Large-firm, liquidity event planning financial advisors in Evanston, IL

Edward Bothfeld is a financial advisor with Commonwealth Financial Network in Evanston, IL, holding a Series 66 designation and 11 years of industry experience. He has operated Bothfeld Financial Partners since 2015, conducting fixed insurance sales alongside his advisory practice. Commonwealth Financial Network is a dual-registered broker/dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser serving a national network of approximately 2,900 advisors and managing over $200 billion in client assets. The firm provides a broad range of managed-account programs, third-party asset manager access, and comprehensive back-office support.

Joseph Simoncelli is a financial advisor with TIAA-CREF, holding a Series 66 designation and two years of industry experience. He has worked at TIAA, Nuveen Asset Management, and Nuveen Securities since 2022. Outside of his advisory role, Simoncelli serves as an assistant coach for the Renegades High School hockey club. TIAA-CREF Individual & Institutional Services, LLC’s Advice & Planning Services division offers financial planning and discretionary managed account programs to individuals, trusts, estates, partnerships, corporate entities, and small retirement plans, often serving clients connected to TIAA-administered employer retirement plans. The firm provides both point-in-time planning and ongoing portfolio management through various managed account options.

Brian Kearns is a CFP®-designated financial advisor with 14 years of industry experience. He is currently with Mutual Advisors, LLC, where he has worked since 2019. His prior roles include positions at Twombly Asset Management, Emberhouse, Morgan Stanley, and Mass Mutual Investors Services. Outside of advisory work, Kearns serves as Co-Chair of the Personal Financial Planning Forum for the Illinois CPA Society and is Treasurer for the Sons of the American Legion Post 42; he also leads a tax preparation service business. Mutual Advisors, LLC serves a diverse range of clients, including individual investors, trusts, retirement plan participants and sponsors, and institutional investors. The firm offers asset management and financial planning services, employing a blend of active and passive strategies tailored to client objectives, and is notable for its scale of institutional work and use of specialized platforms and third-party manager relationships.

Patricia Finley is a financial advisor at Edward Jones with eight years of industry experience. She holds a Series 66 designation and has worked at Edward Jones since 2017. Prior to that, she spent 12 years at CitiBank. Edward Jones is a full-service wealth management firm serving over four million individual and institutional clients. The firm offers a range of advisory programs and investment strategies, supported by a large nationwide network of advisors and branch offices, managing approximately $1.01 trillion in assets under management.

Zachary Steinhandler is a financial advisor at MariPau Wealth Management LLC with nine years of industry experience. He holds a Series 65 designation and has worked at MariPau Wealth Management since 2022. Steinhandler also owns and operates Steinhandler Wealth Advisors and Steinhandler Insurance Group, where he provides investment advisory services and specializes in annuity and life insurance sales. MariPau Wealth Management offers tailored investment advisory and portfolio management services, financial planning, consulting, and educational seminars for individual and high-net-worth clients. The firm collaborates with advisory affiliates and uses various third-party platforms and strategies to support client portfolios.

Sarah Brown is a financial advisor at Edward Jones in Monroe, GA, holding a Series 66 designation with one year of industry experience. Prior to joining Edward Jones, she worked at Georgia College & State University and the Walton County School District. She also has experience with Peachy Keen. Edward Jones is a full-service wealth management firm serving over four million individual and institutional clients. The firm manages approximately $1.01 trillion in assets and offers a range of advisory programs, including discretionary and non-discretionary wrap fee strategies, separately managed accounts, and affiliated mutual funds, operating under a fiduciary standard.

Andrew Grombala is a Financial Advisor with Merrill Lynch Wealth Management. He focuses on serving corporate executives and high-earning professionals who have complex compensation structures, including equity awards such as RSUs, stock options, ESPP programs, deferred compensation packages, and performance awards. In his role, he helps clients manage concentration risk, reduce tax implications, and align their equity compensation with long-term, goals-based wealth strategies. Since entering the industry in 2017, Andrew has adopted a structured, plan-first approach that incorporates compensation, cash flow, family priorities, retirement planning, and overall risk management. He guides clients through various financial events, including vesting, diversification, liquidity management, and retirement income planning. His expertise extends to executive compensation, family wealth management strategies, legacy planning, managing new wealth, portfolio management services, and tax minimization. Andrew holds FINRA Series 7 and Series 66 registrations and is licensed in Accident & Health, Life, and Variable Insurance. He earned a Bachelor's degree in Economics from Trinity College in Hartford, Connecticut, where he also competed as a student-athlete in football and lacrosse. He resides in Anderson Township with his wife and two children. Outside of work, Andrew enjoys boating, golfing, football, ice hockey, music, and spending time with his family.

Sherry Neeley is a financial advisor at Authentikos Wealth Advisory LLC with three years of industry experience and holds a Series 66 designation. Prior to joining Authentikos in 2025, she worked at First Command Insurance Services and related entities from 2022 to 2025. Outside of her advisory role, she provides educational consulting as a Special Education Advocate for parents of special needs children. Authentikos Wealth Advisory LLC provides investment advisory and financial planning services primarily to individuals and retirement plans, with offerings that include discretionary portfolio management, written financial plans, and access to model-portfolio solutions implemented on a wrap-fee platform. The firm customizes portfolio allocations based on clients’ goals and risk tolerances using fundamental, cyclical, and technical analysis across a broad range of investments.

Perrin Berry is a financial advisor at Apollon Wealth Management, LLC with a Series 65 designation and three years of industry experience. His prior work includes roles at Crisp Event Rentals, Modern Woodmen, and the Secretary of State's Office. Apollon Wealth Management is an SEC-registered multi-team firm serving a diverse client base including individuals, high-net-worth clients, families, trusts, businesses, charitable organizations, and retirement plans. The firm offers financial planning, portfolio management, retirement plan advisory, sub-advisory, and consulting services, combining centrally managed model strategies with locally managed portfolios tailored through a comprehensive oversight structure.

Heather Rivas is a CFP® and Series 65-licensed advisor with River Wealth Advisors LLC, where she has worked for four years. She has a total of 11 years of industry experience, including seven years at PSECU prior to joining River Wealth Advisors. River Wealth Advisors offers discretionary and non-discretionary asset management, financial planning, investment consulting, and retirement-plan services to individuals, high-net-worth clients, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, businesses, and plan sponsors. The firm uses a fundamentally oriented, customized investment approach and conducts regular portfolio monitoring and formal reviews.

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.