Top financial advisors working with clients approaching retirement in Carbondale, IL

Mary Swearingen is a financial advisor at Alliance Wealth Advisors in Carbondale, IL, holding a Series 65 designation with 10 years of experience at the firm. She has been with Alliance Wealth Advisors since 2016. Alliance Wealth Advisors provides discretionary investment supervisory services primarily to individual clients, including high net worth individuals, as well as pension and profit-sharing plans. The firm offers tailored investment plans and portfolio management, often utilizing mutual funds or third-party money managers to implement client strategies.

Zach is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ and Accredited Behavioral Finance Professional™ who helps clients align their money with their values so that they can live more intentionally now and in the future. With a background in psychology and a deep belief in access and equity, he brings both heart and strategy to every plan. Zach’s approach is collaborative, thorough, and solution-oriented. He’s worked with hundreds of families over his 10+ year career, and he’s especially passionate about demystifying complex topics so clients feel confident making decisions that reflect what they care about most. Prior to Novak Financial Partners, Zach spent over a decade at nationally recognized Registered Investment Advisors, where he became increasingly focused on delivering planning in a way that’s transparent, approachable, and deeply human. Outside of work, Zach enjoys reading, exercising, traveling with family, and cheering on Chicago’s sports teams. “The best way to predict the future is to create it.” – Peter Drucker

Nicholas Ramsey is a financial advisor with Cetera, holding Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and 10 years of industry experience. His work history includes roles at Regions Bank, First Southern Bank, LPL Financial, and Northwestern Mutual. Outside of advising, he is involved in youth volleyball as an IHSA official, head coach, and club director. Cetera Investment Advisers LLC is an SEC-registered firm serving individuals, retirement plans, corporate and charitable clients, and institutional accounts. The firm offers a range of portfolio management and consulting services through a multi-manager platform with over $256 billion in assets under management and more than 10,000 advisors nationwide.

Mark Chalem is a CFP® with 10 years of experience in the financial industry. He worked at Edward Jones from 2016 to 2026. In addition to his advisory role, he serves as an instructor at John A Logan College, teaching classes on investing. He is affiliated with Independent Wealth Network, Inc., a multi-team firm advising individuals, trusts, pension plans, estates, charitable organizations, and corporations. The firm offers wealth management, financial planning, and consulting services, using a combination of third-party managers and proprietary strategies to manage approximately $518 million in client assets.

Michael Neill is a CFP® professional with over 41 years of experience, currently affiliated with Raymond James Financial in Carbondale, IL. He has worked with First Mid Wealth Management and various Raymond James entities since 2015. Outside of his advisory role, he serves as Chairman of the Finance Committee for the First United Methodist Church in Carbondale and is a director for the Land of Lincoln Legal Assistance Foundation. Raymond James Financial Services Advisors, Inc. provides financial planning, investment consulting, and advisory services to individuals, high-net-worth clients, institutions, and charitable organizations. The firm offers tailored, non-discretionary planning and supports municipal and public finance advisory services through a broad network of advisors.

Willie Myles is a financial advisor with Equitable Advisors in Cary, NC, holding Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and bringing 16 years of industry experience. He has worked at Equitable Advisors since 2016, previously serving at Axa Advisors and MSI Financial Services. Outside of advising, he is a co-chairman of a fundraising campaign for Alpha Light Fund Inc., a nonprofit focused on renovating the House of Alpha. Equitable Advisors serves a range of clients including individuals, pension plans, corporations, and charitable organizations, providing financial planning, retirement consulting, and asset management through a network of representatives and third-party managers. The firm offers various investment vehicles and ERISA fiduciary services, relying on third-party program sponsors and an affiliation with a publicly traded parent company.

Stavroula Koutsfetsoulis is a financial advisor at Ameriprise with 25 years of industry experience. She holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has been with Ameriprise and its affiliated entities since 2011. In addition to her advisory role, she is involved in fiduciary activities as an attorney-in-fact (power of attorney). Ameriprise is a large institutional firm that provides retirement-income planning services primarily to individuals with substantial investable assets. The firm combines research, modeling, and tax-efficiency analysis to deliver written recommendation reports through a centralized consulting team, focusing on tailored retirement income strategies.

Barbara Brewer is a financial advisor at RBC Capital Markets with 20 years of industry experience. She holds a Series 66 designation and has been with RBC Capital Markets Corporation since 2008. RBC Wealth Management, a division of RBC Capital Markets, serves individual investors, institutional clients, pension and profit-sharing plans, corporations, and charitable organizations. The firm offers various advisory programs with discretionary and non-discretionary portfolio management, financial planning, custody, and brokerage services, tailoring strategies to clients’ Advisory Risk Profiles through a mix of in-house and third-party providers.

Richard Martin is a financial advisor at Cetera with 29 years of industry experience. He holds a Series 63 designation and has a background that includes nearly three decades at Avantax Advisory Services and eight years at Avantax Insurance Agency. Outside of his advisory work, he is the owner and sole proprietor of Martin & Pellegrin, CPAs, a tax preparation and accounting firm. Cetera Investment Advisers LLC is an SEC-registered firm that serves a broad client base including individuals, retirement plans, corporate and charitable clients, and institutional accounts. The firm provides a multi-manager platform offering discretionary and non-discretionary portfolio management, financial planning, and access to various program structures and third-party money managers.

Lee Chen is a financial advisor with UBS Financial Services in Pasadena, California, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and bringing 28 years of industry experience. He has been with UBS since 2009. Outside of his advisory role, Chen serves on the board of directors for the San Gabriel Country Club. UBS Financial Services serves individual, corporate, and institutional clients through brokerage and investment advisory offerings, combining proprietary capital market research with a broad range of financial planning and portfolio management solutions.