement plans through a network of independent advisors. The firm offers discretionary investment management, financial planning, family office, and retirement plan advisory services, employing customized portfolios and a long-term investment approach.

Erica Berning is a financial advisor with Eagle Strategies (NY Life) in Deerfield, IL, holding Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and 19 years of industry experience. She has been with Eagle Strategies since 2012 and maintains concurrent roles with Nylife Securities LLC and New York Life Insurance Co. Berning serves on the boards of the Cadence Cares Foundation and Beat The Streets Chicago, both nonprofit organizations focused on community programs. Eagle Strategies serves individual and institutional clients by providing financial planning, investment management, and retirement-plan advisory services. The firm offers a variety of program types and emphasizes tailoring recommendations to client objectives, with most assets managed on a non-discretionary basis within an integrated New York Life affiliate structure.

John Vitt is a ChFC®-designated financial advisor with 44 years of industry experience, currently serving at Equity Services, Inc. since 1981. He also has longstanding ties with NATL Life Insurance Co dating back to 1975. Outside of his advisory work, he is managing partner of an export/import business focused on the Democratic Republic of Congo and serves as a director of the Western Golf Association. Equity Services, Inc. offers financial planning, consulting, and asset management to individuals, corporations, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, and retirement plans. The firm employs multiple advisory platforms, often leveraging third-party asset managers and combines long-term strategies with options for shorter-term trading.

Jerry Means Jr. is a financial advisor with Brookstone Capital Management LLC, holding Series 63 and Series 65 designations and bringing 17 years of industry experience. He has been with Brookstone since 2008 and also operates an insurance business through Gateway Senior Solutions, Inc. 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 program. The firm serves a diverse client base including individuals, retirement plans, corporations, charitable organizations, other registered investment advisers, sovereign wealth funds, and banking institutions.

Christopher Crisanti is a financial advisor with Kestra Advisory and holds a Series 66 designation. He has experience working at Kestra Investment Services, Ameriprise Financial Services, and in legislative offices, including roles with State Senator Steven Landek and State Representative Michael J. Zalewski. Prior to his advisory career, he was involved with various organizations such as Bill Brennan State Farm Agency and FinTech Ranger LLC. Kestra Advisory Services provides investment advisory and retirement-plan consulting to a diverse client base, including institutional and individual investors. The firm offers a broad range of services such as fiduciary consulting, plan design, investment due diligence, and access to multiple management platforms, serving approximately $79.8 billion in assets under management.

Dan Milosevic is a financial advisor with Guardian Life and Park Avenue Securities, holding a Series 66 credential and having one year of industry experience. Prior to his financial services career, he worked in delivery and logistics roles and currently manages BearKeepers LLC, a logistics service provider. Park Avenue Securities LLC, doing business as Park Avenue® Wealth Management, is a dually registered broker-dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser serving individuals, pension and profit-sharing plans, charitable organizations, and corporate clients with brokerage, financial planning, retirement consulting, and advisory programs.

George Hurley is a CFP® with eight years of industry experience, currently serving as a financial advisor at Creative Planning. His prior roles include positions at Northern Trust Securities, JP Morgan Securities, JPMorgan Chase Bank, and Wells Fargo Clearing Services. Creative Planning provides wealth management, financial planning, and retirement-plan advisory services to individuals, pension plans, trusts, foundations, and corporations. The firm manages approximately $295.6 billion in client assets and employs a financial-planning-led investment approach that incorporates low-cost indexing, buy-and-hold strategies, and selective private market exposure.

Matthew Lovett is a financial advisor at Brookstone Capital Management LLC with 15 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 66 designations and operates an independent compliance consulting business serving advisors, broker-dealers, and law firms. 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, delivering investment management primarily on a discretionary basis using model portfolios, unified managed accounts, and separately managed accounts.

Ethan Krumwiede is a financial advisor at Mariner with a Series 65 designation and three years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at Doyenne Wealth Advisors LLC and Chicago Wealth Management, Inc. Outside of his advisory work, he provides live DJ services through Mode Events in Chicago. Mariner serves a diverse client base including individuals, pension plans, trusts, and corporate entities, offering investment management, financial planning, retirement consulting, and access to specialized investment vehicles. The firm emphasizes discretionary, customized portfolio strategies supported by comprehensive tax and accounting services and unique operational capabilities such as administrative CFO functions and employer financial wellness tools.

Andrea Smith is a financial advisor at Brookstone Capital Management LLC with 13 years of industry experience. She holds Series 63 and Series 66 registrations and has worked previously at JP Morgan Securities LLC, JP Morgan Chase Bank NA, and BMO Harris Bank. Outside of her advisory role, she is involved in insurance and annuity activities and sales. Brookstone Capital Management provides fee-based asset management and financial planning to individuals, retirement plans, corporations, trusts, and other business entities. The firm offers discretionary portfolio management through its BCM Platform, employing strategic and dynamic asset-allocation models alongside a variety of investment strategies and is notable for its affiliations with proprietary fund managers and external sub-advisors.

Brunilda Veliu is a financial advisor with Citigroup Global Markets in Oak Brook, IL, holding Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and bringing 19 years of industry experience. She has been with Citigroup Global Markets since 2007. Citigroup Global Markets Inc. 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 extensive internal oversight and maintains a combination of large institutional scale along with specialized market roles.

Blake Warner is a financial advisor at SPC with eight years of industry experience. He holds a Series 66 designation and has worked at Sigma Planning Corporation and Sigma Financial Corporation since 2018. Prior to that, he was employed at Anchor Brake Shoe from 2015 to 2018. Warner is also a licensed life and health insurance agent and operates under the DBA Touch Financial Group. SPC serves a diverse client base including individuals, charitable organizations, corporations, and employer-sponsored retirement plans, managing approximately $5.66 billion in assets. The firm provides portfolio management, financial planning, and ERISA-related retirement plan services through a network of over 460 advisers.

David Tucker is a financial advisor with AE Wealth Management, LLC in Chicago, IL, holding a Series 65 designation and 11 years of industry experience. He has worked at AE Wealth Management since 2018 and previously at SGL Financial LLC. Outside of his advisory role, he is the author of the book "Escape Illinois" and conducts informational classes through FMT Rejuvenate Your Retirement. AE Wealth Management provides fee-based portfolio management, financial planning, and retirement-plan consulting to a diverse client base, including individuals, corporations, trusts, and ERISA plan sponsors. The firm emphasizes model portfolio and direct asset management programs, utilizing various investment strategies and supporting third-party RIAs through sub-advisory and model-licensing arrangements.

Mary Schulte is a CFP® professional with 38 years of experience in the financial industry. She has worked at Benjamin F. Edwards & Company, Inc. since 2016, following prior roles at Morgan Stanley, Citigroup Global Markets, and A. G. Edwards & Sons, Inc. Based in Naperville, IL, she is also an agent for Raymond Schulte in an investment-related capacity. Benjamin F. Edwards & Company is an integrated broker-dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser serving individuals, high-net-worth clients, pension plans, charitable organizations, and corporate clients through over 500 advisors. The firm offers a range of services including wrap-fee advisory programs, financial planning, investment management, and M&A advisory, utilizing both proprietary and third-party strategies with in-house equity and fixed income trading capabilities.

Johnathan Worrells is a financial advisor with Eagle Strategies (NY Life) in Deerfield, IL, holding Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and 13 years of industry experience. He has been with Eagle Strategies since 2016 and has been affiliated with New York Life and its related entities since 2012. Outside of his advisory role, he works part-time in the hospitality industry as a banquet server and bartender. Eagle Strategies serves a diverse client base including individual investors, institutional clients, and retirement plans, providing financial planning, investment management, and retirement-plan advisory services. The firm emphasizes tailored solutions and primarily manages assets on a non-discretionary basis through an integrated structure linked to New York Life.

Ross Browne is a financial advisor at Brookstone Capital Management LLC with 11 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has worked at Brookstone since 2016, following a year at Horter Investment Management and ongoing involvement with Irongate Advisory since 2006, where he serves as president and owner managing annuity and life insurance sales. Brookstone Capital Management is an SEC-registered adviser offering 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, delivering investment management primarily on a discretionary basis through model portfolios and managed accounts.

Michael Benstein is a financial advisor at William Blair with 14 years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at Charles Schwab, Enova International, and Capgemini Consulting. He holds Series 63 and Series 66 designations. 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 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.

Jennifer Chung is a Certified Financial Planner (CFP®) with 19 years of industry experience. She is currently an advisor at Corient and has previously worked at Balasa Dinverno Foltz LLC and Morgan Stanley. Corient provides investment advisory and financial planning services to a diverse clientele, including individuals, high-net-worth clients, trusts, pension plans, charitable organizations, and corporations. The firm employs a goals-based, team investment approach that integrates in-house strategies with third-party manager solutions and uses risk management tools and stress testing to align portfolios with client objectives.

Mark Sommerville is a financial advisor at Brookstone Capital Management LLC with 10 years of industry experience. He holds a Series 66 designation and has worked at various firms including LPL Financial, Prudential Insurance Company of America, and HSBC Securities. Outside of advisory work, he is involved as a licensed representative in the fixed and indexed annuity and life insurance business. 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 broad client base, including individuals, retirement plans, corporations, charitable organizations, other RIAs, sovereign wealth funds, and banking institutions, offering investment management primarily on a discretionary basis via model portfolios, managed accounts, and various specialized strategies.

Iain Purdom is a financial advisor with Steward Partners Investment Advisory, LLC, holding a Series 65 credential and entering his first year in the industry. His prior work experience includes roles at Waverly Advisors, Old Second National Bank, and various positions outside finance, including at Aldi, Vinyard Vines, and Elmhurst University. He has been involved with Black Sheep Golf Club for six years. Steward Partners Investment Advisory, LLC is an SEC-registered enterprise-scale RIA managing approximately $36.7 billion in assets. The firm serves individuals, pension plans, corporations, trusts, estates, and charitable organizations, offering a range of investment advisory and financial planning services through both discretionary and non-discretionary portfolio management solutions.