George Fludas is a financial advisor at Zacks Investment Management, Inc. in Chicago, IL, holding a Series 65 credential with three years of industry experience. He co-founded Esygma Inc., a digital marketing and web development firm supporting small businesses, though he is no longer actively involved in its operations. Prior to joining Zacks in 2022, his work history includes roles outside the financial industry. Zacks Investment Management provides discretionary investment management to individuals, trusts, estates, retirement plans, pooled investment vehicles, and institutional clients. The firm employs proprietary quantitative models combined with qualitative portfolio management across diverse strategies and manages affiliated mutual funds and ETFs, distributing strategies through various wrap-fee and unified managed account programs.

Benjamin Wozniak is a financial advisor at The Mather Group, LLC in Chicago, IL, holding a Series 65 credential. He has one year of experience in the industry, including time spent at The Mather Group and prior roles outside finance such as Benoot Pressure Washing and Poplar Creek Country Club. The Mather Group serves high-net-worth individuals, family offices, trusts, corporations, and other entities with combined financial planning, investment management, tax and estate planning guidance, and family office services. The firm employs an evidence-based investment approach with risk-based allocation models and offers customized strategies including direct indexing and ESG portfolios.

Charles Kiker is a CFP® with 32 years of industry experience, currently serving as an advisor at VestGen Advisors, LLC. He previously worked at Commonwealth Financial Network for 10 years and has been involved with Ek&A for over two decades. Outside of his advisory role, he owns a business that sells life, disability, long-term care insurance, and fixed annuities, and he serves as a trustee for an irrevocable life insurance trust. VestGen Advisors, LLC is a multi-team registered investment adviser managing approximately $3.47 billion for over 9,400 clients. The firm serves individual and high-net-worth clients with a range of investment management, financial planning, and retirement plan services, utilizing a combination of client-specific goal setting and various analytical methods.

Grant Luebe is a financial advisor with LaSalle St. Investment Advisors, L.L.C. He holds Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and has eight years of industry experience. Prior to joining LaSalle St., he worked at Heartland Investment Associates and Cedar Rapids Bank & Trust. Luebe serves on the board of the Birkey Investment Fund, participates in Junior Achievement of Eastern Iowa, and is involved in finance committees at Wellington Heights Community Church and Heritage Area Agency. LaSalle St. Investment Advisors provides personalized, fee-based financial planning and investment supervisory services to individuals, trusts, pension plans, charitable organizations, and small businesses. The firm offers both non-discretionary and discretionary investment programs, managing a sizable portfolio with a notable emphasis on non-discretionary assets.

Liza Blundell is a financial advisor with Jefferies Investment Advisers LLC, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and bringing 30 years of industry experience. She has worked at Jefferies LLC since 2013. Jefferies Investment Advisers LLC provides fee-based financial planning services to a broad range of clients including individuals, trusts, estates, and corporations. The firm employs a customized, collaborative planning process supported by financial planning software and scenario analysis, focusing on comprehensive planning topics without offering security-specific investment recommendations.

Dov Robinson is a financial advisor with M Holdings Securities, Inc., holding a Series 66 credential and 21 years of industry experience. He has been with M Holdings since 2017 and previously worked at Kestra Financial Services and his own firm, The Robinson Financial Group, where he serves as vice president. Outside of his advisory work, Robinson is involved in community and charitable activities, including membership at YU Kollel Torah MiZion and serving on the board of Camp Moshava Wildrose. M Holdings Securities, Inc. serves a diverse client base including individuals, retirement plans, charitable organizations, and corporations through a national network of independent financial professionals. The firm offers a range of advisory and brokerage services, including discretionary and non-discretionary investment management, retirement plan consulting, and insurance advisory, supported by third-party sub-advisors and platform providers.

Liam Duffy is a financial advisor at FourStar Wealth Advisors, LLC with a Series 65 designation and three years of industry experience. His prior work includes roles at John B. Sanfilippo And Son, Lifetime Fitness, and Joe's Brewery. FourStar Wealth Advisors serves individuals, retirement and profit-sharing plans, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, and business entities, offering financial planning, discretionary portfolio management, and retirement-plan consulting. The firm combines fundamental and technical analysis and manages portfolios mainly on a discretionary basis, tailoring investments to clients’ risk tolerance and time horizon.

Jeffrey Kochan is a Certified Financial Planner® with 12 years of industry experience, currently serving as an advisor at Highpoint Planning Partners. He has held roles with Highpoint Advisor Group, LPL Financial, Parkland Securities, Sequoia Premier Partners, and Strategic Tax Partners. Kochan is involved in tax preparation and accounting through his work with Strategic Tax Partners in Naperville, IL. HighPoint Advisor Group serves a diverse client base including individuals, pension and profit-sharing plans, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, and corporate entities. The firm offers discretionary asset management, financial planning, retirement plan advisory, and sponsors a wrap-fee program, utilizing fundamental analysis and a variety of investment vehicles to construct personalized portfolios.

Charles Garrido is a financial advisor with A.G.P. / Alliance Global Partners in Chicago, IL, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and bringing 42 years of industry experience. He previously worked at McDonald Partners LLC for seven years before joining A.G.P. in 2018. Garrido serves as president of the FAF Foundation, a nonprofit organization, and is Secretary of the Board and Chair of the Finance Committee for RAICES, a charitable organization focused on asylum and migrant advocacy. He is also working on authoring two books, one on growing up Cuban and another on financial strategies. A.G.P. / Alliance Global Partners offers advisory and brokerage services to individuals, trusts, corporations, and other entities, providing portfolio management, financial planning, retirement-plan consulting, and capital markets services. The firm emphasizes international investing through its EPC Advisors Group division and is known for combining advisory services with active brokerage and product distribution.

John Karavouzis is a CFP® with 14 years of industry experience, currently serving as an advisor at JMG Financial Group Ltd since 2018. His prior experience includes roles at Highpoint Advisor Group, LLC and LPL Financial, LLC. JMG Financial Group advises individuals, trusts, retirement plans, business entities, and charitable organizations with comprehensive wealth management, portfolio management, and consulting services. The firm employs a planning-based, long-term investment approach focused on strategic asset allocation and offers a range of investment options including ETFs, mutual funds, equities, fixed income, and alternative investments.

Nicole Polanco is a CFP® professional with eight years of industry experience, currently serving at Chicago Partners Investment Group LLC since 2015. She holds the Series 65 designation and is based in Chicago, IL. Chicago Partners Investment Group LLC advises a diverse client base, including individuals, trusts, endowments, corporations, and not-for-profit plans. The firm employs a long-term, diversified investment approach, utilizing fundamental analysis and a range of strategies such as direct indexing and tax-loss harvesting, while offering customized portfolio management and financial planning services.

Herman Tkach is a CFP® professional at Soltis Investment Advisors, LLC with 19 years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at Mercer Global Advisors, U.S. Bancorp Investments, U.S. Bank, and TIAA-CREF. He serves on the board of his condominium association and is a board member and endowments committee member of the Jewish United Fund of Metropolitan Chicago’s Russian Speaking Jewish Division. Soltis Investment Advisors provides discretionary investment management, financial planning, and pension consulting to individuals, institutions, trusts, endowments, and retirement plans, managing approximately $13 billion in assets. The firm employs a Modern Portfolio Theory-based approach that integrates quantitative screening and qualitative manager due diligence and emphasizes ongoing client communication through regular reviews and market commentary.

John Eberle is a financial advisor at FourStar Wealth Advisors, LLC in Chicago, IL, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses with 26 years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at Vivaldi Capital Management LLC, Taiber Kosmala, and Fiduciary Financial Partners LLC. FourStar Wealth Advisors serves individuals, retirement and profit-sharing plans, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, and business entities by providing financial planning, discretionary portfolio management, and retirement-plan consulting. The firm employs a combination of fundamental and technical analysis with diversified asset allocation, managing portfolios primarily on a discretionary basis tailored to clients’ risk tolerance and time horizon.

Willard Einspar is a CFP® professional with over 32 years of industry experience, currently serving as an advisor at Highpoint Planning Partners. He has been affiliated with Highpoint Advisor Group, LLC and LPL Financial since 2016. HighPoint Advisor Group serves individuals—including high-net-worth clients—as well as pension and profit-sharing plans, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, and corporate entities. The firm offers discretionary asset management and financial planning services, implementing portfolios through fundamental analysis and utilizing a range of investment vehicles and third-party platforms.

David Donnelly is a financial advisor at SpiderRock Advisors, LLC with 12 years of industry experience. He holds a Series 66 designation and has worked at BlackRock Investments, LLC since 2024. Outside of his advisory role, he provides advice to the CEO of Trove, LLC, a company that offers loans to individuals. SpiderRock Advisors, LLC provides discretionary overlay and portfolio management services to institutional and wealth-management clients, utilizing a rules-based, systematic approach that combines quantitative and fundamental inputs. The firm is known for its expertise in listed derivatives and dynamic option overlays, serving a diverse client base including asset managers, family offices, and pension funds.

Benjamin Caruso is a financial advisor with Highpoint Planning Partners, holding a Series 66 designation and 14 years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at LPL Financial, Edward Jones, Bank of America, Merrill Lynch, MB Financial Bank, and Cetera. Caruso provides investment advisory services through HighPoint Advisor Group, LLC, an independent firm separate from LPL Financial. HighPoint Advisor Group serves individuals, including high-net-worth clients, as well as pension plans, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, and corporate entities. The firm offers discretionary asset management, financial planning, and retirement plan advisory, implementing portfolios through fundamental analysis across various asset classes and utilizing multiple advisory platforms.

Michael Bruno is a financial advisor with Lasalle St. Investment Advisors, L.L.C., holding the ChFC® designation and Securities Series 63 and 65 licenses. He has 43 years of industry experience, including prior roles at Securities America Advisors and Invest Financial Corp. Outside of his advisory work, he serves as president of MJB Financial Services, Inc., an insurance sales business he has been involved with since 1989. Lasalle St. Investment Advisors provides fee-based financial planning and investment supervisory services to individuals, trusts, pension plans, charitable organizations, and small businesses. The firm offers both non-discretionary and discretionary portfolio management, including the LaSalle St. Asset Management Program (LAMP), and oversees a mix of mutual funds, ETFs, equities, fixed income, and options with a notable predominance of non-discretionary assets under management.

Elana Feigenblatt is a financial advisor at CL Wealth Management LLC in Schaumburg, IL, with 18 years of industry experience. She holds Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and has been with CL Wealth Management since 2013. She also maintains an affiliation with Cabot Lodge Securities LLC. CL Wealth Management LLC is an SEC-registered multi-advisor firm serving individuals, pension and profit-sharing plans, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, and business entities. The firm offers portfolio advisory services, financial planning, and client education, tailoring investment strategies using fundamental and technical analysis, custom model portfolios, and regular monitoring.

James Mcgovern is a CFP® professional with 41 years of experience in the financial industry. He is affiliated with Capital Analysts and has worked at Lincoln Investment since 2012. Additionally, he owns J.McGovern and Associates, a fixed insurance sales business. Capital Analysts serves a diverse client base including individual and high-net-worth investors, retirement plans, trusts, foundations, charitable organizations, and corporate clients. The firm offers discretionary and non-discretionary portfolio management through various programs and employs an in-house investment management team that uses proprietary screening processes and model portfolios.

Suman Sachdeva is a financial advisor at BFC Planning, Inc. with 26 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 designations and has worked at BFC Planning since 2017, alongside roles at Securities Management and Research, Inc. and Broker Dealer Financial Services. He serves as treasurer for the Raj & Suman Sachdeva Foundation, a charity organization. BFC Planning, Inc. serves a diverse client base including individuals, corporations, banks, pension and profit-sharing plans, trusts, and estates through approximately 200 investment adviser representatives. The firm provides financial planning and portfolio management services using a range of platforms and strategies tailored by its advisors.