Large-firm, retirement withdrawal strategies financial advisors in Skokie, IL

Julian Van Ostrand is a financial advisor with Northern Trust Securities, Inc. in Skokie, IL, holding Series 63 and Series 66 credentials and bringing 21 years of industry experience. He has been with Northern Trust Securities since 2008. Northern Trust Securities, Inc. is an SEC-registered investment adviser and FINRA-registered broker-dealer that provides discretionary portfolio management through a model-driven wrap fee program serving high-net-worth individuals, retail investors, and institutional clients. The firm offers a variety of managed account solutions and combines advisory, brokerage, and custody services, including access to both proprietary and third-party investment products.

Gabriel Reyes is a financial advisor at Fidelity with 14 years of industry experience. He holds the Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and has worked at firms including Princor Financial Group, Principal Life Insurance Co, and PNC Wealth Management. Reyes is also an officer of Invictus Capital Holdings, LLC, a passive investment-related entity. Fidelity’s Strategic Advisers LLC provides investment management and advisory services to retail and institutional clients, employing a blend of proprietary fundamental research, quantitative analysis, and algorithmic portfolio construction to deliver model portfolios across various investment vehicles.

Leonard Fensterheim is a Series 65-licensed financial advisor with 11 years of industry experience. He is the principal of HealthQuant Associates LLC, where he has worked since 2014. In addition to his advisory role, he serves as Director of Clinical Outcomes and Analytics at Catamaran Corporation and is a partner at Highbeam Capital LLC, where he dedicates time to research on biotechnology and healthcare investments. HealthQuant Associates LLC is a state-registered investment adviser that provides discretionary portfolio management with an investment approach combining fundamental, technical, and cyclical economic analysis. The firm focuses on tailored portfolios primarily in the healthcare and life-sciences sectors, employing strategies ranging from long-term buy-and-hold to shorter-term trading, including the use of short sales and options.

Merrick Robison is a financial advisor at Guardian Life with one year of industry experience. He holds the Series 66 designation and has worked at Guardian Life and Park Avenue Securities since 2024. Outside of his advisory role, he operates a non-investment-related business called Merrick R - Rover Services. Park Avenue Securities LLC, a subsidiary of The Guardian Life Insurance Company of America, provides brokerage and investment advisory services to individuals, corporate and retirement plan sponsors, charitable organizations, and businesses. The firm offers tailored client relationships through a combination of advisor-led discretionary management and model-based strategies, utilizing proprietary programs and third-party platforms.

Ari Lazar is a financial advisor at Baldwin Wealth Partners, LLC with eight years of industry experience. He holds the Series 63 and Series 65 designations. Prior to joining Baldwin Wealth Partners, he worked at Levin Capital Strategies and RGA Investment Advisors. Outside of his advisory role, Lazar coaches and judges high school gymnastics in Illinois. Baldwin Wealth Partners provides investment advisory and financial planning services to a diverse range of clients, including individuals, trusts, charitable organizations, and pooled investment vehicles. The firm employs a combined top-down macro framework and bottom-up fundamental research, managing portfolios across five core asset classes with attention to ESG factors and offering specialized services such as management of private funds and tax-aware equity strategies.

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.

Ronald Dragotta is a Senior Financial Advisor at Merrill Lynch Wealth Management, where he specializes in retirement benefit consulting and personalized wealth management strategies. With over 27 years of industry experience, he adopts a goals-based approach to help clients pursue their long-term financial objectives by utilizing professional asset managers and investment platforms. Ronald focuses on Merrill's 401(k) Retirement Plan platform and provides services to local communities and organizations. He works closely with a team within his office and leverages the resources of Bank of America and Merrill Lynch Wealth Management to deliver active and dedicated service. His areas of expertise include corporate benefits, divorce transition planning, employee benefits planning, employee financial health, personal retirement planning, and individual and corporate investment strategy. He holds a Bachelor's Degree from Hofstra University and professional designations including Certified Plan Fiduciary Advisor (CPFA), Personal Investment Advisor (PIA), and Retirement Benefits Consultant (RBC). Outside of work, Ronald spends time with his wife Linda, an elementary school teacher, and their two daughters, Catherine and Caroline. They enjoy outdoor activities such as running, hiking, and kayaking on the Long Island Sound. Ronald is also involved in volunteering with community organizations.

Charleen Maune is a financial advisor at Foguth Wealth Management, LLC with five years of industry experience. She holds a Series 66 designation and has worked at Strategic Investment Advisors, LLC and White Glove, among others. Foguth Wealth Management serves individuals, high-net-worth clients, and corporations, managing over $1 billion with a multi-advisor team. The firm focuses on discretionary portfolio management and financial planning, utilizing tailored investment plans that emphasize exchange-traded products and a mix of fundamental, technical, cyclical, and Modern Portfolio Theory-based analysis.

Nicholas Stecklein is a CFP® with six years of industry experience, currently serving as a financial advisor at Telos Partners LLC in Lehi, Utah. His prior experience includes roles at DFPG Investments, Diversify Wealth Management, Advantage Tax and Planning, and North Capital Investment Technology. Outside of investment advisory, he is involved in tax preparation through Advantage Tax and Planning. Telos Partners serves individuals, families, charitable organizations, and businesses with investment management, financial planning, family office consulting, and related services. The firm employs a long-term, growth-oriented investment approach combining passive and active strategies, often incorporating client values and ESG preferences into portfolio construction.

Robert Szeles is a CFA® charterholder with three years of industry experience. He is currently an advisor at Beese Fulmer Private Wealth Management, where he has worked since 2022. Prior to joining Beese Fulmer, he gained experience at Federated Hermes and PNC Capital Advisors. Beese Fulmer Private Wealth Management offers discretionary and non-discretionary investment management and financial planning services to individuals, retirement plans, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, and corporations. The firm combines fundamental company analysis with macroeconomic cycle review and a proprietary model-portfolio framework tailored to client risk tolerance and goals, with a focus on dividend-paying equities and shorter-duration fixed income for income-dependent clients.

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.