Michael Leist is a financial advisor with CIBC Private Wealth Advisors, Inc. in Chicago, IL. He holds a Series 66 designation and has 14 years of industry experience. His career includes roles at Geneva Advisors, LLC and Atlantic Trust Investment Advisors prior to joining CIBC in 2017. CIBC Private Wealth Advisors serves a diverse client base including individuals, families, trusts, employee benefit plans, corporations, and investment companies. The firm employs a structured investment process that integrates internal teams and external managers to offer customized portfolio management, financial planning, and coordinated Family Office services.

Paul Kubasiak is a financial advisor at TIAA-CREF with 12 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has worked previously at Northern Trust Bank, Sheridan Road Advisors, Independent Financial Partners, and LPL Financial. Kubasiak is based in Chicago, IL. TIAA-CREF Individual & Institutional Services provides financial planning and discretionary managed account programs to individuals, trusts, estates, and small retirement plans, often serving clients with existing relationships through TIAA-administered employer retirement plans. The firm’s advisory model distinguishes between one-time planning services and ongoing discretionary management, and it also acts as adviser to a donor-advised fund sponsored by Charityvest.

Sean Ullrich is a financial advisor at Hightower Advisors with seven years of industry experience and holds a Series 66 designation. Prior to joining Hightower in 2023, he worked at Cambridge Investment Research Advisors and Cambridge Investment Research, Inc. He is also involved with Impact Mental Performance and 314 Training Academy. Hightower Advisors provides investment advisory and planning services to a diverse range of individual and institutional clients. The firm’s advisory approach focuses on manager selection and multi-manager solutions, utilizing both affiliated and third-party managers, and offers discretionary and non-discretionary portfolio management along with financial planning and retirement consulting services.

John O’Toole is a financial advisor with William Blair, holding Series 63 and Series 66 credentials and bringing 33 years of industry experience. He has worked at William Blair and Company L.L.C. for over 27 years, with a brief gap between 2022 and 2026. 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 employs active, research-driven management strategies across equities, fixed income, and alternatives, and provides access to proprietary models, third-party sub-managers, and private investment opportunities.

Blake Johnson is a CFP® and holds a Series 65 license with seven years of industry experience. He has been with Cerity Partners LLC since 2019, having previously worked at HPM Partners LLC and Advanced Mechanical Services. His career also includes roles at the Champaign Country Club and the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. Cerity Partners advises a diverse client base, including high-net-worth individuals and institutional investors, managing approximately $166.2 billion in assets as of December 2025. The firm offers customized wealth management services with a client-specific investment approach that combines quantitative screening, manager selection, and direct security selection, along with access to alternative and private market solutions for qualified clients.

Thomas Mc Grath is a CFA® charterholder with eight years of industry experience. He is currently with Corient and has previously worked at Foreside Financial Group, Segall Bryant and Hamill, and MSCI. Mc Grath holds a Series 63 license and is based in Chicago, IL. Corient provides investment advisory and financial planning services to a diverse range of clients, including individuals, high-net-worth clients, trusts, pension plans, charitable organizations, and corporate entities. The firm employs a goals-based, team investment approach that integrates in-house strategies with third-party manager solutions and applies risk management tools to align portfolios with client objectives.

Abigail Bowman is a financial advisor with T. Rowe Price Advisory Services, Inc. based in Chicago, IL. She holds Series 63 and Series 65 designations and has eight years of industry experience, including prior roles at Nationwide Investment Services Corp and Checks and Balances. Outside of her advisory work, she is involved with Students Run Chicago as a fundraising charity runner. T. Rowe Price Advisory Services, Inc. provides retirement-focused financial planning and discretionary investment management to individual investors and households, using proprietary mutual funds and ETFs combined with an online planning tool and telephone access to advisors.

Thomas Mckeown is a CFP® and CFA® with 10 years of industry experience. He has worked at Cresset Asset Management, LLC since 2021 and previously spent six years at Fidelity Investments. Based in Chicago, IL, he holds the Series 63 and Series 66 licenses. Cresset Asset Management, LLC is an SEC-registered adviser managing approximately $71.9 billion in client assets across a diverse range of clients. The firm employs a diversified, asset-allocation-driven approach that combines active and passive strategies, supported by a structured due-diligence program and private fund management.

William Ryan is a financial advisor at William Blair with 31 years of industry experience. He has held positions at William Blair since 2018 and previously worked at J.P. Morgan Securities Inc. for 17 years. Ryan serves as a director of PACTT, a nonprofit organization focused on helping children and adults with autism. 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 emphasizes active, research-driven management across multiple asset classes and provides proprietary investment models, access to private funds, and co-investment opportunities.

Ralph Segall is a financial advisor at William Blair with 32 years of industry experience. He holds the CIC, Series 65, and Series 63 designations. Prior to joining William Blair in 2025, he spent over three decades at Segall Bryant & Hamill and had roles at Corient Services LLC and Corient. 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, employing an active, research-driven approach across multiple asset classes.

Kieran Casey is a financial advisor with Principal Financial Services based in Chicago, IL. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has 18 years of industry experience. Prior to his current role at Principal Securities and Principal Life Insurance Co., he worked at Fidelity Brokerage Services LLC. Casey also serves as a bank/trust officer at Principal Bank and Principal Trust Co., supporting retirement plan account relationships across multiple business lines. Principal Securities provides brokerage and registered investment advisory services to a diverse client base, including individual investors, retirement plans, trusts, and charitable organizations. The firm offers financial planning, retirement consulting, and access to third-party money manager solutions with discretionary investment implementation.

John Cultra is a financial advisor at William Blair with one year of industry experience. He holds a Series 66 designation and previously worked at EPIC Systems and Jaco Management, Inc. Outside of finance, he has been involved with the La Grange Country Club for several years. William Blair’s Private Wealth Management division provides discretionary and non-discretionary investment management, financial planning, and wealth services to individuals, foundations, pension, and corporate clients. The firm employs an active, research-driven approach across equities, fixed income, and alternative strategies and offers proprietary models and access to private funds through its MB Investments Program.

Joseph Hoffman is a CFA® charterholder with 28 years of industry experience. He has worked at Mesirow Financial Investment Management, Inc. since 2017 and previously spent 20 years with Russell Investment Group. Hoffman serves as an at-large trustee on the board of the Seattle City Employees' Retirement System. Mesirow Financial Investment Management, Inc.’s Wealth Management division provides investment management and financial planning services to private individuals, pension and profit-sharing plans, government entities, and institutional clients. The firm employs both proprietary and third-party investment strategies across multiple asset classes and manages affiliated private investment funds.

Benjamin Mc Fadden is a financial advisor at William Blair with Series 66 and Series 63 designations and seven years of industry experience. He has been with William Blair since 2019 and previously held positions at Cowen and Company and Johns Hopkins University. 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 emphasizes active, research-driven management across multiple asset classes and provides proprietary models and access to private funds and co-investment opportunities.

Emmett Omalley is a financial advisor at William Blair with six years of industry experience. He holds the Series 66 designation and has been with William Blair since 2019. Prior to joining the firm, he worked at Indiana University and Park Ridge Country Club. 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 strategies across multiple asset classes and offers proprietary models and access to private funds and co-investment opportunities.

Ethan Speelman is a financial advisor at Fifth Third Securities, Inc. based in Chicago, IL, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses with three years of industry experience. His background includes roles at Fifth Third Bank, Hope College, and Calvary Schools. Fifth Third Securities serves a diverse client base including individuals, high-net-worth clients, corporations, trusts, and retirement accounts through investment advisory and brokerage services. The firm offers multiple program types on the Passageway Managed Account platform, providing a range of portfolio options from mutual funds and ETFs to separately managed accounts and tax-overlay strategies.

William Parker is a financial advisor at CIBC Private Wealth Advisors, Inc. with seven years of industry experience. He previously worked at Fiducient Advisors LLC for 12 years before joining CIBC Private Wealth Advisors in 2024. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses. CIBC Private Wealth Advisors offers investment and wealth advisory services to a diverse client base, including high net worth individuals, families, trusts, employee benefit plans, corporations, and investment companies. The firm employs a collaborative investment process featuring internal teams and committees to create customized portfolios using both proprietary and external strategies, distinguishing itself through its scale and involvement with investment company clientele.

Ruth Uress is a CFP® professional with 17 years of industry experience, currently serving at Focus Partners Wealth, LLC since 2026. Her prior roles include positions at Kovitz Investment Group Partners, Relative Value Partners, Brownson, Rehmus & Foxworth, and Kowitz Investment Group. Focus Partners Wealth, LLC provides wealth management and advisory services to individuals, high-net-worth families, family offices, and institutional clients. The firm employs a long-term, tax- and fee-sensitive investment approach using a blend of active and passive strategies, third-party managers, and private funds within an enhanced open architecture framework.

Simon Manoyan is a CFP® professional with 16 years of industry experience, currently serving at Schwab Wealth Advisory, Inc. since 2026. His prior experience includes roles at Charles Schwab & Co., Inc., CliftonLarsonAllen Wealth Advisors, LLC, BKD Wealth Advisors, LLC, and Money Concepts Capital Corp. He also serves on the Board of Directors for the Clinton Complex Condominium Association. Schwab Wealth Advisory, Inc. provides non-discretionary fiduciary investment advice and wealth management consultations primarily for clients enrolled in the Schwab Wealth Advisory program and certain Charles Schwab & Co.-referred clients. The firm’s advice is based on Charles Schwab’s asset-allocation models and research tools, with trades executed only upon client authorization.

James Escobar is a CFP® professional with 13 years of industry experience, currently serving at Corient in Chicago, IL. His prior roles include positions at J.P. Morgan Securities, JPMorgan Chase Bank, CNA, United Airlines, and Geneva Advisors at CIBC World Markets Corporation. Corient provides investment advisory and financial planning services to a diverse client base including individuals, high-net-worth clients, trusts, pension and profit-sharing plans, charitable organizations, and corporate entities. The firm utilizes a goals-based, team investment approach with a combination of in-house strategies, third-party managers, and risk management tools, and offers specialized capabilities through affiliated private funds and trust services.