Vincent Allegra is a financial advisor with Creative Planning, LLC, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and bringing 22 years of industry experience. Prior to joining Creative Planning in 2023, he worked for Mesirow Financial, Inc. for 19 years. Outside of his advisory role, Allegra serves on the boards of Choose DuPage and Hinsdale Swim Club, contributing to community development and local recreational activities. Creative Planning provides investment advisory and financial planning services to a diverse client base including individuals, corporations, and retirement plans. The firm employs a financial planning-led investment process emphasizing low-cost indexing and buy-and-hold strategies, supported by a broad range of supplemental portfolio management techniques and integrated retirement plan services.

Maria Elena Danakou is a financial advisor with Goldman Sachs Wealth Services, holding a Series 66 credential and two years of industry experience. She has worked at Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC since 2021 and has prior experience with Meraki East, Puma Group, Manulife John Hancock, and London & Capital Group. Goldman Sachs Wealth Services provides financial planning and portfolio management to a diverse client base, including individual investors, executives, plan sponsors, and institutional clients. The firm integrates customized investment strategies with a wide range of services and leverages capabilities across the broader Goldman Sachs organization.

Amit Kumar is a financial advisor with VOYA Financial Advisors, Inc., holding a Series 66 designation and nine years of industry experience. He has held roles at AK Wealth Advisors and Raj Wealth Management and is also a lecturer at Benedictine University and an adjunct instructor at Saint Xavier University. Outside of finance, he is active as a musician and has technology management responsibilities at Aon. VOYA Financial Advisors, Inc. is an enterprise-scale advisory and broker-dealer affiliate of Voya Financial, providing financial planning, portfolio management, and retirement services to individuals, pension plans, nonprofits, and corporate clients. The firm uses investment policy statements and model portfolios supported by in-house and external strategists, offering a mix of discretionary and non-discretionary management through a broad network of investment adviser representatives.

Anthony Scott is a financial advisor with Citigroup Global Markets, holding Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and bringing 17 years of industry experience. He has been with Citigroup Global Markets since 2008. Citigroup Global Markets serves individual and institutional clients across various wealth segments, offering a wide range of advisory programs and execution services. The firm combines large institutional scale with specialized market roles, including in-house research and derivative services, providing multi-asset, multi-manager strategies implemented through discretionary and non-discretionary programs.

Patrick Oconnor is a financial advisor at TIAA-CREF with 19 years of industry experience. He holds a Series 66 designation and has worked with TIAA-CREF and Tiaa since 2016, following eight years at Securian Financial Services, Inc. and CRI Securities, LLC. TIAA-CREF Individual & Institutional Services, LLC’s Advice & Planning Services division offers financial planning and discretionary managed account programs primarily for individuals with existing ties to TIAA through employer retirement plans, as well as for trusts, estates, and small retirement plans. The firm combines point-in-time planning with ongoing portfolio management using both model and customized strategies, and it serves as adviser to a donor-advised fund.

Noah Swift is a financial advisor at Brookstone Capital Management LLC with a Series 65 credential and one year of industry experience. Prior to joining Brookstone, he worked at Wealth Financial Services and Tax Advisory and has experience in design and self-employment. Brookstone Capital Management provides fee-based asset management and financial planning to a diverse client base, including individuals, retirement plans, corporations, and trusts. The firm employs strategic and dynamic asset-allocation models and offers discretionary portfolio management through both internal and external sub-advisors.

Paul Niemiec is a financial advisor with Lincoln Investment in Lombard, Illinois, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and four years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at Valic Financial Advisors, Bank of America, Merrill, and Equitable Advisors. Outside of finance, Niemiec works as an assistant coordinator for Sarah Kathleen Events, a wedding and event planning company. Lincoln Investment Planning, LLC is an enterprise investment advisory and broker-dealer serving a diverse client base including individuals, high-net-worth investors, trusts, charities, and retirement plans. The firm offers financial planning, portfolio management, and advisor-led consulting supported by an in-house Investment Management & Research team that develops strategic model portfolios and adaptive strategies.

Allen Berg is a CFP® professional with 11 years of industry experience. He currently works at Clearstead Advisory Solutions and has held prior roles at Waveland Family Office, Kovitz Investment Group Partners, Weiss & Company LLP, and North Star Investment Management Corp. He serves as Treasurer and Adviser to the Juliana Greenfield Family Foundation, a nonprofit focused on charitable medical research. Clearstead serves affluent private clients and institutional clients, providing investment management, financial planning, tax planning, family office administration, and institutional consulting services. The firm manages approximately $33.9 billion in assets and applies institutional disciplines through a combination of mutual funds, ETFs, separately managed accounts, alternative investments, and a proprietary Direct Indexing strategy.

Robert Duwa is a CFA® charterholder with 28 years of industry experience. He has been with William Blair & Co LLC since 2010. William Blair’s Private Wealth Management division provides 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 offers proprietary model portfolios along with access to private funds and co-investment opportunities.

Michael Greenen is a CFP® and PFS™ with 25 years of industry experience. He is currently an advisor at Cerity Partners LLC and previously worked at Edge Financial Advisors, Lantern Wealth Guardians, and operated his own CPA practice, Michael J. Greenen CPA PC. He continues to own this CPA firm, dedicating part of his time to it during trading hours. Cerity Partners advises a diverse client base including high-net-worth individuals, families, trusts, foundations, and institutional investors, managing approximately $166.2 billion in assets as of the end of 2025. The firm offers customized wealth management services with a client-specific investment approach that integrates quantitative screening, manager selection, and direct security investment alongside access to alternative private market solutions.

Valbona Ceci is a CFP® professional with nine years of industry experience, currently with Mariner in Oakbrook, IL. Her prior experience includes roles at BMO Private Bank and Mariner Wealth Advisors. Mariner serves a diverse client base including individuals, pension and profit-sharing plans, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, corporations, and private funds. The firm offers investment management, financial planning, retirement plan consulting, and coordinated tax and family office services, implementing customized portfolios overseen by an Investment Committee and supported by both in-house and third-party managers.

Sharif Husseini is a CFP®-certified financial advisor with 20 years of industry experience. He currently works at Brookstone Capital Management LLC and has previously held roles at Morningstar Investment Management LLC, EveryIncome, GRT Securities, Advisors Asset Management, Nuveen Investments, and AMG Funds. Brookstone Capital Management provides fee-based asset management and financial planning to individuals, retirement plans, corporations, trusts, and other entities, employing a variety of asset-allocation models and investment strategies through a turnkey asset management platform.

Themi Pieropoulos is a financial advisor with Principal Financial Services, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and bringing 24 years of industry experience. He has worked with Principal Financial Services since 2016 and has been affiliated with Principal Life Insurance Company since 2012. Pieropoulos also maintains a fixed insurance agent role focused on life and health products. Principal Securities provides brokerage and registered investment advisory services to a broad client base, including individual investors, retirement plans, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, corporations, and active-duty U.S. military personnel. 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.

Jack Hansen is a Series 65-licensed advisor with Mariner who has four years of industry experience. He has worked with Mariner Wealth Advisors since 2018. Prior to his advisory role, Hansen held positions at Afton House Inn and FINISH LINE. Mariner serves a diverse client base including individuals, pension plans, trusts, and charitable organizations, providing investment management, financial planning, retirement consulting, and coordinated tax and family office services. The firm uses discretionary, customized portfolios overseen by an Investment Committee and combines in-house research with allocations to third-party managers across a range of asset classes and strategies.

Thomas Cleland is a financial advisor with Benjamin F. Edwards & Company, Inc. in Naperville, IL, holding a Series 66 designation and 20 years of industry experience. His career includes roles at Morgan Stanley, Citigroup Global Markets, and A. G. Edwards & Sons prior to joining Benjamin F. Edwards in 2016. 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, retirement plan consulting, and investment management consulting, utilizing both proprietary and third-party strategies across equity and fixed income portfolios.

Christopher Hendricks is a financial advisor at TIAA-CREF with 13 years of industry experience. He has held roles at J.P. Morgan Securities and Fidelity before joining TIAA-CREF in 2026. Hendricks holds Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and is based in Wheaton, Illinois. TIAA-CREF Individual & Institutional Services provides financial planning and discretionary managed account programs to individuals, trusts, estates, and small retirement plans, often serving clients connected through TIAA-administered employer retirement plans. The firm offers a fiduciary advisory model that separates one-time planning from ongoing portfolio management and acts as adviser to a donor-advised fund.

Benjamin Audley is a CFP® professional with eight years of experience in financial advising. He currently works at Integrated Wealth Concepts LLC and previously held roles at Hightower Advisors, LLC and Mesirow Financial, Inc. prior to joining his current firm. Integrated Wealth Concepts serves individuals, families, trusts, estates, businesses, and retirement plans through a network of independent advisors. The firm primarily constructs customized portfolios using mutual funds, ETFs, individual equities, and fixed income with a primarily long-term approach, while also offering discretionary investment management and family office services.

Sarah Taylor is a financial advisor at Benjamin F. Edwards & Company, Inc. She holds a Series 66 designation and has six years of industry experience, including prior roles at TD Ameritrade and Benjamin F. Edwards. Before entering the financial services field, she spent over a decade as a homemaker. 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 corporations through more than 500 advisors. The firm offers a range of services including advisory programs, financial planning, investment management, brokerage, insurance products, and M&A advisory services.

Lihua Zhu is a financial advisor with Transamerica Financial Advisors, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and bringing 10 years of industry experience. Her work history includes roles at Prime Planners Inc and HR-Block, along with her position as an IRS Enrolled Agent providing tax preparation services. She has also been involved with the Xilin Northwest Chinese School and co-owns a small business with Frank Liu. Transamerica Financial Advisors, LLC offers investment advisory, brokerage, and retirement-plan services to a diverse client base, utilizing model portfolios and third-party managers. The firm serves individual investors, employer-sponsored plans, trusts, estates, and charitable organizations through a large network and multiple advisory platforms.

Zachary Bohlin is a financial advisor at Sanctuary Advisors, LLC with a Series 66 designation. He has one year of industry experience and previously worked for Robert Bosch LLC for 11 years. Sanctuary Advisors, LLC provides investment advisory and financial planning services to individuals, corporations, pension and profit-sharing plans, trusts, estates, and charitable organizations through a network of over 400 independent investment adviser representatives. The firm offers portfolio management, financial planning, retirement plan consulting, and access to various managed account platforms, employing multiple analytical approaches and acting as a fiduciary when advisory agreements are in place.