David Copeland is a financial advisor at Focus Partners Wealth, LLC with 28 years of industry experience. His career includes roles at Kovitz Investment Group Partners, Strategic Wealth Partners Group, and Mesirow Financial. Focus Partners Wealth serves individuals, high-net-worth families, family offices, and institutional clients with wealth management, financial and tax planning, and retirement consulting. The firm uses a long-term, tax- and fee-sensitive investment approach that combines active and passive strategies, private funds, and overlay techniques within an enhanced open architecture framework.

Maxine Mott is a financial advisor at Lincoln Investment with Series 63 and Series 66 designations and 31 years of industry experience. Her prior roles include positions at TIAA-CREF and Macy’s. Lincoln Investment Planning, LLC is a large enterprise advisory and broker-dealer serving a diverse client base including individuals, high-net-worth investors, trusts, charities, and retirement plans. The firm offers financial planning and portfolio management supported by an in-house Investment Management & Research team, with many client relationships remaining advisor-led and tailored through model portfolios and platform tools.

Nasser Afzali is a financial advisor with Transamerica Financial Advisors, holding Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and bringing 33 years of industry experience. His background includes various roles related to tax, accounting, insurance, and pro bono financial training, with involvement in nonprofit organizations such as The Promise Land Charities Inc and volunteer work with Caris Pregnancy Counseling and Resources. He also provides estate planning document preparation through Net Law Inc and supports The Farsi Church in Chicago Land with tax and accounting services. Transamerica Financial Advisors serves a diverse client base including individual investors, pension plans, trusts, and corporations. The firm offers a range of advisory and broker-dealer services, combining proprietary and third-party model portfolios with discretionary and non-discretionary management options.

Linda Sabo is a financial advisor with Benjamin F. Edwards & Company, Inc., holding a Series 66 designation and 16 years of industry experience. She has been with Benjamin F. Edwards since 2010. Benjamin F. Edwards & Company is an integrated broker-dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser that serves individuals, high-net-worth clients, pension and profit-sharing plans, charitable organizations, and corporate clients through over 500 advisors. The firm provides a range of services including wrap-fee advisory programs, financial planning, retirement plan consulting, investment management consulting, brokerage services, insurance products, and certain M&A advisory services.

Kurt Helmich is a financial advisor at Integrated Wealth Concepts LLC with five years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 66 designations and has previously worked at Hightower Advisors and Charles Schwab & Co., Inc. Integrated Wealth Concepts serves individuals, high-net-worth clients, families, trusts, estates, businesses, and retirement plans through a network of independent advisors. The firm employs a mainly long-term investment approach using customized portfolios that include mutual funds, ETFs, equities, and fixed income, and offers discretionary management, financial planning, family office, and retirement plan advisory services.

Nathanial Chapel is a Series 65-licensed financial advisor with nine years of industry experience. He is currently with Farther and has operated Chapel Financial Group Inc. since 2017, where he is involved as a president and insurance agent focusing on fixed annuities, Medicare Supplement, life insurance, and long-term care. Chapel has also maintained advisory roles at Tru Financial Strategies under his ownership since 2017. Farther provides discretionary investment management and advisory services mainly to individual investors, trusts, and estates, utilizing a web and mobile platform alongside in-person meetings. The firm’s investment approach is based on Modern Portfolio Theory, employing proprietary model portfolios or customized allocations with algorithmic rebalancing, and it integrates AI tools to supplement advisor judgment.

Joseph Stasko is a financial advisor at Goldman Sachs Wealth Services with 15 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and previously worked at J.P. Morgan Institutional Investments Inc. and JPMorgan Investment Management Inc. from 2015 to 2022 before joining Goldman Sachs in 2022. Goldman Sachs Wealth Services advises a diverse client base including individual investors, corporate and employer-sponsored participants, executives, plan sponsors, and institutional clients. The firm offers tailored financial planning and portfolio management using strategic and tactical allocation models, manager selections, and a variety of implementation approaches, supported by proprietary and third-party analytics.

Danielle Thiel is a financial advisor at Goldman Sachs Wealth Services with 20 years of industry experience. She holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has worked at Goldman Sachs since 2021, following a 16-year tenure at The AYCO Company, L.P./Mercer Allied. Goldman Sachs Wealth Services provides financial planning, investment management, and advisory support to a wide range of clients, including individuals, high-net-worth households, corporate participants, and institutional clients. The firm offers tailored services such as Executive Wealth and Private Family Office support, leveraging centralized investment resources and a mix of discretionary and non-discretionary managers within a large integrated financial group.

Carla Merlak is a financial advisor with Brookstone Capital Management LLC, holding Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and 14 years of industry experience. She has worked at Brookstone since 2016 and also operates Merlak Tax Advisory Group Inc, where she provides tax preparation, planning, and insurance services. Additionally, she is involved with natural wellness product sales and financial and retirement planning through Next Phase Financial LLC. Brookstone Capital Management is an SEC-registered adviser serving a diverse client base including individuals, retirement plans, corporations, and sovereign wealth funds. The firm offers fee-based asset management and financial planning primarily through a turnkey asset management platform and wrap-fee programs, utilizing a range of investment strategies including tax-aware and ESG models.

Eric Andresen is a financial advisor with NewEdge Advisors, holding Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and bringing 26 years of industry experience. He has worked at LPL Financial since 2005 and joined NewEdge Advisors in 2023. Andresen is involved in tax preparation and accounting services through Midwest Small Business Accounting. NewEdge Advisors is an enterprise-scale registered investment adviser serving individuals, pension and profit-sharing plans, corporations, trusts, estates, and charitable organizations. The firm offers a broad range of services including portfolio management, financial planning, retirement consulting, and access to sponsored advisory programs, utilizing model-based strategies and technology tools to support advisors and clients.

Thomas Gonzales is a financial advisor at Allworth Financial, L.P. with six years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has previously worked at firms including JPMorgan Chase and Fifth Third Bank. Allworth Financial serves a diverse client base including individual and high-net-worth investors, pension and profit-sharing plans, trusts, corporations, and charitable organizations. The firm offers financial planning, portfolio management, qualified retirement plan consulting, and manages privately offered funds using a blend of quantitative and qualitative analysis through its Investment Committee.

Bradley Mills is a financial advisor with Fifth Third Securities, Inc. in Elmhurst, IL, holding a Series 66 designation and 25 years of industry experience. He has been with Fifth Third Securities since 2005. Fifth Third Securities, Inc. provides brokerage and investment advisory services through its Passageway Managed Account Program to a diverse client base, including individuals, charitable organizations, corporate clients, and institutional investors. The firm offers multiple discretionary managed-account options and features such as direct indexing and a tax-overlay service, supported by its affiliation with Fifth Third Bank and use of platforms like Fidelity Institutional Wealth Adviser.

John Werd is a financial advisor with Goldman Sachs Wealth Services, holding a Series 66 designation and one year of industry experience. His prior work experience includes roles at Frost Bank and Delos Living LLC, as well as earlier positions outside of finance. Goldman Sachs Wealth Services advises a diverse client base ranging from individual investors to institutional clients. The firm provides financial planning and portfolio management supported by specialized teams and integrates strategic allocation models, manager selections, and both discretionary and non-discretionary implementations across multiple platforms.

Shaila Maloney is a financial advisor at TIAA-CREF with 18 years of industry experience. She holds the Series 66 designation and has worked previously at Nuveen Asset Management, CUNA Mutual Group, and Bank of America. Her current role at TIAA-CREF involves serving clients in Wheaton, Illinois. TIAA‑CREF Individual & Institutional Services, LLC’s Advice & Planning Services division provides financial planning and discretionary managed account programs to individuals, trusts, estates, and small retirement plans, often serving clients with existing relationships through TIAA-administered employer retirement plans. The firm distinguishes between one-time planning services and ongoing portfolio management, offering model and customized managed accounts with a fiduciary standard applied to its RIA services.

Stephen Gregg is a CFP® professional with 22 years of industry experience, currently serving at Transamerica Financial Advisors. His prior roles include positions at Prudential and Pacific Life companies. Transamerica Financial Advisors serves a broad client base with both advisory and broker-dealer services, offering proprietary and third-party model portfolios and various program choices, including discretionary and non-discretionary management.

James Gazis is a CFP® with 19 years of industry experience, currently serving as an advisor at Independent Financial Partners since 2025. Prior to this, he spent 15 years at Balanced Asset Strategies, Ltd and three years at Commonwealth Financial Network. He is the owner of Balanced Asset Strategies, Ltd, an investment-related business focused on wealth management. Independent Financial Partners offers investment advisory, financial planning, trust, and retirement-plan services through a nationwide network of independent advisors. The firm supports a multi-advisor platform serving tens of thousands of clients and is notable for its specialized retirement-plan advisory and pension consulting capabilities.

Ethan De Rose is a Series 66 licensed advisor with Bankers Life Advisory Services, Inc., having worked in the financial services industry since 2023. His experience includes roles at Bankers Life Securities, Inc., and Bankers Life & Casualty, Inc., as well as prior work in construction and education. Bankers Life Advisory Services, Inc. serves mass-affluent and high-net-worth individuals with discretionary and non-discretionary portfolio management, as well as retirement plan consulting. The firm employs a combination of fundamental, technical, and cyclical analysis to tailor asset allocations and portfolio management according to clients’ goals and risk tolerances.

Dominic Colletti is a CFP® professional with 12 years of industry experience, currently serving as a financial advisor at Mercer Global Advisors Inc. since 2022. Prior to joining Mercer, he worked at Polaris Wealth Advisory Group and Fidelity Investments. Mercer Global Advisors provides investment advisory and planning services to a diverse client base including individuals, families, business owners, and nonprofit organizations. The firm employs a Modern Portfolio Theory-based investment approach with globally diversified portfolios and offers a range of solutions such as discretionary and non-discretionary management, financial planning, and retirement consulting.

Lisa Shake is a financial advisor at William Blair with three years of industry experience. She holds a Series 66 designation and has worked at William Blair since 2021. Prior to joining William Blair, she spent nine years at Fifth Third Private Bank. 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 active, research-driven strategies across various asset classes and provides access to proprietary models, third-party sub-managers, and private investment opportunities.

Charles Schuster is a financial advisor at Creative Planning with a Series 65 designation and one year of industry experience. His prior work includes roles at Monroe Capital LLC and Madison Boats LLC, along with four years at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Creative Planning provides wealth management, financial planning, and retirement-plan advisory services to a diverse client base, including high-net-worth individuals and institutional clients. The firm employs a financial-planning-led investment approach emphasizing low-cost indexing, buy-and-hold strategies, and selective private market exposure, managing over $295 billion in client assets through more than 1,100 advisors.