As a CFP® professional and founder of Illuminate Wealth Management, I work with business owners, executives, and professionals who are navigating complex financial decisions. My goal is to help you understand your options, avoid costly mistakes, and create a strategy that supports the life you're working so hard to build. Over the years, I've developed a particular passion for helping clients make smart decisions around equity compensation. Whether you're dealing with RSUs, ISOs, stock options, ESPPs, or a major liquidity event, I help clients think through the tax implications, manage concentration risk, and create a plan that connects today's decisions with their long-term goals. I also work closely with business owners who are balancing the demands of running a company while trying to make thoughtful decisions about growing and protecting their personal wealth. When your business, taxes, retirement goals, investments, and family finances are all connected, financial planning becomes about much more than investments alone. While equity compensation and business planning are often what bring people to me, my role is much larger than solving a single financial challenge. I help clients think through retirement, taxes, investments, cash flow, and long-term wealth planning so they can make decisions with confidence and stay focused on what matters most. My approach is simple: bring clarity to complexity and help people make confident financial decisions. I believe good planning should help you spend less time worrying about money and more time focusing on what matters most to you.

James Madl is a financial advisor at Hendricks Wealth and Estate Management with a Series 65 designation and four years of industry experience. Hendricks Wealth and Estate Management advises individuals, high-net-worth clients, trusts, pension and profit-sharing plans, and business entities, offering portfolio management, financial planning, and retirement plan consulting. The firm employs a range of analytical approaches and integrates financial planning with tax, insurance, and corporate-structure considerations, providing coordinated legal, tax, and insurance services through affiliated professionals.

David Meehan is a CFA® charterholder with seven years of industry experience. He has been the sole advisor at Maple Street Capital Advisors, LLC since 2018 and previously worked as a self-employed investor for three years. Maple Street Capital Advisors provides investment management and financial planning services to individuals and families, including high-net-worth clients. The firm employs a fundamental, long-term investment approach focused on diversified, low-cost core equity and fixed-income funds, complemented by selected individual equities, with an emphasis on asset allocation, rebalancing, and strategic cash management including a near-constant allocation to gold via ETFs.

Curtis Bergquist is a CFP® with 50 years of industry experience. He is the owner of Ameribanc Corporation, an independent advisory firm based in Hoffman Estates, IL, and has been associated with Ausdal Financial Partners, Inc. since 2009. Ameribanc provides investment advisory and financial planning services to individual and family clients through its Capital Management Service (CMS), which integrates market-timing signals with mutual fund holdings to manage risk and adjust exposure according to market conditions.

Scott Sierens is a CFP® professional with 10 years of industry experience. He is the principal at Sierens Financial Group, Inc. in Elgin, IL, and has prior experience with AE Wealth Management, Gradient Advisors, and AptarGroup. He also works as a paid contractor creating content for YouTube. Sierens Financial Group, Inc. provides discretionary asset management and financial planning to individuals, trusts, estates, and high-net-worth clients, combining mutual funds, ETFs, and both fundamental and technical analysis. The firm offers educational seminars and workshops and accommodates client-specific investment restrictions and goals.

John Piershale is a CFP® professional with 32 years of industry experience. He is the sole advisor at Piershale Wealth Management, LLC in Crystal Lake, Illinois, and has held prior roles at Origin Financial, Ausdal Financial Partners, Inc., Piershale Financial Group, Inc., and Triad Advisors, Inc. Piershale Wealth Management provides discretionary investment management and a variety of financial planning services to individual clients. The firm emphasizes strategic asset allocation based on Modern Portfolio Theory and fundamental analysis, offering specialized tax and estate planning within a modest, single-advisor model.

David Grant is a CFP® at Retirement Matters, Inc. in Barrington, IL, where he has worked since 2013. He has 15 years of industry experience and operates as the sole advisor at his independent firm. Retirement Matters, Inc. manages approximately $25 million for about 21 clients, offering discretionary portfolio management, comprehensive financial planning, and ongoing wealth management services. The firm serves individuals, pension and profit-sharing plans, and charitable organizations, and incorporates fundamental analysis and individualized investment policies in its approach.

James Richter is a CFP® professional with 25 years of industry experience, currently serving as the sole advisor at Monotelo Wealth Partners in Elgin, IL. He previously worked at Hd Vest Advisory Services and Hd Vest Investment Services before founding Monotelo Wealth Partners in 2017. In addition to his advisory role, he owns and operates Monotelo Advisors, an accounting and tax preparation practice. Monotelo Wealth Partners is an independent firm that provides discretionary portfolio management and investment advisory services to a select client base, including individuals, high-net-worth clients, trusts, and charitable organizations. The firm manages balanced, diversified portfolios with a focus on exchange-traded funds and employs multiple methods of analysis to implement tax-efficient investment strategies.

Patrick Mcrae is the principal of Kintail Advisors, an independent advisory firm. He holds a Series 65 credential and has professional experience with Kapco Futures, Inc. since 2019 and CGB Diversified Services, Inc. from 2016 to 2019. Mcrae also operates as a registered associated person and principal of Kapco Futures. Kintail Advisors provides discretionary portfolio management primarily to high-net-worth individuals and qualified companies and institutions. The firm uses four long-term model portfolios with allocations ranging from bond and REIT-focused ETFs to growth ETFs and occasional spot cryptocurrency ETFs, employing technical, fundamental, and quantitative analysis on a discretionary basis.

Henry Glodny is a Series 65-licensed financial advisor with 16 years of industry experience, operating as the sole advisor at Castling Financial Planning, Ltd. in Hoffman Estates, IL, where he has worked since 2007. He is also the principal and founder of Terra Nimbus Systems, Inc., an IT consulting business focused on developing software tools for his financial planning firm. Castling Financial Planning, Ltd. is an independent advisory firm serving primarily middle-class individual clients with hourly, fee-only financial planning and investment advice. The firm utilizes an evidence-based, data-driven investment process supported by a proprietary Asset Allocation Database to deliver non-discretionary advice and emphasizes written client-specific research and virtual education.

Timothy McDonald is the sole advisor at Timothy J McDonald CPA CFP, an independent firm based in Lake Barrington, IL. He holds CFP® and Series 63 designations and has 27 years of industry experience. He is also a partner in the CPA firm McDonald Doherty & Co., where he has been active since 1988. The firm provides personalized financial planning and investment management to individuals and families, integrating tax planning with investment strategies. It employs a combination of fundamental and technical analysis and asset allocation tailored to clients’ risk tolerance and goals, managing approximately $65 million across about 60 client relationships.

Christopher Delarme is a financial advisor at First Wealth Advisory, Inc. in St. Charles, IL, with 11 years of industry experience. He holds a Series 65 designation and has previously worked at Red Oak Capital Management, Hayden Royal, and Great Lakes Wealth Management and Advisory Partners. He is also a licensed insurance agent. First Wealth Advisory serves individual and institutional clients, including high-net-worth individuals, trusts, pension plans, and charitable organizations. The firm offers discretionary portfolio management and written financial planning, combining quantitative and qualitative analysis to build portfolios with ETFs, mutual funds, individual securities, and option strategies.

Roy Brown is a CFP® with 28 years of industry experience and has been with Trueman Brown since 2007. He holds a Series 63 license and is based in Lake Zurich, IL. Outside of his advisory role, he is co-owner and vice president of RVTV Properties. Trueman Brown provides financial planning, consulting, and investment management services to individuals, pension and profit-sharing plans, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, and business entities. The firm employs a combination of fundamental and technical analysis to create growth-oriented portfolios while focusing on capital preservation.

Anton specializes in retirement planning, business tax strategy, and personalized financial advice designed to reduce taxes and support long-term financial goals. Whether you’re a solo entrepreneur, a growing practice, or planning for life after work, he delivers clear, actionable guidance tailored to your situation. Most advisors specialize in either taxes or investments. Anton holds the credentials and the responsibility for both — which is what lets Sansone coordinate the two sides of your financial life under a single strategy.

Hemang Patel is the principal advisor at SPIRE Investment Management LLC, holding Series 65 and Series 66 registrations with seven years of industry experience. Prior to founding SPIRE in 2019, he worked at Motorola Solutions Inc. for 22 years. Outside of his advisory role, he owns and manages a real estate investment business focused on property maintenance. SPIRE Investment Management serves individuals, high-net-worth clients, trusts, estates, corporations, small businesses, charitable organizations, and institutional clients, offering asset management, financial planning, consulting, and sub-advisory services. The firm combines active asset management with multiple analytical methods and provides ERISA-related fiduciary consulting and investment management services for retirement plans and institutional clients.

William Parsch is a financial advisor with Wellspring Capital Group, Ltd. in North Barrington, IL, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and bringing 23 years of industry experience. He has been with Wellspring Capital Group since 2010, operating as a single-advisor independent practice. Wellspring Capital Group, Ltd. provides fee-based portfolio management to individuals, trusts, retirement plans, and business entities, managing approximately $6.9 million on a discretionary basis for a small client base. The firm’s investment approach emphasizes detailed fundamental analysis combined with technical and cyclical assessments, offering strategies that include long-term holdings, active trading, and alternative investments for qualified clients.

Christopher Parks Jr. is a CFP® with 10 years of industry experience, currently serving as the sole advisor at Northwood Wealth Management, LLC. His prior roles include positions at RWA Wealth Partners, Polaris Greystone Financial Group, and Fidelity. Northwood Wealth Management offers comprehensive financial planning, discretionary portfolio management, and pension consulting primarily for high-net-worth individuals, trusts, retirement plans, and business clients. The firm employs a tailored investment approach utilizing both fundamental and technical analysis across a broad range of instruments, with a focus on tax-efficient strategies and coordination with external accounting services.

Phillip Baumann is a financial advisor at Independent Investment Advisor, LLC with a Series 65 designation and two years of industry experience. He has worked at BL Management One, LLC since 2017 and previously spent ten years with Windy City Harley Davidson. Outside of his advisory role, Baumann also provides accounting services. Independent Investment Advisor, LLC is a state-registered investment adviser serving individuals, high-net-worth clients, and business entities. The firm employs a multifaceted investment approach that includes charting, fundamental, quantitative, and technical analysis, offering discretionary portfolio management tailored to clients’ documented risk tolerance and asset allocation.

Jack Lubecker is the sole advisor at Integrity Investment Management with 36 years of experience in the financial industry. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 designations and previously worked at LPL Financial from 2008 to 2017 before joining Integrity Investment Management in 2017. Integrity Investment Management is a state-registered investment adviser serving individuals, high-net-worth clients, and charitable organizations. The firm offers investment management, referrals to third-party managers, and financial planning, employing both passive and active strategies tailored to clients’ specific objectives and risk tolerances.

Richard Vandersande is the sole advisor at Smart Stewardship Advisors in Lake in the Hills, IL, holding Series 63 and Series 65 credentials with 21 years of industry experience. He has operated his own practice since 2005 and has been involved with The Stewardship Alliance, LLC since 2001, which provides stewardship planning based on biblical principles. He also serves as Vice President of Benefit Alliance, Incorporated, a company offering group discounts and benefits. Smart Stewardship Advisors delivers financial planning, coaching, and wealth management services to individuals, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, and businesses, with a focus on donors and Christian ministries. The firm employs a diagnostic approach called the “BALTIC” gap analysis and works primarily in a non-discretionary advisory capacity, coordinating with third-party portfolio managers who manage ETF-based model portfolios.