Large-firm financial advisors working with professional athletes in Des Plaines, IL

Candace Vondra is a CFA® charterholder with 23 years of industry experience, currently serving at William Blair since 2006. She holds the Series 63 designation and is based in Des Plaines, IL. 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, third-party sub-advisers, and access to private funds and co-investment opportunities.

Nancy Morales Calara is a Financial Consultant currently working at Fidelity Investments since 2024. Prior to this role, she held positions including Relationship Manager and Transition Services Specialist at Fidelity Investments, as well as various roles at Merrill and Banker's Life and Casualty Co. Her career demonstrates a progressive experience in financial services and client relationship management. Nancy emphasizes the importance of listening and building trust in financial planning. She approaches financial discussions with a focus on understanding each client's unique circumstances, whether addressing retirement, investments, or unforeseen financial events. Her professional philosophy centers on providing clarity and support as clients navigate their financial situations. Outside of her professional work, Nancy has interests in art, badminton, cars, food, social events, and traveling.

Nancy Szymula is a financial advisor with UBS Financial Services in Des Plaines, IL, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and bringing 40 years of industry experience. She has been with UBS Financial Services since 2013. UBS Financial Services Inc. serves individual, corporate, and institutional clients through brokerage and investment advisory offerings, combining institutional trading capabilities with wealth management services. The firm provides fee-based financial planning, portfolio management, and access to proprietary research and capital markets services.

Krzysztof Garlewicz is a CFP® and Series 66-registered advisor with 18 years of industry experience. He has worked at ProsperiFi LLC since 2017 and previously spent seven years with LPL Financial. In addition to his advisory work, he is an author associated with the Financial Freedom Formula and has engaged in speaker and content creation activities. ProsperiFi LLC provides advisory services to individuals, pension and profit-sharing plans, corporations, and family-owned businesses. The firm employs a multi-faceted investment approach incorporating fundamental, quantitative, and technical analysis, along with modern portfolio theory, and offers access to alternative investments and third-party money managers.

Michal Walaszek is a financial advisor with J.P. Morgan Securities in Des Plaines, IL, holding Series 63 and Series 66 credentials and six years of industry experience. He has worked at J.P. Morgan Securities since 2019 and has prior experience with Northwestern Mutual Investment Management and JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. Additionally, he was involved with RzConstruction from 2016 to 2018. J.P. Morgan Securities provides investment consulting and advisory services primarily to institutional clients and retirement plan sponsors, combining quantitative asset-allocation modeling with centralized due diligence and applying an ESG eligibility framework in its recommendations.

David Sadler is a CFP® and PFS™ credentialed financial advisor with 23 years of industry experience. He has been with Moneta Group Investment Advisors, LLC since 2005. Outside of his advisory work, he is involved with Mallard Point Farms, LLC in St. Charles, MO. Moneta Group Investment Advisors serves high-net-worth individuals, families, trusts, and various institutional clients, offering portfolio management, financial planning, and family office services. The firm uses a Partner-led Team model supported by a centralized Investment Department and emphasizes diversified, multi-asset allocations with ongoing monitoring.

Lisa Dugan is a CFP® with 28 years of experience in the financial industry. She has been with Secure Planning, LLC since 1998. In addition to her advisory role, she is also licensed as an insurance agent, providing insurance planning as part of the firm's comprehensive financial services. Secure Planning, LLC serves individuals, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, pension and profit-sharing plans, and corporations. The firm manages discretionary and non-discretionary portfolios using Modern Portfolio Theory and an efficient market approach, offering financial planning, consulting, and access to third-party asset allocation programs.

Gabriel Willis is a financial advisor with Edward Jones in Acworth, GA, holding a Series 66 designation and one year of industry experience. Prior to joining Edward Jones in 2024, he operated a window treatment business, EG Willis, Inc., from 2021 to 2024, which he has since turned over to his spouse. Before that, he worked at American States Utility Services, Inc. for ten years. Edward Jones is a full-service wealth management firm serving a broad range of individual and institutional clients. The firm manages approximately $1.01 trillion in assets and is known for its extensive network of financial advisors and branches, offering a variety of advisory programs and investment solutions under a fiduciary standard.

Jesse Sigrist is a financial advisor at Coldstream Wealth Management with one year of industry experience. He holds a Series 65 credential and previously worked at Cable Hill Partners. Coldstream Wealth Management is an employee-owned firm serving affluent individuals, families, business owners, corporate executives, employee benefit plans, and endowments. The firm employs a team-based investment approach supported by an internal strategy group and offers a range of portfolio management, financial planning, and wealth transfer services.

Jontue Long is a Wealth Management Advisor at Merrill Lynch Wealth Management. Since beginning his career in 2001, he has developed a client base that includes professional athletes, entrepreneurs, and senior-level corporate executives, providing specialized financial guidance tailored to their unique circumstances. Jontue’s experience includes founding his own firm and advising clients across more than 15 states. He focuses on areas such as executive compensation, family wealth management, retirement planning, portfolio management, business strategies, and socially responsible investing. His approach emphasizes disciplined, planning-based processes with frequent client engagement to align strategies with personal values and financial goals. Jontue holds a Bachelor’s degree from Bucknell University and an MBA from the Fuqua School of Business at Duke University. He is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER® professional, a Certified Private Wealth Advisor®, and holds additional credentials including Personal Investment Advisor and Sports & Entertainment Accredited Wealth Management Advisor. His background includes firsthand knowledge of the financial challenges faced by professional athletes, having grown up with a close family member in the NBA, as well as entrepreneurial experience from running a business for ten years. This diverse expertise enables him to serve clients with tailored insights, particularly in managing wealth transitions and liquidity events. Residing in Narberth, Pennsylvania, Jontue spends time with his family and enjoys basketball and football. He also participates in community volunteer activities aligned with Merrill Lynch’s tradition of community involvement. Jontue encourages clients to consider him their primary resource for a wide range of financial decisions, supported by Merrill’s integrated wealth management, banking, and lending services.

Jeffrey Park is a financial advisor at Merrill with eight years of industry experience. He holds a Series 66 designation and has worked at Merrill and affiliated firms since 2011, including roles at JPMorgan Chase Bank and J.P. Morgan Securities. Outside of his advisory work, he is a sole owner and co-owner of family rental properties in Lawrenceville, Georgia. Merrill, together with its affiliate Managed Account Advisors LLC, provides managed account services to Bank of America fiduciary clients through the Select Portfolio Solutions Program, offering model-based and discretionary strategies for individuals, high-net-worth clients, and institutional investors.

Scott Mahoney is a financial advisor with Morgan Stanley in New York, NY, holding Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and bringing 34 years of industry experience. He has been with Morgan Stanley since 2009, including roles at Morgan Stanley Private Bank, N.A. Outside of his advisory work, he is involved with Giants Foot Cubed LLC. Morgan Stanley Wealth Management is a large SEC-registered investment adviser and broker-dealer that serves both individual and institutional clients. The firm offers a wide range of advisory programs and financial planning services supported by structured planning tools and broad investment resources.

Elizabeth Brown is a Series 66 licensed financial advisor with J.P. Morgan Securities in New York, NY, where she has worked since 2012. She has 26 years of industry experience. J.P. Morgan Securities provides institutional consulting services to clients such as 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 brokerage, distribution, and investment management capabilities.

Wesley Pool is a financial advisor at Wells Fargo Clearing with 15 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and previously worked at JPMorgan Securities LLC for seven years. Outside of finance, he has been involved with #TagMeBro LLC and Fry Street Public House. Wells Fargo Advisors is a national securities firm serving individual, corporate, and institutional clients with investment advisory services, financial planning, and retirement plan consulting. The firm manages approximately $671 billion in assets and offers both brokerage and advisory solutions.

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.