Top financial advisors working with high-net-worth individuals and clients approaching retirement in Illinois

Kevin Hanrahan is a financial advisor with Merrill in Chicago, IL, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and bringing 31 years of industry experience. He has been with Bank of America and Merrill since 2009. 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. The firm offers model-based and discretionary investment strategies supported by internal and third-party managers, serving individuals, high-net-worth clients, pension and profit-sharing plans, corporations, and charitable organizations.

Jessica Stanley is a financial advisor at Rezny Wealth Management, Inc. in Aurora, IL, holding a Series 65 designation with 13 years of industry experience. She has been with Rezny Wealth Management since 2009. Rezny Wealth Management primarily serves individual investors, including high-net-worth clients, as well as pension and profit-sharing plans, offering discretionary portfolio management and integrated financial planning on a fee-only basis. The firm manages approximately $506 million in client assets, utilizing a Global Tactical Opportunity Portfolios framework that combines quantitative and fundamental analysis across a range of investment styles.

Michael Hankes is a financial advisor with LPL Financial, holding Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and bringing 40 years of industry experience. He has been with LPL Financial since 2006. Hankes is a 20% partner in an LLC involved in investment-related activities outside his advisory role. LPL Financial is an SEC-registered investment adviser and broker-dealer serving individuals, retirement plans, financial institutions, corporations, and charitable organizations through a national network of investment adviser representatives. The firm offers a range of advisory programs, financial planning, and consulting services, utilizing both discretionary and non-discretionary management supported by model portfolios and research.

Kristine Iverson is a financial advisor at Morgan Stanley with 31 years of industry experience. She holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has been associated with Morgan Stanley and its affiliates since 2007, including roles at Morgan Stanley Private Bank and Morgan Stanley Smith Barney. Morgan Stanley Wealth Management provides a range of advisory programs to individual and institutional clients, offering tailored financial planning supported by firm-approved tools and strategies. The firm manages approximately $2.74 trillion in client assets and delivers services that include estate planning and structured investment approaches.

Roland Szilard is a financial advisor with Valic Financial Advisors in Olympia Fields, IL, holding Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and bringing 29 years of industry experience. He has worked at Valic Financial Advisors since 2006 and is also affiliated with Agia since 2022. Outside of his advisory role, Szilard serves as a board member involved in organizing youth soccer training and play activities and acts as a youth soccer referee. Valic Financial Advisors, Inc. serves primarily U.S. individuals, including high net worth clients and employer-sponsored retirement participants, offering portfolio management, financial planning, and discretionary unified managed accounts through a large network of advisors. The firm manages approximately $29.2 billion and utilizes centralized technology and model solutions to support its client base of nearly 300,000 across more than 1,200 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 and previously at AXA Advisors, LLC. Outside of his advisory work, he serves as co-chairman of a fundraising campaign for the nonprofit Alpha Light Fund Inc., focused on renovating the House of Alpha. Equitable Advisors serves a diverse client base including individual, high-net-worth, retirement plan, corporate, charitable, and institutional clients, offering financial planning, broker-dealer services, insurance distribution, and access to third-party asset management programs. The firm operates as both an SEC-registered investment adviser and broker-dealer, leveraging LPL-sponsored programs and endorsed TAMPs to deliver advisory and brokerage solutions.

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.

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 and previously at AXA Advisors, LLC. Outside of his advisory work, he serves as co-chairman of a fundraising campaign for the nonprofit Alpha Light Fund Inc., focused on renovating the House of Alpha. Equitable Advisors serves a diverse client base including individual, high-net-worth, retirement plan, corporate, charitable, and institutional clients, offering financial planning, broker-dealer services, insurance distribution, and access to third-party asset management programs. The firm operates as both an SEC-registered investment adviser and broker-dealer, leveraging LPL-sponsored programs and endorsed TAMPs to deliver advisory and brokerage solutions.

Linda Postorivo is a financial advisor at BC Advisors, LLC with 43 years of industry experience. She holds a Series 63 designation and has worked with MAFG RIA Services, Inc. since 1994 and with Mid-Atlantic Companies since 1981. BC Advisors provides investment advisory and portfolio management services primarily to high-net-worth individuals, family trusts, pension and profit-sharing plans, and other institutional clients. The firm emphasizes non-discretionary investment recommendations grounded in fundamental analysis alongside technical and cyclical reviews, employing a variety of strategies including long-term, short-term, trading, options, and alternatives.

Sally Hyman is a financial advisor at Seasons of Advice Wealth Management with 42 years of industry experience. She holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has previously worked at Ameriprise Financial Services, Inc. Outside of finance, she is a singer who sells her own vocal CDs and is involved in publishing her father's book titled "Congenital Alterable Transmissible Asymmetry: The Spiritual Meaning of Disease and Science." Seasons of Advice Wealth Management provides investment advisory and financial planning services to individuals, high net worth clients, trusts, small business owners, professionals, and families. The firm follows a life-cycle investment approach called the “Seasons of Advice” process and offers discretionary portfolio management, comprehensive financial planning, and specialized fixed-income programs through sub-advisors.

Ethan Siekkinen is a CFP® and holds a Series 65 license with Plante Moran Financial Advisors. He has one year of industry experience and previously worked at J Wilson Wealth Management. Outside of financial advising, he has experience in the lawn care business with Rizzo Lawn Care. Plante Moran Financial Advisors serves a diverse client base including individuals, institutions, trusts, estates, and charitable organizations. The firm provides investment advisory, financial planning, and estate-planning services, utilizing a range of investment strategies and managing both discretionary and non-discretionary assets.