Top financial advisors working with educators, teachers, and academics in Chicago, IL

Edgar Giron Ramos is a financial advisor at J.P. Morgan Securities with 18 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and has worked with J.P. Morgan-related entities since 2007. J.P. Morgan Securities LLC provides institutional consulting services to corporations, foundations, and defined contribution plan sponsors, offering asset allocation advice, investment manager and fund searches, and customized performance reporting through a select group of Wealth Advisors. The firm combines large institutional advisory operations with additional market-facing registrations and functions.

Charisma Lariosa is a financial advisor with Transamerica Financial Advisors in Chicago, IL, holding Series 65 and Series 63 licenses with five years of industry experience. She has worked at Transamerica Financial Advisors since 2020 and concurrently with World Financial Group, Inc. since 2018. Outside of advisory work, she is a physical therapist providing therapy staffing services through Select Rehabilitation. Transamerica Financial Advisors serves individual investors, pension and profit-sharing plans, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, and corporations. The firm offers advisory and broker-dealer services, including a range of proprietary and third-party investment models, with both discretionary and non-discretionary program options.

Johnel Mayberry is a financial advisor with Primerica Advisors in Chicago, IL, holding Series 65 and Series 63 licenses and two years of industry experience. His background includes roles at PFS Investments Inc. and self-employment, along with prior experience in healthcare and academic settings. He also receives compensation for referrals related to home security, automation products, and loan services through affiliates of his firm. Primerica Advisors manages a wrap-fee asset management program primarily serving individual investors, including both non-high-net-worth and high-net-worth clients, as well as corporate and charitable clients. The firm delivers advisory services using model-driven strategies and operates at scale with thousands of advisors and billions in assets under management.

Mario Bear is a financial advisor at LPL Enterprise with 11 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and has worked at firms including The Prudential Insurance Company of America, PNC Bank, FIFTH THIRD SECURITIES, and JPMorgan Chase Bank. Outside of his advisory role, Bear is involved with FinBe USA, where he promotes the company’s services to automotive dealerships. LPL Enterprise serves a diverse client base including individuals, retirement plans, charitable organizations, corporations, and institutional clients. The firm offers financial planning, advisory services, and access to model portfolios and third-party asset managers through an integrated platform combining advisory programs with brokerage and insurance product sales.

Nahal Sabbagh Kermani is a financial advisor at Apollon Wealth Management, LLC with 11 years of industry experience. She holds the Series 63 and Series 66 designations and previously worked at Goldman Sachs and JPMorgan Chase Bank. Nahal is based in Chicago, IL. Apollon Wealth Management is an SEC-registered multi-team adviser serving individuals, families, trusts, charitable organizations, businesses, and retirement plans. The firm offers financial planning, portfolio management, and consulting services, utilizing a combination of centrally managed strategies and locally managed portfolios across various investment vehicles.

Arjun Swarup is a financial advisor with TIAA-CREF in Frisco, TX, holding a Series 66 designation and one year of industry experience. Prior to joining TIAA-CREF, he worked at Morgan Stanley Wealth Management and has an academic background from NYU College of Arts and Sciences. 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 connected to TIAA-administered employer retirement plans. The firm offers both point-in-time planning and ongoing managed account services within a fiduciary framework, including acting as adviser to a donor-advised fund.

Kevin Harper is a CFP® with 29 years of experience in the financial industry, currently serving at RFG Advisory, LLC since 2015. He has prior experience with Private Client Services and LPL Financial. Outside of advisory work, he is a co-owner of LHP Capital LLC, which manages commercial real estate. RFG Advisory is a multi-team registered investment adviser with approximately 178 advisors managing about $8 billion for over 17,000 clients, including individuals, high-net-worth households, trusts, retirement plans, and institutional accounts. The firm employs a mix of actively managed and passive strategies, direct indexing, and tax-aware approaches, and is notable for its sub-advisory role with the Bluemonte family of ETFs.

Jacob Heinz is a financial advisor at Edward Jones in Charlotte, NC, with 15 years of industry experience. He holds the Series 63 and Series 66 designations. His previous positions include roles at Fidelity Investments and E*TRADE Capital Management. Edward Jones is a full-service wealth management firm serving more than four million individual and institutional clients. The firm offers a range of advisory solutions, including discretionary and non-discretionary strategies, separately managed accounts, and affiliated mutual funds, supported by a nationwide network of thousands of financial advisors and branch offices.

Robert Ouimet is a CFP® professional with 22 years of industry experience, currently advising at Lincoln Investment. His prior experience includes roles at Capital Analysts, Financial Engines Advisors L.L.C., and Russell Investments. He also assists clients with evaluating insurance-based products as part of his advisory services. Lincoln Investment serves individuals, charitable organizations, businesses, and employer-sponsored retirement plans, with a particular focus on educators and 403(b)/457(b) participants. The firm offers a range of financial planning and retirement plan advice, utilizing both strategic and dynamic investment approaches and managing approximately $22.9 billion in advisory assets.

Marne De Santis is a financial advisor with Lincoln Investment in Fort Washington, PA, holding Series 63, 65, and 66 licenses and bringing 34 years of industry experience. Prior to joining Lincoln Investment in 2019, she worked at Rice Financial Products Company, CV Brokerage, Valdes & Moreno, Bluestone Capital Management, and Dautrich Seiler Financial Services. Lincoln Investment serves individuals, charitable organizations, businesses, and employer-sponsored retirement plans, with a focus on educators and 403(b)/457(b) participants. The firm offers financial planning, retirement plan advice, and a range of managed portfolio programs, employing both strategic and tactical investment approaches overseen by an investment management and research team.