Todd Balber is a CFP® with over 31 years of experience in financial advisory services. He has been with World Equity Group, Inc. since 1997. Outside of his primary role, he is a co-owner and partner of B&R Financial, LLC, which provides financial planning and investment advisory services along with insurance products. World Equity Group, Inc. offers fee-based investment advisory and financial planning services to a diverse client base, including individuals, pension plans, trusts, and corporations. The firm employs a risk-tolerance questionnaire to guide asset allocation and utilizes discretionary authority granted to third-party managers and representatives for portfolio management.

Mark Hofstetter is a CFP® with 35 years of industry experience, currently serving as a financial advisor at Concurrent Investment Advisors, LLC. His prior roles include positions at Purshe Kaplan Sterling Investments, Next Retirement Solutions, Raymond James Financial Services Advisors Inc., and Wells Fargo Advisors. Outside of his advisory work, he is a paid performing musician through his part-time involvement with And Beyond LLC. Concurrent Investment Advisors is an enterprise-scale firm with approximately 161 advisors serving over 10,000 clients and managing about $9.9 billion in assets. The firm provides wealth management, financial planning, and retirement advisory services, employing a long-term investment approach with customized portfolios across various asset classes.

Meghan Nolan is a CFP® professional with seven years of industry experience, currently serving as a financial advisor at Forum Financial Management, LP since 2016. She is based in Lombard, IL, and has spent her entire advisory career with Forum Financial Management. Forum Financial Management, LP provides investment advisory and related services to individuals, retirement plan sponsors, charitable organizations, and institutional clients. The firm employs model asset-allocation portfolios based on Modern Portfolio Theory and offers a range of services including portfolio management, financial planning, and sub-advisory solutions, with a focus on supporting independent advisors and RIAs through its turn-key asset-management platform.

Loren Piotrowski is a financial advisor with Associated Investment Services, Inc. in Chicago, IL, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and 27 years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at TD Ameritrade and U.S. Bancorp Investments. Associated Investment Services, Inc. provides advisory and brokerage services primarily to individual investors, as well as to small corporations, trusts, estates, and charitable institutions. The firm offers model portfolio and separately managed account programs through third-party managers and its affiliate Kellogg Asset Management, delivering services via the Envestnet/NFS platform with a predominantly non-discretionary investment approach.

Edward Constance is a financial advisor at Northern Trust Securities, Inc. in Chicago, IL, holding Series 63 and Series 66 credentials with two years of industry experience. Prior to joining Northern Trust Securities, he worked at Morgan Stanley for one year. Northern Trust Securities, Inc. is a registered investment adviser and broker-dealer serving high-net-worth individuals, retail investors, and institutional clients. The firm offers model-driven discretionary portfolio management, including Separately Managed Accounts and Fund Strategist Portfolios, utilizing a mix of proprietary and third-party investment products.

Daniel Laya is a financial advisor at Capital Analysts with 26 years of industry experience. He has been with Lincoln Investment Planning, Inc. for 20 years. Outside of his advisory work, he is a member of Corner Sports LLC, a ski and snowboard rental, tuning, and delivery business. Capital Analysts serves a diverse client base including individual and high-net-worth investors, retirement plans, trusts, foundations, and corporate clients. The firm offers discretionary and non-discretionary portfolio management through various programs, supported by an in-house investment management and research team that employs proprietary screening processes and provides options such as automated rebalancing and tax-aware strategies.

Ryan Emerson is a financial advisor at Curi Capital, LLC with 13 years of industry experience. He previously worked at RMB Capital and Personal Capital Advisors Corporation, where he spent seven years. Outside of his advisory role, Emerson is a 10% partner and CFO of Creek Side Partners LLC, a company that sells non-FDA regulated medical devices. Curi Capital is an SEC-registered investment adviser managing approximately $11.6 billion in assets, serving individuals, employer retirement plans, institutions, and family offices. The firm follows a long-term, fundamental investment approach across equities and fixed income, utilizing proprietary strategies, third-party managers, and private funds.

Laura Norek is a financial advisor at Forum Financial Management, LP with two years of industry experience. She holds a Series 65 designation and has worked at Forum Financial Management in various capacities since 2021. Prior to this, she was employed at Leadership Extension Consulting and Career Education Corporation. Forum Financial Management, LP provides fee-based wealth management, financial planning, qualified plan services, and educational workshops to individual and institutional clients. The firm also serves as a sub-advisor and turnkey asset management platform for other independent RIAs, managing model portfolios primarily using DFA institutional mutual funds and ETFs within a Modern Portfolio Theory framework.

Robert Bondiman is a financial advisor with VestGen Advisors, LLC, holding a Series 66 credential and 18 years of industry experience. He has worked at J.P. Morgan Securities, Fidelity Investments, and Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Co. His current role includes Private Client Services in Chicago. VestGen Advisors is an SEC-registered investment adviser managing approximately $6.66 billion for nearly 22,790 clients. The firm offers a range of investment management and retirement plan services, utilizing a combination of fundamental, technical, and quantitative analysis tailored to client goals and risk tolerance.

John Susin is a financial advisor with OneSeven in Oak Brook, IL, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and bringing 17 years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at Red Oak Capital Management, Niagara International Capital Limited, and Great Lakes Atlantic. Outside of his advisory work, he coaches a hockey team in Chicago. OneSeven serves individuals, high-net-worth clients, trusts, estates, businesses, and retirement plans by providing discretionary portfolio management, financial planning, and retirement-plan advisory services. The firm’s investment approach is primarily long-term with flexibility for shorter-term trading, utilizing diversified portfolios and access to alternatives and private placements.

Michael Lynch is a Series 65 licensed advisor at McAdam LLC with five years of industry experience. He has been with McAdam since 2020 and previously worked at the University of Iowa and Lynch Roofing. McAdam LLC serves individuals, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, corporations, and government entities with financial planning, investment management, and retirement plan consulting. The firm manages discretionary client portfolios using a range of investment vehicles and incorporates specialized exposures such as direct indexing and private investment funds.

Steven Nivens is a CFP® professional with 37 years of experience in the financial services industry. He has been with Ausdal Financial Partners, Inc. since 2011. In addition to his advisory role, he is involved in outside insurance sales, including fixed life, health, and disability insurance, and provides referrals for Medicare and travel insurance products. Ausdal Financial Partners is an SEC-registered investment adviser and FINRA-member broker-dealer managing approximately $2.13 billion in client assets through a network of 152 advisors. The firm offers investment advisory programs, retirement plan services, and financial planning to individuals, trusts, corporations, pension plans, and charitable organizations, utilizing both discretionary and non-discretionary strategies across a range of investment products.

Robert Cheney is a financial advisor at Diversify Advisory Services, LLC with 27 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and has worked at DFPG Investments, Inc. since 2019 and First Allied Advisory Services, Inc. from 2006 to 2019. Cheney serves on the Board of Governors for the Lowe Institute of Political Economy, a nonprofit research organization. Diversify Advisory Services provides investment advisory and financial planning to a diverse client base, including individuals, corporations, pension and profit-sharing plans, trusts, medical professionals, and small business owners. The firm employs a tactical diversification approach using a variety of investment platforms and strategies while maintaining documented client objectives and the ability to engage sub-advisors.

Frank Diebold Jr. is a financial advisor with Avantax Planning Partners, Inc. He holds a Series 65 designation and has 27 years of industry experience. Prior to joining Avantax, he worked for Honkamp Krueger Financial Services for 21 years and has been associated with Diebold & Associates since 1978. Avantax Planning Partners, Inc. provides portfolio management, financial planning, and managed retirement plan services to individuals, pension and profit-sharing plans, charitable organizations, and businesses. The firm operates primarily through a network of CPA firms and advisor representatives, managing approximately $7.57 billion in assets as of December 31, 2025.

Matthew Schilling is a financial advisor at Northern Trust Securities, Inc. with nine years of industry experience. He has previously worked at Morgan Stanley, Bank of America, Merrill, and TD Ameritrade. Northern Trust Securities, Inc. is a subsidiary of Northern Trust Corporation that offers discretionary portfolio management through a model-driven wrap fee program. The firm serves high-net-worth individuals, retail investors, and institutional clients, providing Separately Managed Accounts, Fund Strategist Portfolios, and Strategist UMAs via the Fidelity Managed Account Xchange platform.

Laura Cuber is a CFP® professional with eight years of industry experience. She currently works at Bartlett & Co. Wealth Management LLC and previously held positions at Mercer Global Advisors and Kanaly Trust Services. Bartlett & Co. Wealth Management LLC serves high-net-worth individuals, families, and a variety of institutional clients, providing discretionary wealth management and comprehensive financial planning. The firm emphasizes diversified asset allocation and relative-value analysis for fixed income, utilizing mutual funds, ETFs, and third-party platforms while offering access to affiliate and intermediary services through its integration with the Focus Financial Partners network.

Katherine Ozog is a CFP® with 18 years of industry experience, currently serving at Curi Capital, LLC. She has been with RMB Capital Management, LLC since 2010. Curi Capital serves individuals, families, institutional and corporate clients, retirement plan sponsors, charitable organizations, and pooled investment vehicles. The firm employs a long-term, fundamental investment approach and manages approximately $9.83 billion across various account types, combining in-house strategies with external managers and proprietary risk analysis tools.

Donald Bechter is a CFA® charterholder with 14 years of industry experience, currently serving at Curi Capital, LLC. He has worked at RMB Capital Management since 2011. Outside of his advisory role, he is an investor in several private equity and real estate loan funds. Curi Capital serves individuals, families, institutions, and other clients through wealth management, asset management, retirement plan solutions, and family office services. The firm manages approximately $9.83 billion and employs a long-term, fundamental investment approach across equity and fixed income strategies, combining in-house and external management resources.

Evan Kasal is a financial advisor at FourStar Wealth Advisors, LLC in Chicago, IL, holding a Series 65 designation. He joined FourStar in 2024 and has prior experience at The Power Company, NielsenIQ, Billtrust, Keeper, and CDW. FourStar Wealth Advisors serves individuals, retirement plans, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, and business entities, offering financial planning, discretionary portfolio management, and retirement-plan consulting. The firm employs a combination of fundamental and technical analysis, managing diversified portfolios tailored to clients’ risk tolerance and time horizon.

Jason Johnson is a financial advisor with LaSalle St. Investment Advisors, L.L.C. in Elmhurst, IL, holding a Series 66 designation and 18 years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at Wells Fargo and Northwestern Mutual, among others. Outside of his advisory duties, he serves as Deputy Commissioner for USA Softball of Nevada and is an assistant high school softball coach and part-time substitute teacher. LaSalle St. Investment Advisors provides personalized, fee-based financial planning and investment supervisory services to individuals, trusts, pension plans, charitable organizations, and small businesses, offering both non-discretionary and discretionary management programs with a focus on diversified asset allocation.