Richard Friedman is a financial advisor at Creative Planning with 22 years of industry experience. He holds a Series 65 designation and previously worked at Hwr Trading Partnership and under his own practice before joining Creative Planning in 2021. Outside of his advisory role, he is a partner in Beta Iota, LLC, a limited partnership involved in rental property investments. Creative Planning serves a diverse client base including individuals, corporations, and retirement plans, managing approximately $217 billion in assets. The firm employs a financial planning–led investment approach emphasizing low-cost indexing and buy-and-hold strategies, supported by a range of supplemental portfolio management and retirement plan services.

Xiao Liu is a financial advisor at CIBC Private Wealth Advisors, Inc. in Chicago, IL, holding a Series 65 credential. Liu has been with CIBC Wood Gundy – CIBC Private Wealth since 2015, totaling 11 years of industry experience. CIBC Private Wealth Advisors serves a broad client base including individuals, families, trusts, employee benefit plans, corporations, and investment companies, offering portfolio management, financial planning, and coordinated Family Office services. The firm’s investment approach includes a combination of proprietary and external strategies, governance by multiple committees, and customized portfolio solutions with options and structured notes.

Arvinder Kochar is a financial advisor with Kestra Advisory, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and bringing 22 years of industry experience. He has been with Kestra Advisory and affiliated entities since 2019 and previously worked at GWFS Equities, Inc. from 2010 to 2019. Kochar also serves in a registered field assistant role with IPPFA Benefits, focusing on administration and customer service for plan participants. Kestra Advisory Services provides investment advisory and retirement-plan consulting to a diverse client base including plan sponsors, institutional investors, and individuals. The firm offers services such as fiduciary consulting, plan design, investment advice, and employee education, supporting large institutional clients including sovereign wealth funds.

Arinola Afolabi is a financial advisor at Goldman Sachs Wealth Services with a Series 66 designation and one year of industry experience. Prior to joining Goldman Sachs, she held positions at Piper Sandler and worked at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Goldman Sachs Wealth Services advises a diverse client base including individual investors, executives, plan sponsors, and institutional clients, providing financial planning, portfolio management, and specialized programs such as Private Family Office and Executive Wealth services. The firm utilizes strategic allocation models, manager selections, and operational tools including tax-aware techniques and proprietary analytics to tailor portfolios to client objectives.

Cole Charles is a financial advisor at Citigroup Global Markets with two years of industry experience. He holds a Series 66 designation and has previously worked at Bank of America, Merrill, Wells Fargo Clearing, and Northwestern Mutual. Charles also has experience outside finance, including roles at Elmhurst University and in the hospitality industry. Citigroup Global Markets serves individual and institutional clients across various wealth segments, offering a wide range of investment advisory programs and broker-dealer execution and custody services. The firm employs multi-asset, multi-manager strategies using both discretionary and non-discretionary programs and is notable for its large institutional scale and specialized market roles.

Justin Draper is a financial advisor with Citigroup Global Markets, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and bringing 18 years of industry experience. He has worked at Citigroup since 2017 and previously held roles at J.P. Morgan Securities and JPMorgan Chase Bank NA. Citigroup Global Markets serves individual and institutional clients across various wealth segments, offering a range of investment advisory programs and brokerage services. The firm employs multi-asset, multi-manager strategies through both discretionary and non-discretionary programs and is notable for its large institutional scale and unique market roles, including derivatives and futures services.

Katrina Jones is a financial advisor with Mesirow Financial Investment Management, Inc. in Chicago, IL, holding Series 63 and Series 66 designations and possessing 12 years of industry experience. Her professional background includes roles at Mesirow Financial Inc., Bankers Life Securities, Inc., and TradeStation. Mesirow Financial Investment Management, Inc.’s Wealth Management division offers discretionary and non-discretionary investment management, financial planning, and manages affiliated feeder funds invested in institutional real estate and private equity master funds. The firm serves private individuals, pension and profit-sharing plans, government entities, charitable organizations, and institutional clients, employing a process that includes preparing Investment Policy Statements, setting asset allocations, and utilizing both third-party and proprietary investment strategies.

Benjamin House is a Series 66-credentialed financial advisor with four years of industry experience. He is currently with Empower Advisory Group and has previously worked at Oppenheimer & Co. Inc. Outside of his advisory role, he performs standup comedy monthly at a venue in Chicago. Empower Advisory Group provides financial planning and investment management primarily to employer-sponsored retirement plan sponsors and their participants, along with Empower Premier IRA and select retail brokerage clients. The firm emphasizes integrated services aligned with Empower’s recordkeeping and administration platforms, offering point-in-time financial plans and optional managed account solutions.

James Corrigan is a financial advisor at Sanctuary Advisors, LLC with 21 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has previously worked at Bank of America and Merrill. Outside of financial services, he has ownership interests in a fitness center and a wellness business offering on-site self-care services. Sanctuary Advisors, LLC provides investment advisory and financial planning services to a diverse client base, including individuals, corporations, pension plans, trusts, estates, and charitable organizations through a large network of independent advisers. The firm offers a range of portfolio management options and financial planning services, operating with a fiduciary standard under written advisory agreements.

Eileen Polese is a financial advisor at Hightower Advisors with 12 years of industry experience. She holds the CFP® designation along with Series 65 and Series 63 licenses. Her prior experience includes roles at Alexandria Capital and Aspire Advisors, LLC, as well as a position with the Mount Kisco Chamber of Commerce. Hightower Advisors provides investment advisory and planning services to a diverse range of individual and institutional clients. The firm’s investment approach focuses on manager selection and multi-manager solutions, utilizing both affiliated and third-party managers, and offers a variety of portfolio management and consulting services.

Jorge Salazar is a CFP® and Series 65 credentialed advisor with seven years of industry experience. He has been with Cerity Partners LLC since 2018 and previously worked at Northern Trust Company. He also spent four years at Loyola University Chicago. Cerity Partners advises a diverse client base including high-net-worth individuals, families, trusts, and institutional investors, managing approximately $166.2 billion in client assets as of the end of 2025. The firm offers customized wealth management services with an investment approach that integrates client-specific profiles, quantitative screening, and access to alternative and private market solutions.

Avery Bross is a Series 65-licensed advisor at Cerity Partners LLC in Chicago, IL, with one year of industry experience. Prior to joining Cerity Partners, Avery held academic roles at Colgate University and Kansai Gaidai University, and worked at The Latin School of Chicago. Cerity Partners advises a diverse client base including individuals, families, trusts, business entities, and institutional investors, managing approximately $166.2 billion in client assets as of the end of 2025. The firm offers customized wealth management services and utilizes a client-specific investment framework that combines quantitative screening, manager selection, and direct security selection, with access to alternative and private market solutions for qualified clients.

Nicholas Bianchi is a financial advisor at Focus Partners Wealth, LLC with one year of experience in the industry. He holds a Series 65 credential and has prior work experience at Dell Technologies, the University of Texas, and Savio Catholic High School. Focus Partners serves individuals, high-net-worth families, family offices, and institutional clients with wealth management and advisory services, emphasizing long-term, tax- and fee-sensitive portfolio construction that combines active and passive strategies within an enhanced open architecture framework.

Krishna Phanindra Vege is a financial advisor at Rockefeller Financial LLC with four years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and has previously worked at Credit Suisse Securities (USA) LLC, Bank of America, N.A., Merrill, and Rockefeller Capital Management. Outside of his advisory role, he serves as a consultant for Preserve Life, conducting research in the health and wellness industry. Rockefeller Financial LLC serves high-net-worth and ultra-high-net-worth individuals, families, family offices, institutional clients, retirement plans, foundations, and corporations. The firm operates a Private Advisor model with a consolidated investment platform offering discretionary and non-discretionary portfolio management, financial planning, and brokerage services, including placement and investment banking.

Nivene Al Ibrahim is a financial advisor with Goldman Sachs Wealth Services, holding a Series 66 license and three years of industry experience. Her background includes multiple roles at Goldman Sachs & Co LLC and experience in retail and community organizations. Goldman Sachs Wealth Services advises a diverse client base ranging from individual investors to institutional clients, providing financial planning, portfolio management, and specialized wealth programs. The firm utilizes strategic allocation models and offers a variety of platforms and operational tools, supported by integration with the broader Goldman Sachs ecosystem.

Brandi Lockhart is a financial advisor with CIBC Private Wealth Advisors, Inc. in Chicago, holding a Series 65 designation and having joined the firm in 2010. She has worked across different divisions within CIBC, including CIBC Imperial Service and CIBC Wood Gundy, accumulating over a decade of industry experience. CIBC Private Wealth Advisors serves a diverse client base including high net worth individuals, families, trusts, employee benefit plans, corporations, and investment companies. The firm combines a comprehensive investment process involving internal teams, committees, and both proprietary and external strategies to deliver customized portfolio management and wealth advisory services.

John Linehan is a financial advisor at Oppenheimer with 43 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has worked at Oppenheimer since 2017, following prior roles at Wells Fargo Clearing and Prudential Equity Group. He serves on the advisory board of Leo High School, a role he has held since 1998. Oppenheimer is a registered investment adviser and broker-dealer serving individuals, corporations, pension plans, and charitable organizations. The firm offers a range of programs including asset management, consulting, and retirement services, with advisory services spanning equity, balanced, and fixed-income portfolios delivered on discretionary and non-discretionary bases.

Gidon Neuman is a financial advisor at &PARTNERS in Northbrook, IL, holding a Series 66 designation. He has been with &PARTNERS since 2025 and has diverse prior experience in roles outside the financial advisory industry, including positions at Illinois Urgent Care LLC and 3826 Ventures LLC. &PARTNERS serves a broad range of individual and institutional clients, providing investment management, financial and tax planning, ERISA consulting, and brokerage services. The firm employs a combination of fundamental, technical, and quantitative analysis, with portfolios managed by in-house advisors or vetted third-party managers.

Emmanuel Nager is a financial advisor at TIAA-CREF based in Chicago, IL, holding a Series 66 designation. He has one year of industry experience and has previously worked at Halo Investment Services, LLC and Halo Securities, LLC. TIAA‑CREF Individual & Institutional Services, LLC offers financial planning and discretionary managed account programs primarily to individuals connected to TIAA-administered employer retirement plans, as well as trusts, estates, and other entities. The firm’s advisory approach includes standalone planning services and ongoing portfolio management through model-based and customized strategies.

Carter Walsh is a financial advisor at Oppenheimer with Series 65 and Series 63 licenses and one year of industry experience. Prior to joining Oppenheimer, he worked at Morgan Stanley and SG Capital Management. His background includes roles outside of finance, including positions at Clemson University, Winnetka Park District, and New Trier High School. Oppenheimer serves individuals, corporations, pension and profit-sharing plans, charitable organizations, and pooled investment vehicles. The firm offers a range of advisory programs with a focus on both discretionary and non-discretionary investment management, including equity, balanced, and fixed-income portfolios.