Jennifer Frahm is a financial advisor at Empower Advisory Group with 22 years of industry experience. She holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has been associated with GWFS Equities, Inc. and Great West Life & Annuity Insurance Company since 2009. Outside of her advisory role, she teaches financial fluency to high school students and medical students at the University of Illinois Medical School through her initiative, Intentional Investment Education. Empower Advisory Group provides financial planning and investment management mainly to employer-sponsored retirement plan sponsors and their participants, as well as to Empower Premier IRA and certain retail brokerage account holders. The firm’s approach emphasizes long-term portfolio returns, annual rebalancing, and clients’ savings rates, delivering services through an integrated model tied to Empower’s recordkeeping and administrative platforms.

Michael Biggus is a financial advisor with VOYA Financial Advisors, Inc. in Chicago, IL, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and bringing 29 years of industry experience. He has been with VOYA Financial Advisors since 2014. Outside of his advisory role, he is involved as an independent insurance agent and participates in buying and selling gold and silver products on eBay. VOYA Financial Advisors, Inc. serves a diverse client base, including individuals, institutions, retirement plan sponsors, and high-net-worth clients. The firm provides a range of services such as financial planning, portfolio management, and plan-sponsor consulting, with a focus on non-discretionary advisory relationships and multiple program structures including wrap programs and third-party money manager access.

Colleen Mccaffery is a financial advisor with Truist Advisory Services based in Chicago, IL, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and bringing 31 years of industry experience. Her prior experience includes roles at Wells Fargo Advisors LLC and Wells Fargo Clearing. Truist Advisory Services provides investment consulting and advisory services to individuals, corporate and business clients, retirement plan sponsors and participants, and charitable organizations, utilizing a blend of discretionary manager relationships and non-discretionary consulting supported by third-party platforms and AI-enabled research tools.

Ruth Goran is a financial advisor with Cetera Planning Partners and holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses. She has 25 years of industry experience, including 25 years at Avantax Planning Partners, Inc. Outside of her advisory role, she is president of Entertain2Educate, an organization involved in developing original scripts for continuing education programs, and serves as president of the not-for-profit Parks Earhart, which researches women breaking the glass ceiling in business. She also holds several voluntary board and treasurer roles with nonprofit organizations. Cetera Planning Partners serves individual and high-net-worth clients, focusing on pre-retirees and retirees by providing investment management, comprehensive financial planning, Social Security optimization, and retirement-related advice. The firm offers additional services such as tax planning and preparation, bookkeeping, payroll support, and estate-planning through a third-party provider, integrating a diversified investment approach with a formal planning process.

David Harrison is a CFP® professional with 35 years of industry experience, currently serving as an advisor at NewEdge Advisors. He has held roles at North Star Investment Services, Inc., Mid Atlantic Financial Management, and Mid Atlantic Capital Corporation since 2003. In addition to his advisory work, he is president of an insurance business specializing in fixed annuities and life insurance, and he is president and 50% owner of Wealth Capital Partners, where he is involved in marketing, planning, and administration. NewEdge Advisors is a large registered investment adviser that serves individuals, including high-net-worth clients, as well as pension plans, corporations, trusts, and charitable organizations through a network of independent advisers. The firm offers a range of portfolio management and consulting services and employs multiple program structures combining in-house manager selection with third-party strategies, supported by centralized due diligence and technology tools.

Carmen Cheung is a financial advisor at Citigroup Global Markets with six years of industry experience. She is based in Chicago, IL, holds Series 65 and Series 63 licenses, and has been with Citigroup since 2015. Outside of her advisory role, she works as a wedding emcee. Citigroup Global Markets serves individual and institutional clients across various wealth segments, offering a broad range of investment advisory programs and brokerage services. The firm implements multi-asset, multi-manager strategies through discretionary and non-discretionary programs, supported by in-house research and specialized market roles.

Alisa Ciccone is a financial advisor at William Blair with 27 years of industry experience. She holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has been with William Blair & Company L.L.C. since 1999. William Blair’s Private Wealth Management division provides investment management, financial planning, and wealth services to individuals, foundations, pension, and corporate clients. The firm employs active, research-driven management across multiple asset classes and offers proprietary models and access to private funds and co-investment opportunities.

Kathryn Novak is a financial advisor at William Blair with one year of industry experience. She holds a Series 66 designation. Prior to joining William Blair, she worked at Bucknell University and Mattawan Highschool. William Blair’s Private Wealth Management division offers discretionary and non-discretionary investment management, financial planning, and wealth services to individuals, including high-net-worth clients, as well as foundations, pension, and corporate clients. The firm employs an active, research-driven investment approach across multiple asset classes and provides access to proprietary models and private fund opportunities.

Abraham Jimenez is a financial advisor at Cerity Partners LLC in Chicago, IL, holding a Series 66 designation with four years of industry experience. His career includes prior roles at The Vanguard Group and Randstad, as well as multiple positions at Cerity Partners since 2023. Cerity Partners provides customized wealth management services to a diverse national clientele, including individuals, families, trusts, business entities, and institutional investors. The firm employs tailored asset allocation and manager selection, combining proprietary quantitative screens with third-party managers and individual securities, and offers access to alternative and private-market investments.

Didier Thierry is a financial advisor with Hightower Advisors in Chicago, IL, holding a Series 66 designation and with six years of industry experience. Prior to joining HighTower Securities, LLC in 2019, he worked in the hospitality sector with Windy City Hospitality and Hospitality One Group from 2016 to 2019. Hightower Advisors provides investment advisory and planning services to a wide range of individual and institutional clients, utilizing a multi-manager approach that includes affiliated and third-party managers, proprietary research, and diversified investment options such as mutual funds, ETFs, and alternative investments.

William Mc Carty IV is a financial advisor at Fifth Third Securities, Inc. with 25 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and has worked at Fifth Third Bank and Fifth Third Securities since 2023, following prior roles at Charles Schwab and First Trust Portfolios. Outside of his advisory work, he engages in personal item sales on eBay and Facebook Marketplace. Fifth Third Securities provides brokerage and investment advisory services to individuals, charitable organizations, corporate and business clients, and institutional investors. The firm offers multiple discretionary managed-account programs through its Passageway Managed Account Program and operates as a wholly owned subsidiary of Fifth Third Bank, combining bank affiliation with a broker-dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser structure.

Jacqueline Moss is a CFA® charterholder with 25 years of industry experience. She has been with William Blair & Company since 2014. 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 an active, research-driven approach across multiple asset classes and provides proprietary models and access to private funds through its integrated platform.

Michael Muersch is a financial advisor with Principal Financial Services in Downers Grove, IL, holding Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and 18 years of industry experience. He has been with Principal Securities Inc. since 2016 and with Principal Life Insurance Company since 2008. He is also involved in health and fixed life insurance brokerage activities. Principal Securities provides brokerage and registered investment advisory services to a diverse client base, including individuals, retirement plans, trusts, and business entities. The firm offers direct advisory programs, financial planning, retirement plan consulting, and access to third-party money manager asset allocation and separately managed account solutions.

Connor Simios is a CFP® and Series 65-licensed advisor with Wealth Enhancement Advisory Services, LLC. He has six years of industry experience, including prior roles at Vermillion Financial Advisors and Willow Creek Community Church. He joined Wealth Enhancement Advisory Services in 2025. Wealth Enhancement Advisory Services, LLC is an SEC-registered enterprise advisory firm serving individuals, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, corporations, and retirement plans. The firm offers financial planning, asset management, and specialized retirement consulting through a network of advisors, employing a strategic investment process that combines passive and active management guided by an internal Investment Committee.

Melissa Wiss is a financial advisor at Creative Planning with 10 years of industry experience. She holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and previously worked at Lockton Investment Advisors, Lockton Financial Advisors, and Lockton Companies. Wiss is based in Chicago, IL. Creative Planning provides investment advisory and financial planning services to a diverse client base, including individuals, corporations, foundations, trusts, and retirement plans. The firm manages approximately $217 billion in client assets and employs a financial planning–led investment approach that emphasizes low-cost indexing, buy-and-hold strategies, and supplemental tactics such as direct indexing and tax-loss harvesting.

Matthew Alcorn is a financial advisor with TIAA-CREF, holding Series 66 and Series 63 designations and 25 years of industry experience. His prior experience includes roles at BMO Capital Markets Corp. and TradeStation Securities, Inc. Matthew is based in Evanston, IL. TIAA‑CREF Individual & Institutional Services, LLC’s Advice & Planning Services division offers 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 acts as adviser to a donor-advised fund and operates within a vertically integrated structure that includes affiliated funds.

Patricia Luken is a financial advisor at Valic Financial Advisors with eight years of industry experience. She holds Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and previously worked at Barclays Bank plc. Valic Financial Advisors is an SEC-registered investment adviser and FINRA-member broker-dealer that serves primarily U.S. individuals, including high net worth clients, as well as employer-sponsored retirement participants. The firm uses a technology-driven approach, offering discretionary unified managed accounts and financial planning through a large network of advisors.

Cary Margolis is a financial advisor at Bankers Life Advisory Services, Inc. with 25 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and has worked previously at Western International Securities, Inc. and National Planning Corporation. Margolis is based in Chicago, IL. Bankers Life Advisory Services, Inc. is an SEC-registered investment adviser serving mass-affluent and high-net-worth individuals through discretionary portfolio management, investment consulting, and retirement plan consulting. The firm uses a combination of fundamental, technical, and cyclical analysis to create customized portfolios aligned with clients’ goals and risk tolerances.

Ross Ferrier is a financial advisor with CIBC Private Wealth Advisors, Inc. based in Chicago, IL. He holds a Series 65 designation and has 27 years of industry experience, having worked with CIBC Wood Gundy and CIBC Private Wealth since 1999. CIBC Private Wealth Advisors provides investment and wealth advisory services to a diverse client base including individuals, families, trusts, and investment companies. The firm combines internal investment teams, relationship managers, and governance committees to deliver customized portfolios, utilizing both proprietary and external strategies, with notable specialization in managing assets for investment company clients.

Brian Marshall is a financial advisor at William Blair with 32 years of industry experience. He has been with William Blair & Company L.L.C. since 1994 and holds Series 63 and Series 65 designations. William Blair’s Private Wealth Management division provides investment management, financial planning, and wealth services to individuals, foundations, pension, and corporate clients. The firm employs an active, research-driven approach across multiple asset classes and offers proprietary models and access to private funds through its MB Investments Program.