Vanessa Retter is a financial advisor at Brookstone Capital Management LLC with five years of industry experience. She holds a Series 65 designation and has worked at Brookstone since 2021. In addition to her advisory role, she is involved in 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 registered investment advisers, sovereign wealth funds, and banking institutions.

Jennifer Casey is a CFP® professional with seven years of industry experience, currently serving as a financial advisor at Creative Planning since 2018. Prior to joining Creative Planning, she worked at CCP Financial Planning Services from 2014 to 2018. She is a member of the board of directors and Outreach Chair at GiGi's Playhouse, a nonprofit that offers educational and therapeutic programs for individuals with Down Syndrome and their families. Creative Planning provides investment advisory and financial planning services to a diverse client base, including individuals, corporations, foundations, trusts, and retirement plans. The firm employs a financial planning–led investment process centered on low-cost indexing and buy-and-hold strategies, supplemented by tax-efficient and fundamental equity approaches, supported by a large advisory team and integrated investment infrastructure.

William Parrilli is a financial advisor at Benjamin F. Edwards & Company, Inc. with 44 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and has worked previously at Wells Fargo Advisors and Wells Fargo Clearing. Outside of his advisory role, he serves as a board member of the Northern Illinois Shooters Association, organizing matches and overseeing scoring. Benjamin F. Edwards & Company is an SEC-registered investment adviser and broker-dealer serving a diverse client base including individuals, institutions, and charitable organizations. The firm offers a range of investment strategies and wrap programs supported by an internal trading desk and an investment committee.

David Lewitas is a financial advisor with United Planners Financial Services of America, holding Series 65 and Series 63 licenses and 22 years of industry experience. He has worked at United Planners since 2020 and has also been affiliated with Cutrera Financial since 2018 and ProEquities Inc from 2017 to 2020. Lewitas operates several marketing entities including Lewitas Wealth Management LLC and Cutrera Financial. 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’s advisory services are delivered through independent Investment Adviser Representatives using a variety of custodians and third-party managers, with the majority of assets under management held in non-discretionary accounts.

Alec Kozuch is a CFP® with eight years of industry experience currently affiliated with CWM, LLC in Naperville, IL. He has held roles at firms including KFA Partners, LLC and Cetera Wealth Services, LLC. Kozuch is also a part owner and financial professional at Twenty Two Wealth Management and KFA Partners, LLC. CWM, LLC is an SEC-registered investment adviser serving individuals, high-net-worth families, foundations, endowments, corporations, and institutional clients through a network of over 600 advisors. The firm offers portfolio management, financial planning, and retirement-plan services, typically managing accounts on a discretionary basis using model portfolios supported by fundamental and technical analysis and various customization tools.

Cara Ryadi is a CFP® with 15 years of industry experience, currently serving as a financial advisor at William Blair since 2017. She holds the Series 66 designation and is based in River Forest, IL. William Blair’s Private Wealth Management division provides investment management, financial planning, and wealth services to individuals, foundations, pension plans, and corporate clients, utilizing active, research-driven strategies across multiple asset classes.

Gregory Kurinec is a CFP® with 20 years of industry experience, currently serving at Independent Financial Group, LLC since 2010. He also works as an independent contractor providing legal services related to estate planning and holds a position as an Illinois insurance agent. Kurinec volunteers as a public speaker for the Society for Financial Awareness and serves as a board member of the International Association of Registered Financial Consultants. Independent Financial Group, LLC is a dual-registered broker-dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser that provides brokerage, portfolio management, financial planning, and retirement plan services to individuals, charities, corporations, and plan sponsors. The firm offers advisory programs through its AccessPoint platform and third-party asset managers, managing approximately $11.3 billion in regulatory assets under management.

Jacob See is a financial advisor at NewEdge Advisors with three years of industry experience. He holds the Series 66 designation and has previously worked at LPL Financial, Napa Auto Parts, North Central College, and Hampshire High School. Outside of advising, he provides tax preparation and accounting support through Midwest Small Business Accounting and Tax. NewEdge Advisors is an enterprise-scale registered investment adviser serving individuals, pension and profit-sharing plans, corporations, trusts, estates, and charitable organizations. The firm offers comprehensive portfolio management, financial planning, retirement consulting, and access to third-party managers through multiple program structures supported by centralized due diligence and technology tools.

Alexander Fernbach is a CFP® professional with three years of industry experience, currently affiliated with Benjamin F. Edwards & Company, Inc. He has previously worked at Schumann Financial, CETERA Financial Specialists LLC, JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., and J.P. Morgan Securities. Prior to his financial advisory roles, he worked at Bowling Green State University and Monarch Landing. Benjamin F. Edwards & Company is an SEC-registered investment adviser and broker-dealer serving individuals, pension and profit-sharing plans, charitable organizations, corporations, and other institutions. The firm offers a range of managed investment strategies through fee-based wrap programs and provides custody, execution, and trading services supported by an internal investment strategy committee.

Marta Krupa is a financial advisor with PNC Wealth Management in Elgin, IL, holding Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and 17 years of industry experience. She previously worked at PNC Investments LLC for 10 years before joining PNC Wealth Management in 2021. PNC Wealth Management offers retail brokerage and advisory services through model-based programs, including the Portfolio Solutions Strategist Digital Offering, an invitation-only, discretionary model account available to select employees that uses algorithmic risk assessment and approved model strategies managed by PNC or third parties.

Jennifer Ferworn is a financial advisor at William Blair with 10 years of industry experience. She holds a Series 66 designation and has been with William Blair since 2018. Prior to joining William Blair, she worked at Atlas Residential USA from 2016 to 2018. William Blair’s Private Wealth Management division provides 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 offers proprietary models and access to private funds through its integrated platform.

Jeffrey Pavlik is a financial advisor at William Blair with Series 65 and Series 66 licenses and four years of industry experience. He previously led Pavlik Capital Management LLC for 14 years before joining William Blair in 2022. William Blair’s Private Wealth Management division offers discretionary and non-discretionary investment management, financial planning, and wealth services to individuals, foundations, and institutional clients. The firm employs an active, research-driven approach across multiple asset classes and provides access to proprietary models, private funds, and co-investment opportunities.

Michael Lemaich is a financial advisor with Brookstone Capital Management LLC, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and possessing 12 years of industry experience. He has been with Brookstone Capital Management since 2013 and also owns Global Fund Management LLC, where he acts as an insurance agent. Brookstone Capital Management is an SEC-registered adviser that provides fee-based asset management and financial planning services through a turnkey asset management platform and wrap-fee program, serving a diverse client base including individuals, retirement plans, corporations, charitable organizations, sovereign wealth funds, and banking institutions. The firm delivers investment management primarily on a discretionary basis using model portfolios, unified managed accounts, and separately managed accounts, and supports a large advisor network with back-office and TAMP services.

Jesse Szlaga is a CFP® professional with 11 years of experience in financial advising, currently with Mariner Wealth Advisors since 2015. He is based in Oakbrook Terrace, IL. Mariner serves a wide range of clients, including individuals, pension and profit-sharing plans, trusts, and corporations, offering investment management, financial planning, retirement consulting, and coordinated tax services. The firm employs discretionary, customized portfolios supported by both in-house research and third-party managers, along with integrated tax and accounting services uncommon at its enterprise scale.

James Snider is a financial advisor with Planmember Securities Corporation in Naperville, IL, holding a Series 66 designation and 23 years of industry experience. He has been self-employed since 2003 and owns a business consulting firm, Snider & Associates, which provides general management services unrelated to securities. He also operates Tax Prep Partners, a tax preparation service. Planmember Securities Corporation provides retirement-plan advisory services to employers and plan participants, acting as an ERISA Section 3(38) fiduciary for many plans and offering participant-level investment options through their asset allocation portfolios. The firm uses a strategic asset allocation framework and risk-based mutual fund portfolios ranging from conservative to aggressive.

Chad Sturtz is a financial advisor with Principal Financial Services in Downers Grove, IL, holding Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and bringing 29 years of industry experience. He has been with Principal Securities Inc. since 1997 and Principal Life Insurance Company since 1996. Outside of his advisory work, he owns Sturtz Farm, LLC, which focuses on corn and soybean production. Principal Securities provides brokerage and registered investment advisory services to a broad client base, including individual investors, retirement plans, trusts, and charitable organizations. The firm offers direct advisory programs, financial planning, retirement plan consulting, and access to third-party money manager asset allocation and separately managed account solutions.

Daniel Baer is a financial advisor at Citigroup Global Markets with 19 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and has been with Citigroup since 2005. Citigroup Global Markets serves individual and institutional clients across various wealth segments, offering a wide range of investment advisory programs and execution services. The firm employs multi-asset, multi-manager strategies and operates with institutional scale, including in-house research, derivatives services, and bespoke solutions for large relationships.

Michael Youakim is a CFP® with 24 years of industry experience, currently serving at Fifth Third Securities, Inc. since 2012. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and is based in Woodridge, Illinois. Fifth Third Securities, Inc. provides brokerage and investment advisory services through its Passageway Managed Account Program to individuals, charitable organizations, corporate clients, and institutional investors. The firm offers multiple discretionary managed-account programs and features such as direct indexing and tax-overlay services, operating as a wholly owned subsidiary of Fifth Third Bank.

Brian Vanderlugt is a CFP® with 19 years of industry experience, currently serving as a financial advisor at Benjamin F. Edwards & Company, Inc., where he has worked since 2010. His credentials include the Series 66 license. Benjamin F. Edwards & Company is an SEC-registered investment adviser and broker-dealer that serves individuals, pension and profit-sharing plans, charitable organizations, corporations, and other institutions. The firm offers fee-based wrap programs, financial planning, retirement plan consulting, and investment management services, utilizing a variety of discretionary and non-discretionary strategies monitored by an Investment Strategy Committee.

Tristan Abalos is a financial advisor at Brookstone Capital Management LLC holding a Series 66 designation. He has one year of industry experience with prior roles at Osaic Wealth Inc and LPL Financial. Outside of finance, he has operated The Screen Guys LLC since 2014. Brookstone Capital Management provides fee-based asset management and financial planning to individuals, retirement plans, corporations, trusts, and other business entities. The firm employs a variety of strategic and dynamic asset-allocation models and offers discretionary portfolio management through a turnkey asset management platform.