Matthew Marcotte is a CFP® and holds a Series 66 license, with eight years of experience in financial advising at Edward Jones. He has worked at Edward Jones since 2017 and also served as an adjunct professor at North Central College, teaching college students the fundamentals of personal finance. Edward Jones is a full-service wealth management firm serving over four million individual and institutional clients across various segments. The firm offers a range of advisory programs, including discretionary and non-discretionary strategies, and is notable for its large network of advisors and branch offices, as well as affiliated services such as a trust company and proprietary mutual funds.

Alma Pajova is a CFP® professional with eight years of experience in the financial services industry. She is currently with Wells Fargo Clearing and has previously worked at ORG Partners, Hightower Advisors, and Mariner Wealth Advisors. She also provides financial services consulting for Gerson Lehrman Group, Inc. Wells Fargo Advisors is a national securities firm serving individual, corporate, and institutional clients with investment advisory services, financial planning, and retirement plan consulting, managing approximately $671 billion in assets with a large network of advisors.

Steven Schwer is a CFP®-designated financial advisor with 25 years of industry experience, currently affiliated with LPL Financial. He previously worked at Wayne Hummer Investments for 12 years and has been associated with Perry Mason's Tax Service for over three decades. Outside of his advisory role, Schwer is involved in community sports as a soccer referee and serves on the board of a recreational soccer nonprofit. LPL Financial is a national broker-dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser serving individuals, retirement plan participants, banks, trust companies, and institutions. The firm offers a range of advisory and brokerage services, including financial planning, model portfolio programs, and institutional platforms, with an emphasis on utilizing both proprietary research and third-party strategies.

Jonathan Ruiz is a Financial Advisor with Merrill Lynch Wealth Management. He is bilingual and serves as a resource for general investing, retirement planning, and saving for unexpected events. He also provides access to Bank of America specialists for banking, credit, home financing, and small business solutions. Jonathan's expertise covers a range of client focus areas including education planning, employee benefits planning, family wealth management strategies, legacy planning, managing new wealth, personal retirement planning, small business strategies, and retirement income. He holds professional designations such as Accredited Asset Management Specialist (AAMS), Chartered Retirement Planning Counselor (CRPC), Personal Investment Advisor (PIA), and Sports & Entertainment Accredited Wealth Management Advisor (SE-AWMA). He graduated from the University of Illinois at Chicago with a Bachelor of Science in Finance. Outside of his professional work, Jonathan has personal interests in baseball, basketball, football, soccer, and traveling.

Nicholas Alvarado is a Vice President and Financial Consultant at Fidelity Investments. In his current role, he works closely with clients to understand their individual situations and provide specific investment recommendations aimed at improving their financial plans. Nicholas has been with Fidelity Investments since 2018. Prior to this, he served as a Vice President Financial Solutions Advisor at Bank of America, Merrill Lynch from 2015 to 2018, and began his career as a Financial Advisor at Edward Jones Investments from 2014 to 2015.

Lisa Waldorf is a financial advisor with Primerica Advisors in Burr Ridge, IL, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and bringing 29 years of industry experience. She has been with Primerica Advisors since 1996 and Primerica Financial Services since 1995. Outside of her advisory role, she is co-owner of Lisa + Wally, Inc., a legal entity formed for Primerica business purposes. Primerica Advisors provides discretionary asset management through its Lifetime Investment Program, offering model-delivery strategies and a limited number of separately managed account options to individual and high-net-worth clients. The firm curates third-party asset managers and uses a tiered wrap fee structure, with portfolio management services focused on individual rather than institutional clients.

Linda Takach is a financial advisor with J.P. Morgan Securities, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and bringing 26 years of industry experience. She has worked at J.P. Morgan Securities since 2012 and has been with JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. since 2003, with prior experience at Morgan Stanley DW Inc. in 2002. J.P. Morgan Securities provides institutional consulting services to plan sponsors, corporations, and endowments, focusing on non-discretionary asset allocation advice, investment manager searches, and customized performance reporting. The firm integrates quantitative and qualitative research in its advisory process and offers access to derivatives and commodities capabilities through its broader regulatory registrations.

Julia Mueller is a Financial Consultant who brings a client-centered approach to her work. She emphasizes transparency and thoughtful communication, beginning with a conversation to understand clients' priorities and assessing mutual fit before proceeding. She continues to work closely with clients as their goals develop, ensuring alignment and clear communication throughout the process. Julia has experience working in various roles at Fidelity Investments, including Planning Consultant from 2024 to 2026, Relationship Manager from 2022 to 2024, and Financial Representative from 2021 to 2022. Prior to that, she completed an internship in Financial Planning & Asset Management at Renaissance Wealth Management BN LLC from 2020 to 2021. Outside of her professional work, Julia's personal interests include gardening, puzzles, and traveling.

Yibing Xue is a CFP® professional at Edward Jones with six years of industry experience. Prior to joining Edward Jones in 2019, Xue worked at GTL Technologies Inc. for 14 years. Edward Jones is a full-service wealth management firm serving over four million individual and institutional clients. The firm offers a range of investment strategies and advisory services, including discretionary and non-discretionary wrap fee programs, separately managed accounts, and affiliated mutual funds, supported by a nationwide network of more than 23,700 financial advisors.

Cyril Friend III is a financial advisor with LPL Financial, holding Series 63 and Series 66 credentials and 34 years of industry experience. He has been with LPL Financial since 2009 and previously worked at Edward Jones for two years. Friend operates his advisory services under the names Horizon Wealth Management, LLC and Friend Investment Group. LPL Financial is a national broker-dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser serving individuals, retirement plan participants, banks, trust companies, and institutions. The firm offers financial planning, model portfolio programs, third-party asset management, and institutional platforms, supporting a wide range of investment strategies and utilizing advanced advisor tools for operational and research support.

Debleena Chaudhuri is a financial advisor at Merrill with five years of industry experience. She holds a Series 66 designation and has worked at Bank of America, Merrill, and US Bank since 2018. Merrill, together with its affiliate Managed Account Advisors LLC, provides managed account services to Bank of America fiduciary clients through the Select Portfolio Solutions Program. The firm offers model-based and discretionary investment strategies for individuals, high-net-worth clients, pension and profit-sharing plans, corporations, and charitable organizations.

Theresa Sliva is a financial advisor with Primerica Advisors in Des Plaines, IL, holding Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and over 41 years of industry experience. She has been with Primerica Advisors since 1984 and Primerica Financial Services since 1991. Outside of advising, she is involved in the sale of home security, automation products, and loan products through affiliated Primerica companies. Primerica Advisors offers discretionary asset management through its Lifetime Investment Program, serving individual and high-net-worth clients with model-delivery strategies and separately managed account options. The firm curates third-party asset managers and uses a tiered wrap-fee structure for its services.

Brandon Johnston is a financial advisor at Ameriprise with four years of industry experience. He holds a Series 66 designation and has previously worked with Equitable Advisors LLC and Crawford & Winiarski Financial Consulting. Outside of finance, he has been involved with Miami University Intramural Sports and the Detroit City Football Club. Ameriprise Financial Services is a large advisory firm serving individual and institutional clients, offering a specialized Premier Retirement Income service that provides written recommendation reports and ongoing retirement-income planning advice. The firm’s approach includes tax-aware withdrawal strategies and collaborates with clients’ advisors to implement non-discretionary recommendations.

Jake Coss is a financial advisor at Equitable Advisors with a Series 66 designation and one year of industry experience. His prior work includes roles at Northwestern Mutual, Battaglia Industries, and Hy-Vee. He has been involved with the Crystal Lake Country Club for three years. Equitable Advisors serves individual clients across wealth levels, pension and profit-sharing plans, corporations, charitable organizations, and other institutional clients. The firm offers financial planning, retirement plan consulting, and asset-management programs delivered through a network of Investment Adviser Representatives and third-party asset managers.

Phu Nguyen is a financial advisor with J.P. Morgan Securities, holding Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and possessing 11 years of industry experience. He has worked at J.P. Morgan Securities since 2015 and has prior experience with JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. Beginning in 2015, Nguyen also operated a small business in the personal care industry for two years. J.P. Morgan Securities provides institutional consulting services to plan sponsors, corporations, endowments, and other institutional clients through a select group of Wealth Advisors. The firm’s non-discretionary program focuses on written asset allocation advice, investment manager and fund searches, and customized performance reporting, supported by centralized due diligence and a combination of quantitative and qualitative research.

Jeffrey Bonsol is a financial advisor with J.P. Morgan Securities in Carol Stream, IL, holding Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and bringing 17 years of industry experience. His career includes roles at JPMorgan Chase Bank, Bank of America, Merrill, and Avatar Securities. J.P. Morgan Securities provides institutional consulting services to plan sponsors, corporations, endowments, and other institutional clients, focusing on written asset allocation advice, investment manager searches, and customized performance reporting through a program supported by centralized due diligence and a combination of quantitative and qualitative research.

James Bushy is a financial advisor at LPL Enterprise LLC with one year of industry experience. He holds Series 65 and Series 63 licenses and previously worked at NYLIFE Securities LLC and New York Life Insurance Company. Outside of his advisory role, he serves as a board member for the Elmhurst Symphony Orchestra, a nonprofit organization. LPL Enterprise provides investment advisory and brokerage services to individual and high-net-worth investors, retirement plans, banks, and charitable entities. The firm uses model-driven investment approaches and offers access to third-party asset managers, with additional services including financial planning and insurance product sales through affiliated entities.

Vince Marino is a CFP® professional with 26 years of industry experience, currently serving at J.P. Morgan Securities since 2012. He has also been affiliated with JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. for over two decades. J.P. Morgan Securities provides institutional consulting services to plan sponsors, corporations, endowments, and other institutional clients through a program focused on written asset allocation advice, investment manager searches, and customized performance reporting. Their advisory process combines quantitative screening and qualitative research to develop model asset allocations, with implementation supported by affiliated investment-management entities.

Christopher Petrungaro is a financial advisor with Edward Jones in Elmhurst, IL, holding Series 63, Series 65, and Series 66 licenses and possessing 31 years of industry experience. He has been with Edward Jones since 2018 and previously worked at New York Life for one year. Edward Jones is a full-service wealth management firm serving over four million individual and institutional clients. The firm offers a range of advisory programs, including discretionary and non-discretionary wrap fee strategies, separately managed accounts, and affiliated mutual funds, supported by a large nationwide network of financial advisors and branch offices.

Magdalena Marinescu is a financial advisor with Fidelity, holding a Series 66 designation and four years of industry experience. Her background includes roles at Verizon and AT&T prior to joining Fidelity. Strategic Advisers LLC, a Fidelity Investments company, offers investment management and advisory services to retail and institutional clients, including charitable funds and registered investment companies. The firm uses a combination of fundamental research, quantitative analysis, and algorithmic portfolio construction to manage portfolios composed of mutual funds, ETFs, and ETPs.