Ryan Skibinski is a financial advisor at Edward Jones in St. Charles, IL, holding a Series 66 designation with five years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at Raymond James Financial Services and Amsted Rail. Edward Jones is a full-service wealth management firm serving more than four million individual and institutional clients with both discretionary and non-discretionary investment strategies, managing approximately $1.01 trillion in assets through a large nationwide network of advisors and branch offices.

Jeff Fjeldheim is a financial advisor at Ameriprise with 28 years of industry experience. He holds the Series 66 designation and previously operated Fjeldheim Financial Group for 15 years and worked with Raymond James Financial Services for 17 years. Fjeldheim maintains ownership of Fjeldheim Financial Group, LLC, primarily to manage the wind-down of his prior independent advisory business. Ameriprise provides retirement-income planning services aimed at individuals nearing or in retirement who meet specific asset criteria, delivering written recommendations focused on income sources, Social Security options, and tax-efficient withdrawal strategies. The firm combines proprietary research and modeling with advisory and brokerage solutions through affiliated entities.

Ann Jenkins is a financial advisor at Ameriprise with 32 years of industry experience. She holds Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and has worked at Ameriprise since 2018, following a 20-year tenure at Fidelity Brokerage Services. Outside of her advisory role, she has a long-standing position with Petsmart. Ameriprise provides retirement-income planning services primarily for clients with significant investable assets, combining research and modeling with tax-efficient strategies. The firm offers a broad range of advisory, brokerage, and insurance solutions through affiliated entities.

Kimaron Gardner is a financial advisor with Stifel in Barrington, IL, holding Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and bringing 37 years of industry experience. He has been with Stifel since 2007 and concurrently serves as a shareholder, officer, and director at Gardner Building & Development Inc., a land ownership and development business he has been involved with since 1990. Gardner is also a board member and secretary of The Grove at Wynstone Homeowners' Association. Stifel serves a broad range of clients, including individuals, institutional investors, charitable organizations, and municipal entities, offering both brokerage and investment advisory services. The firm utilizes a proprietary investment methodology developed by its Investment Strategy Group to provide asset allocation and planning analyses intended to support client decision-making.

Kenneth Norkus is a financial advisor with LPL Financial in Wheaton, IL, holding Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and one year of industry experience. Prior to joining LPL Financial, he worked with several mortgage companies, including Great Mortgage Company and Celebrity Home Loans. He is also involved with Great Mortgage Company outside of his advisory role. LPL Financial is a national broker-dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser that serves individuals, retirement plan participants, banks, trust companies, and other institutions. The firm offers a range of advisory and brokerage services, including financial planning, model portfolios, third-party asset management, and institutional platforms.

Kevin Madden is a financial advisor with Ameriprise Financial Services, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and bringing 24 years of industry experience. He has worked with Ameriprise in various capacities since 2009. Madden is also the owner of Kevin J. Madden, Inc., a business involved in managing his Ameriprise activities. Ameriprise Financial Services is a large, diversified advisory firm serving individual and institutional clients. It offers a specialized Premier Retirement Income service providing written recommendation reports and ongoing retirement-income planning focused on income sources and tax-aware withdrawal strategies.

Darrin Shallcross Sr. is a financial advisor with OSAIC, holding a Series 66 designation and 21 years of industry experience. He previously worked for Lincoln Financial Advisors Corporation for 20 years before joining OSAIC in 2025. Outside of his advisory role, he is involved in the sale of equity-indexed life and annuity products and owns a corporation that manages business expenses and payroll. OSAIC serves a diverse client base including individual investors, retirement plans, charities, and corporations, offering brokerage and advisory services with a focus on model-based asset allocation and portfolio optimization. The firm is notable for its scale, complex affiliate structure, and recent consolidation activities.

Larry Ekstrom is a financial advisor at Morgan Stanley with 47 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has been with Morgan Stanley and Morgan Stanley Private Bank, N.A. since 2009 and 2015, respectively. Outside of his advisory role, he serves on the advisory board of the Swedish American Museum and participates on the board and finance committee of the Barrington Area Conservation Trust. Morgan Stanley Wealth Management offers a broad range of advisory programs to individual and institutional clients, providing tailored financial planning supported by firm-approved tools and research.

Steve Apostolopoulos is a financial advisor with Wells Fargo Clearing in Schaumburg, IL, holding Series 63 and Series 65 designations and 39 years of industry experience. He has been with Wells Fargo Clearing since 2016 and has also worked at Commar since 1982. Wells Fargo Advisors is a national securities firm serving individual, corporate, and institutional clients with investment advisory services, financial planning, and retirement plan consulting. The firm manages approximately $671 billion in assets across more than 14,000 financial advisors, offering both brokerage and advisory solutions.

Scott Holzer is a financial advisor at Morgan Stanley with 38 years of industry experience. He has been with Morgan Stanley Private Bank, National Association since 2015 and has worked at Morgan Stanley Smith Barney since 2012. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 designations. Morgan Stanley Wealth Management is an SEC-registered investment adviser and broker-dealer offering a wide range of advisory programs for individuals and institutional clients. The firm provides tailored financial planning services, utilizing structured discovery conversations and firm-approved planning tools.

Patrick Perrotta is a financial advisor at Cetera with 21 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has worked at Hurt & Associates, Ameriprise Financial Services, and Cetera entities since 2016. He is also involved with Hurt & Associates, Inc., an investment-related business in Lombard, IL. Cetera Investment Advisers LLC provides advisory services through a nationwide network of over 10,000 independent advisors, serving individuals, retirement plans, corporate, charitable, and institutional clients. The firm offers various portfolio management and financial planning services, utilizing a multi-manager platform with a broad range of investment program options.

Joshua Nybroten is a financial advisor at Edward Jones in Batavia, IL, holding a Series 66 credential with less than one year of industry experience. Prior to joining Edward Jones, he held various positions outside the financial sector, including roles at Edelweiss Lodge and Resort and several hospitality and food service companies. Edward Jones is a full-service wealth management firm serving over four million individual and institutional clients, offering a broad range of investment advisory services and managing approximately $1.01 trillion in assets.

John Pekar is a financial advisor at Primerica Advisors with 12 years of industry experience. He holds Series 65 and Series 63 licenses and has been with Primerica Advisors and Primerica Financial Services since 2013. In addition to his advisory work, he is involved in sales of loan products and home security and automation services through affiliated companies. Primerica Advisors sponsors a wrap-fee asset management program serving individual, corporate, and charitable clients. The firm employs model-delivery strategies managed by unaffiliated asset managers and supports trade execution and custody through BNY Mellon Advisors and Pershing.

Jessica Deibert Lopez is a financial advisor with Raymond James Financial, holding a Series 66 license and two years of industry experience. Prior to joining Raymond James, she worked at Edward Jones for five years. Outside of her advisory role, she works occasionally as a hairstylist at Salon D'Amore. Raymond James Financial Services Advisors, Inc. provides financial planning and investment consulting to individual, high-net-worth, institutional, and corporate clients. The firm offers non-discretionary advisory services tailored to client goals and supports a broad network of advisors with tools including risk profiling and probability modeling.

Robin Drost is a Series 66-licensed financial advisor with LPL Financial based in Palatine, IL, with seven years of industry experience. He previously worked at BMO Harris Financial Advisors and BMO Harris Bank, totaling 11 years before joining LPL Financial. LPL Financial is a national broker‑dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser serving individuals, retirement plan participants, banks, trust companies, and other institutions through a large network of investment adviser representatives. The firm offers a range of advisory services including financial planning, model portfolios, third-party asset management, and institutional platforms.

Kenneth Munao is a financial advisor with Morgan Stanley in Barrington, IL, holding a Series 66 designation and bringing 22 years of industry experience. He has been with various Morgan Stanley entities since 2007, including Morgan Stanley Private Bank and Morgan Stanley Smith Barney. Outside of his advisory role, he is the sole proprietor of Daddy's Dip Racing Stable. Morgan Stanley Wealth Management serves both individual and institutional clients, offering a range of advisory programs and financial planning services that incorporate firm-approved tools and strategies tailored to client needs.

Oscar Villalva is a Financial Advisor with Merrill Lynch Wealth Management. In his role, he works closely with individuals and families to develop personalized financial strategies that address education planning, family wealth management, personal retirement planning, and retirement income. He provides guidance on various financial matters including investing, retirement planning, and saving for unexpected events, and also connects clients with Bank of America specialists for banking, credit, home financing, and small business solutions. Oscar holds a Bachelor's Degree from Escuela Bancaria y Comercial and is a Personal Investment Advisor (PIA). He is fluent in both English and Spanish, enabling him to serve a diverse client base. Outside of his professional work, Oscar enjoys playing soccer and tennis, and spending time with his family.

Jacques Simpson is a CFP® with 40 years of industry experience, currently with J.P. Morgan Securities in Wheaton, IL. He has worked within various divisions of JPMorgan Chase since 1999, including roles at Banc One Securities Corporation and Chase Investment Services Corp. J.P. Morgan Securities provides institutional consulting services to plan sponsors, corporations, and endowments, focusing on written asset allocation advice, investment manager searches, and customized performance reporting. The firm’s advisory process integrates both quantitative and qualitative research supported by a dedicated manager solutions team.

Michele Westmaas is a Series 66-licensed financial advisor with Thrivent Investment Management, bringing three years of industry experience. She has worked at Thrivent Financial and Thrivent Investment Management since 2023 and previously held roles at John Wood Community College and Expect ExtraOrdinary, Inc. Outside of her advisory work, she is a freelance public speaker and facilitator on disability-related planning topics and provides individualized support for persons with developmental disabilities. Thrivent Investment Management offers Dedicated Planning Services to individuals, families, businesses, and nonprofit clients, providing comprehensive written recommendations across financial planning areas while keeping portfolio management separate. The firm emphasizes holistic, goal-based analyses and periodic plan reviews through its network of financial advisors.

Brian Mcilwee is a financial advisor with Primerica Advisors in Lombard, IL, holding Series 65 and Series 63 licenses and six years of industry experience. He has worked with Primerica Advisors since 2020 and previously spent over four decades at J. J. McLLWEE COMPANY. In addition to advisory services, he is involved in selling loan products and home security and automation referrals through affiliated companies. Primerica Advisors sponsors a wrap-fee asset management program primarily serving individual investors, including high-net-worth clients, as well as corporate and charitable clients. The firm uses model-delivery strategies managed by unaffiliated asset managers and supports trade execution and custody through Pershing, managing approximately $15.5 billion in assets.