Frank Becker is a financial advisor with Citigroup Global Markets, holding Series 66 and Series 63 credentials and four years of industry experience. He has worked at Citigroup since 2023 and previously held roles at Northern Trust Securities, Inc., Northern Trust Bank, Lendlease, and Total Quality Logistics. Citigroup Global Markets serves individual and institutional clients across various wealth segments, offering multi-asset, multi-manager investment strategies through discretionary and non-discretionary programs. The firm combines large institutional scale with specialized market roles, including in-house research, security pricing, and operations as a swap dealer and futures commission merchant.

Steven Merdinger is a CFP® and ChFC® with 40 years of experience in financial advisory services. He is currently with Hightower Advisors and has previously worked at Comprehensive Asset Management & Servicing, Inc., and Private Vista, LLC (formerly Financial Strategy Network LLC). Based in Chicago, IL, he has been with Hightower Advisors since 2020. Hightower Advisors provides investment advisory and planning services to a wide range of individual and institutional clients. The firm emphasizes manager selection and multi-manager solutions, utilizing both affiliated and third-party managers, and offers diverse portfolio construction including mutual funds, ETFs, alternative investments, and custom indexing.

Pablo Fitting is a financial advisor at Mercer Global Advisors Inc. with 18 years of industry experience. He holds a Series 65 designation and has previously worked at Empower Advisory Group and Personal Capital Advisors Corporation. Mercer Global Advisors provides investment advisory and planning services to a diverse client base including individuals, high-net-worth families, small business owners, and nonprofit organizations. The firm employs a Modern Portfolio Theory-based investment approach, utilizing globally diversified, risk-appropriate portfolios with multi-factor tilts and a range of implementation options such as ETFs, mutual funds, and separate accounts.

Andrew Pataky is a financial advisor at Mesirow Financial Investment Management, Inc. in Chicago, IL, holding a Series 66 designation with 24 years of industry experience. He has worked with Mesirow Financial since 2003 and currently serves on advisory boards for the IAFF Charitable Foundation, supporting firefighters and paramedics, and the National Conference on Public Employee Retirement Systems, focusing on sustainable public pension plans. Mesirow Financial Investment Management, Inc.’s Wealth Management division provides discretionary and non-discretionary investment management and financial planning services to individuals, pension plans, government entities, and institutional clients. The firm utilizes a comprehensive investment approach, including setting asset allocation targets and applying due diligence across various asset classes, while offering access to proprietary private investment products and third-party managers.

Ivory Stewart is a financial advisor with Valic Financial Advisors in Chicago, IL, holding a Series 66 designation and bringing 10 years of industry experience. Prior to joining Valic Financial Advisors, Ivory worked at Agia, Pruco Securities, LLC, The Prudential Insurance Company of America, and Axa Advisors, LLC. Outside of advising, Ivory is a co-owner of Greystone Reserves LLC, a real estate development venture. Valic Financial Advisors primarily serves U.S.-domiciled individual investors, including high-net-worth and ultra-high-net-worth clients, as well as corporate and retirement-plan participants. The firm offers discretionary managed-account programs, financial planning, and brokerage services, utilizing Envestnet UMA models to construct client portfolios.

Gwendolyn Hueneman is a financial advisor at Oppenheimer with 22 years of industry experience. She holds a Series 66 designation and has worked at Oppenheimer since 2010, following prior roles at Stifel and Wells Fargo Clearing. Oppenheimer is a registered investment adviser and broker-dealer serving individuals, corporations, pension plans, charitable organizations, and IRAs. The firm provides a range of programs including asset management, consulting, and retirement services, with advisory strategies that encompass equity, balanced, and fixed-income portfolios using both discretionary and non-discretionary approaches.

Ellis Lora Arceo is a financial advisor with Eagle Strategies (NY Life) based in Chicago, IL. She holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has five years of industry experience. Ellis currently operates under the DBA Darinka Lora-Stepan & Associates Financial and Insurance Solutions, selling New York Life products and services. Her prior work includes roles at Anixter Inc. and Lake Forest College. Eagle Strategies serves a diverse client base including individual investors, defined contribution and defined benefit plans, and corporate and charitable organizations. The firm offers financial planning, investment management, and retirement-plan advisory services, emphasizing tailored recommendations and predominantly managing assets on a non-discretionary basis.

Robert Mandell is a financial advisor with Oppenheimer in Chicago, IL, holding the CFP® designation along with Series 63 and Series 65 licenses. He has 49 years of industry experience, including 24 years at CIBC World Markets and 23 years at Fahnestock & Co. Inc. Oppenheimer is a registered investment adviser and broker-dealer serving individuals, corporations, pension and profit-sharing plans, and charitable organizations. The firm offers a wide range of programs and advisory services across equity, balanced, and fixed-income portfolios, delivered on both discretionary and non-discretionary bases.

Brendan Cashman is a financial advisor with Hightower Advisors, holding a Series 66 designation and nine years of industry experience. He has been with HighTower Securities, LLC since 2016 and also operates Cashco, Inc. since 2010. Based in Chicago, IL, his career spans both advisory and entrepreneurial roles. Hightower Advisors provides investment advisory and planning services to a wide range of individual and institutional clients. The firm’s approach emphasizes manager selection and multi-manager solutions, utilizing both affiliated and third-party managers alongside proprietary research and diverse investment vehicles.

Loui Marver is a financial advisor at William Blair with Series 63 and Series 65 designations and 52 years of industry experience. He has been with William Blair & Company L.L.C. since 1987. 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 an active, research-driven approach across multiple asset classes and provides proprietary models and access to private funds and co-investment opportunities.

Jeff Golden is a financial advisor with William Blair in Chicago, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and bringing 24 years of industry experience. His career includes prior roles at Citigroup Global Markets and Morgan Stanley Smith Barney. William Blair’s Private Wealth Management division offers 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 private fund access through its integrated platform.

Jackson Wildermuth is a financial advisor at Rockefeller Financial LLC with Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and one year of industry experience. Prior to joining Rockefeller Financial in 2024, he worked at Morgan Stanley in 2023. He also has an academic background at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and Walter Payton College Prep. Rockefeller Financial LLC serves high-net-worth and ultra-high-net-worth individuals, families, family offices, institutional clients, retirement plans, foundations, and corporations. The firm offers discretionary and non-discretionary portfolio management, financial planning, and consulting, and operates as a registered broker-dealer providing a broad range of investment and placement services.

Darren Walloch is a CFP® with 17 years of industry experience, currently serving at Hightower Advisors since 2020. His prior roles include positions at Frontier Investment Management Co, ELCA Foundation, and Charles Schwab. Hightower Advisors provides investment advisory and planning services to a diverse client base, including individual and institutional investors. The firm’s approach emphasizes manager selection and multi-manager solutions, incorporating proprietary research and a range of investment vehicles such as mutual funds, ETFs, and alternative investments.

Michael Merdinger is a financial advisor with Hightower Advisors in Chicago, IL, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and 27 years of industry experience. He has been with Hightower Advisors since 2020 and previously worked at Eugene Cohen Insurance and Private Vista, LLC (formerly Financial Strategy Network LLC) since 1999. Outside of his advisory work, he is the founder of the Chicagoland Organization of Marine Families, a nonprofit supporting ecology. Hightower Advisors provides investment advisory and planning services to a wide range of individual and institutional clients, utilizing a model focused on manager selection and multi-manager solutions that include affiliated and third-party managers, proprietary research, and diversified portfolio construction.

Paulina Cylwik is a CFP® with three years of industry experience, currently serving as a financial advisor at Focus Partners Wealth, LLC. Her prior roles include positions at The Vanguard Group, Inc. and Doyenne Wealth Advisors. Focus Partners Wealth serves a diverse client base including individuals, high-net-worth families, family offices, and institutional clients. The firm employs a long-term, tax- and fee-sensitive investment approach that combines active and passive strategies, third-party managers, and private funds under an enhanced open architecture framework.

Paul Mankarious is a CFP® professional with 12 years of industry experience, currently serving at Mariner since 2025. His prior roles include positions at RWA Wealth Partners, McAdam LLC, Global Retirement Partners, Charles Schwab, and AssetMark entities. Mariner serves a diverse client base including individuals, pension plans, trusts, charitable organizations, corporations, and private funds, offering investment management, financial planning, and retirement consulting. The firm uses discretionary, customized portfolios supported by an internal team and third-party managers, and provides integrated tax and accounting services, as well as employer financial-wellness solutions.

Anthony Goeke is a financial advisor at TIAA-CREF with eight years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and has worked at TIAA and TIAA-CREF Individual & Institutional Services since 2018. Prior to this, he held positions at Clover Technologies Group, Chicago History Museum, Arlington Heights Historical Museum, and Stericycle. TIAA-CREF Individual & Institutional Services, LLC provides financial planning, discretionary managed account programs, and broker-dealer services to individuals, trusts, estates, partnerships, corporate entities, and small retirement plans. The firm distinguishes its advisory model by separating one-time planning services from ongoing discretionary management and serves as adviser to a donor-advised fund sponsored by Charityvest.

Charles Bryant is a Series 65-licensed financial advisor at Corient with 32 years of industry experience. He worked at Segall Bryant & Hamill for 29 years before joining Corient and its affiliate services in 2023 and 2024. Corient provides investment advisory and financial planning to a diverse client base, including individuals, high-net-worth clients, trusts, pension plans, and charitable organizations. The firm uses a goals-based, team investment approach that integrates in-house strategies with third-party managers and incorporates risk management tools and alternative investments as appropriate.

Rachel Clore is a financial advisor at Cresset Asset Management, LLC, holding a Series 65 designation with one year of industry experience. Her prior work includes roles at Wealthspire Advisors LLC, Scott Tucker Solutions, Inc., Kent M. Lucaccioni, Ltd., Borkan & Scahill, Ltd., and Mueller Law Firm. Cresset Asset Management is a multi-disciplinary investment adviser managing approximately $78.9 billion in client assets. The firm serves a diverse client base including individuals, high-net-worth clients, trusts, estates, and corporations, employing a disciplined, risk-aware investment approach that integrates strategic asset allocation, manager selection, and both active and passive strategies across public and alternative asset classes.

Joseph Galvan is a financial advisor with Equity Services, Inc. He holds the Series 66 designation and has one year of industry experience. His prior work includes roles at National Life Group and Summit Xpo. Outside of advising, Galvan serves as treasurer on a condominium association board and volunteers with youth sports camps and nonprofit organizations including Special Olympics of Illinois and Care-Credit Abuse Resistance Education. Equity Services, Inc., operating as ESI Financial Advisors, provides financial planning, consulting, and asset management services to individuals, corporations, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, and employer retirement plans. The firm employs multiple advisory platforms, often using third-party asset managers and model portfolios, combining long-term strategies with options for shorter-term trading, and manages both discretionary and non-discretionary client programs.