Frank Ortiz

John Anderson is a financial advisor at Investments By Design, Inc in Galena, IL, holding the ChFC® designation along with Series 63 and Series 66 licenses. He has 17 years of industry experience and has been with Investments By Design since 2012. Investments By Design provides portfolio management and financial planning services to individuals, high-net-worth clients, corporations, and business entities. The firm’s investment approach is based on documented client goals, time horizon, and risk tolerance, employing a range of analysis methods and strategies from long-term investing to options writing.

Mark Stevens is a CFP® and CFA® with 13 years of experience in the financial industry. He is currently the sole advisor at Vestera Wealth LLC, where he has worked since 2025. His prior experience includes roles at HTLF (Heartland Financial USA), ATCapital Management, and American Trust. Vestera Wealth LLC provides investment advisory and wealth management services to individuals, trusts, businesses, and charitable organizations, with a focus on high-net-worth clients. The firm manages assets primarily on a discretionary basis, combining multiple analytical approaches and oversight of independent managers, and also acts as a sub-advisor to other registered investment advisors and trust departments.

David Swisher is a CFP® with 28 years of industry experience and has been with Benchmark Capital Group Ltd. since 2009. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses. Outside of his advisory role, he is involved in tax preparation and consulting through Academy Advisors Ltd. and serves as trustee on his spouse’s living trust and her irrevocable life insurance trust. Benchmark Capital Group Ltd. provides investment advice and planning primarily to individual clients, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, and business entities. The firm customizes strategies based on client objectives and risk tolerance, employing various analytical methods and trading strategies, and offers both discretionary and non-discretionary portfolio management along with financial planning and retirement consulting.

Richard Hahn is a financial advisor at Benchmark Capital Group Ltd. with 26 years of industry experience. He has held his current role since 2012 and holds Series 63 and Series 65 designations. Benchmark Capital Group Ltd. provides investment advice and planning primarily to individual clients, including high-net-worth individuals, as well as trusts, estates, charitable organizations, and business entities. The firm employs a range of analytical methods and trading strategies tailored to client objectives and risk tolerance, offering both discretionary and non-discretionary portfolio management alongside modular financial planning and retirement plan consulting.

Matthew Pillard is a financial advisor at Friday Financial in Dubuque, IA, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses, with over eight years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at First Community Trust, Mid Atlantic Financial Management, and American Trust Retirement. Friday Financial serves individual and high-net-worth clients, along with trusts, estates, businesses, and participant-directed retirement plans, providing discretionary investment management, financial planning, and retirement-plan advisory services. The firm employs a passive, asset-class investment approach based on Modern Portfolio Theory, utilizing low-turnover mutual funds and DFA offerings, supported by asset-allocation modeling and third-party sub-advisors.

Maya Wachter is a financial advisor at Weitzel Financial Services, Inc. in Dubuque, IA, holding a Series 65 designation. She has been with Weitzel Financial Services since 2022 and has prior experience at St. Mary’s University of Minnesota, Dupaco Community Credit Union, Hy-Vee, and Holy Family Catholic School Systems. Weitzel Financial Services, Inc. provides investment advisory and financial planning services to individuals, foundations, charities, and businesses, managing approximately $274 million in assets. The firm employs a goal-based investment approach combining diversified strategies with periodic rebalancing and offers both discretionary and non-discretionary management as well as automated portfolio solutions.