FPA of Illinois Board of Directors - 2010

Harris Investor Service
1400 Gannon Dr
Hoffman Estates, IL 60194

President-Elect

Stephen O'Hara, CFP®

Phone: (312) 831-4396
Fax:     (312) 831-4397
Email: steve.ohara@raymondjames.com

Secretary

Ira D. Goldstein, CFP®, CLU, ChFC

New England Financial
PO Box 95555
Palatine, IL 60095

Phone: (847) 776-6040
Fax:     (847) 776-6044
Email:   igoldstein@northshore.net

Treasurer/Director of Finance

James Karabas, CFP®

H.D.Vest Financial Services
10600 S. Cicero Ave.
Oak Lawn, IL  60453

Phone: (708) 229-0854
Fax:     (708) 207-7198
Email:  rmorow@yahoo.com

Asset Financial Services, Inc.
300 West Adams Street
Suite 424
Chiucago, IL 60606

Phone: (312) 440-5028
Fax:     (312) 943-5177
Email:  s.l.egan@earthlink.net

Director of Programs

Warren Arnold, CFP®, CFA, ChFC

Phone:  (815) 459-4550 x110
Fax:      (815) 322-7928
Email:  jbruce@exemplarfn.com

Director of Member Communications

David G. McGrady, CFP®

Eastern Illinois University
803 6th St
Charleston, IL 61920

Phone: (217) 581-3026
Email:   dgmcgrady@eiu.edu

Director of Public Affairs

Craig R. Larsen, CFP®, ChFC

Phone:     (630) 762-8185
Fax:         (630) 762-8390
Email:      larsen@ahcadvisors.com

Director of Public Events

Roger Brown, CLTC

Care Assurance Associates
1236 Hobson Oaks
Naperville, IL  60540

Director of Membership

Phone: 
Fax:     
Email:  

Director of Professional Alliances & Community Services

Jeffrey Baer & Associates, Ltd.
35 North Whitney
Grayslake, IL 60030

Phone: (847) 223-5547
Fax:     (847) 223-5675
Email:   jeff@jbaercpa.com

Director of Government Relations

Director of Technology

Mark LaSpisa, CFP®

Director of Pro Bono

 Mark Henry

Phone: (630) 705-1914, 264
Fax:     (630) 705-1915
Email:  mark.g.henry@gmail.com

President - Central Illinois Council

President - Chicago Loop Council

Linda S. Weinrib, CFP®

President - O'Hare Council

Mark A. Davids, CFP®

President - South Suburban Council

Rich Morowczynski, CFP

Chapter Executive

Dee Farris

Chapter Executive - Oakbrook and O'Hare Councils

Anne Brabec

Chapter Executive - North Shore Council

Eileen J. Jones

James J. Karabas, CFP, CIMA, JD - Director of Finance

Mr. Karabas joined Vestor Capital in 2006 as Vice President of Wealth Management. He is primarily responsible for managing client relationships and portfolio management. In addition, he is responsible for managing the day to day operation of the firm.

Mr. Karabas has worked in the financial services industry for the past 23 years. Prior to joining Vestor Capital, he spent 19 years with Merrill Lynch. Most recently, he served as First Vice President with their Private Banking and Investment Group as a Private Wealth Advisor.

Mr. Karabas holds a Certified Financial Planner (CFP®) designation and a Certified Investment Management Analyst (CIMA®) designation which he obtained from the Wharton Business School. He earned his Juris Doctor Degree from John Marshall Law School and was admitted by the Illinois Supreme Court to practice Law in 1991. Mr. Karabas earned his Bachelors Degree in Business and Finance from Loyola University in 1983. He is a member of the Financial Planning Association, Investment Management Consultants Association and the Illinois State Bar Association.

Ira D. Goldstein, CFP, CLU, ChFC

David A. Mercurio, CFP®, CLU – Director of Career Development

David Mercurio is currently the Director of Professional Development Programs for Northwestern University's School of Continuing Studies. His 30-year career has included sales and management positions in banking, insurance, investments and financial planning. During the last 5 years he has also served as an adjunct Instructor in NU’s undergraduate and professional development programs. He holds a BA from Loyola University, an MBA from DePaul University and is a graduate of the Stonier School of Banking. He also holds the Certified Financial Planner® and Chartered Life Underwriter designations

Stephen O'Hara, CFP, Director of Education, Ethics & Professional Standards

Steve began his financial planning career in 1984. He received a B.B.A degree from the University of Michigan and an MBA from National University in San Diego, CA. Steve has earned the designations of Certified Financial Planner (CFP®), Chartered Financial Consultant (ChFC), Chartered Life Underwriter (CLU), and is a member of the Chicago Chapter of the Financial Planning Association (FPA). In addition to closely held and family business owners, Steve has a great deal of experience working with Senior Level executives & professionals and has a specialty in employee stock and option issues. His stock options expertise has been featured in the Chicago Tribune and Crain’s Chicago Business. He has addressed the Greater Chicago area members of the Financial Planning Association multiple times on this issue.

Sharon Egan – Director of Education, Ethics & Professional Standards

Sharon has been a Certified Financial Planner licensee since 1997. She is a financial advisor at Asset Financial Services, Inc., in downtown Chicago, and focuses her practice on the needs of professional women.

Prior to joining Asset Financial, Sharon worked in the banking industry for over 20 years. During her career, she was a commercial lender at Bank of America for 10 years, then was with First Chicago (now Chase Bank), and LaSalle Bank. She also spent time at the Options Institute, the educational arm of the Chicago Board Options Exchange, where she was responsible for education about options to institutional users.

She is a speaker for various community groups, advocating financial literacy for people of all ages.

She holds an MBA from Indiana University in Bloomington, Indiana.

Warren Arnold, CFP, CFA, ChFC - Director of Programs

Warren Arnold is a Vice President in the Personal Financial Services division of the Northern Trust Company, Chicago. Warren serves as a Senior Financial Consultant advising private business owners and corporate executives. He specializes in financial planning and investment management with an emphasis on retirement planning, portfolio design, cash flow analysis, estate planning, and risk management. His integrated consultative approach helps clients develop strategies to achieve their financial goals.

Prior to joining Northern Trust, Warren was a Financial Planner with Sullivan, Bruyette, Speros, & Blayney and with Harris Bank. At both these firms Warren specialized in comprehensive financial planning for high net worth individuals.

Warren earned a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and an MBA from DePaul University in Chicago. He is Chartered Financial Analyst charter holder (CFA), Certified Financial Planner certificant (CFP®), and a Chartered Financial Consultant designee (ChFC).

Warren is a member of the Chartered Financial Analyst Institute, the CFA Society of Chicago, the Financial Planning Association (FPA), the FPA of Illinois, and he is a director of the FPA Chicago Loop Council. He is also an adjunct instructor at Northwestern University teaching investment management.

John W. Wheeler, Jr.

Jeffrey W. Bruce is a Financial Advisor with Exemplar Financial Network. He spent 11 total years in the United States Marine Corps; 5 active and 6 reserve duty in special operation capable units, during non-work up phases he trained Marines at the Special Operations training Group at 1^st Marine Division.

During his reserve duty Jeff was employed by Rentokil Initial the world’s largest business to business service provider, where he provided company training and helped rewrite the company’s policies and process regarding client service, establishing a new position and philosophy called the “Concierge”   that is utilized in the 144 countries of operation by the Corporation.

Jeff was previously with Ameriprise Financial (formerly known as American Express Financial Advisors) as a Financial Advisor and a member of the Financial Education Team.

Jeff has a Bachelors in business management with a minor in finance from University of Phoenix. Jeff is a member of the following clubs and associations:

David McGrady, CFP, CPA/PFS – Director of Member Communications

David McGrady is the director of the Financial Planning concentration for the Finance major in the Lumpkin School of Business at Eastern Illinois University. He teaches courses on financial and tax planning, estate and retirement planning, and business financial management. Mr. McGrady also serves as a consultant to Larsson, Woodyard and Henson on income taxation. Prior to joining the faculty at EIU in 1986, Mr. McGrady was a tax manager with Price Waterhouse. He received his M.B.A. from the University of Texas at Arlington and B.A. from Franklin College of Indiana. 

Craig R. Larsen, CFP, ChFC, Director of Public Affairs

As the founder of the fee-only firm AHC Advisors, Inc., Craig began his career on the floor of the Chicago Mercantile Exchange in 1987, and was present in the S&P 500 trading pit during the stock market crash shortly after he began his career. This experience helped him learn the importance of controlling risk early in his career. He was a member of both the Chicago Mercantile Exchange, and the Chicago Board of Trade. In 1995 Craig left the trading floor to start his own firm.

Craig built his firm upon the cornerstones of independent and unbiased advice, and of always putting his clients interests first. His firm offers financial planning and wealth management services, and his clients include both individuals and institutions. He has been invited to speak at numerous educational conferences. Craig graduated from the University of Illinois at Chicago with a BS in Finance, is a CFP® professional, and a Chartered Financial Consultant.

Craig actively gives back to the community. He coaches youth baseball, has held numerous leadership posts in his church, and has organized and led several trips to Louisiana to help rebuild following Hurricane Katrina. He is married, has four children, lives in St. Charles, IL., and enjoys making wine in his free time.

Roger is a Syracuse University graduate with a background in fee-based financial planning and over seven years experience in Long Term Care Insurance. Several years ago he chose to specialize solely in Long Term Care Insurance, representing the top eight carriers, who together account for over 85% of the industry. His clients find his status as a broker important, in that rather than focusing on one carrier’s product, he has expertise on the entire industry. He helps clients easily understand the often complex differences between carrier’s policies and sort out which of the many variables in custom designing a policy may be important.

In working with his clients, Roger adopts a consultative, educational role rather than a sales/transactional capacity. A first meeting starts with a primer on Long Term Care and the options that exist for handling the often devastating costs of providing care. These include discussion on how Medicare and Medicaid may address the cost of care as well as how the family may supervise and coordinate care rather than provide hands-on care. In 2005, Roger earned the CLTC designation, (Certified by the Corporation for Long Term Care).  Less than 15,000 LTCI specialists nationally hold this designation.

Roger is regularly retained to speak to conferences and conventions both locally and nationally on Long Term Care, LTC Insurance, Medicare and Medicaid. Additionally, he conducts informal workshops and seminars on the same topics with small groups throughout northern Illinois. Recognized as an industry leader, he’s an invited speaker at carrier conferences and conventions. He works closely with financial planners and other financial professionals as a resource for their clients' Long Term Care insurance needs. Recognized as an industry expert, Roger serves the financial services journal "Senior Market Advisor" in a consulting capacity.

Additionally, Roger has served in a number of leadership capacities in his community of Naperville, IL. He is a past board member of the Naperville Jaycee's, Naperville Police Citizen’s Advisory Council, and past Vice President of Samaritan Interfaith Counseling Center. He has served as director of Naperville’s nationally award winning community festival-“The Last Fling”. He is active in Rotary and a founder and Chairman of the Naperville Police and Fire Department’s 501C3 Foundation-Citizens Appreciate Public Safety.

Mark G. Henry - Director of Pro Bono

Mark Henry works as the Marketing Associate for The Principal Financial Group’s Nonqualified Plans team covering IL, IN, and MO. Mark was formerly a legal consultant for Standard & Poor’s and a financial planner with Ameriprise Fianancial. A graduate of Grinnell College and member of Grinnell’s Alumni Council, Mark has served as the Director of Pro Bono for Illinois since the spring of 2009. Mark speaks Russian and French, enjoys golf and mountain biking, and plays shortstop in several baseball leagues in the Chicagoland area.

Fortune Financial Group, Inc. (FFG) is an independent Registered Investment Advisory (RIA) firm specializing in providing its clients with "financial peace of mind." It does this by providing financial strategies designed to create, accumulate and preserve wealth. Brad has been providing financial solutions to his clients since 1986. FFG is a fee-based firm, meaning that it charges a fee for financial planning and investment advisory services.   Brad has been the President of the Oak Brook Council of the FPA for the past three years.

As a Certified Financial Planner, Brad has consistently provided his clients a well-rounded, objective prospective on financial issues. His book, Brad Rosley on Educated Investing was published in 2001. Brad, has also had several articles published concerning investment and insurance planning strategies and has been the feature speaker at many financial planning seminars.

Carol Anderson - President, Oak Brook Council

Carol has helped her clients build, preserve and transfer wealth for over 32 years. Having been a stockbroker for 15 years at Shearson Lehman Brothers, she gained extensive experience designing and managing investment portfolios. With 17 additional years as a planner, she has helped to create sophisticated planning strategies for families, retirees, business owners and executives.

Carol graduated from the Latin School of Chicago where she later became a member of the board of trustees. She graduated from the University of California, Santa Cruz. Carol is the President of the Oak Brook Council of the Financial Planning Association. She is also a board member of DuPage PADS, a homeless organization whose mission is to end and prevent homelessness in DuPage County. She is a member of the Chicago Council on Planned Giving and the DuPage Estate Planning Council.
 
Her interest in helping people to identify and realize their own mission in life has motivated Carol to focus on philanthropic planning and integrating that with overall retirement and financial planning. She is a mother of a teenage daughter and has 3 miniature dachshunds. Carol views herself as a world citizen and is a champion for human and animal rights. She is active with the Conference for Global Transformation and The Hunger Project www.thp.org.
 
Carol loves to learn more about people and the world. She is committed to have a first hand understanding of other cultures and to help all people to experience their own prosperity. Her most recent international trip included a visit to Tokyo and Kyoto Japan in 2007. In addition, she spent two weeks in Thailand visiting Bangkok and Chiang Mai in the north. She went sailing and scuba diving for a week near Phuket and saw some of the remaining devastation from the tsunami on Phi Phi Island.The highlight of the trip was her visit to the Elephant Conservation Center www.changthai.com where Carol saw elephants walking freely, visited the elephant hospital and was able to feed sugar cane and bananas to several elephants at once.

Douglas R. Morton, CFP®, joined IFM in March 2001.  His areas of expertise include investment portfolio management, investment analysis, estate planning, tax planning, and insurance planning. He is also a member of IFM’s Investment Committee.  Doug graduated from Hope College in 2000 with a B.A. in economics and business administration. He obtained his Series 65 license in 2002. In 2003, he graduated from DePaul University’s Financial Planning Program and obtained his CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER^TM certification. In 2008, he obtained his life and health insurance license.  Doug has been a member of the Financial Planning Association of Illinois since 2004 and is currently President of the North Shore Council.