Craig J. Horvath, CFP®, ChFC®, AIF®, CASL®, RFC®, CLTC®, LUTCF®

My path to financial planning wasn't exactly conventional. As a junior at UW-Whitewater, I was drowning in debt and making terrible financial decisions. No one had ever taught me how to manage money, and I was working nearly full-time while barely keeping my head above water. When a fraternity brother introduced me to the financial services industry, something clicked. I realized I wanted to teach what I desperately needed to learn.

Around that same time, my father suffered a traumatic brain injury in his mid-40s. Watching what happened to his financial life when he could no longer work showed me firsthand the consequences of being unprepared. That experience shaped everything about how I approach this work today.

I started as an intern with Northwestern Mutual in 1995 and graduated the following year with a degree in Psychology and a minor in Marketing. After a few years with MetLife in Milwaukee, I moved back to Joliet in 2000 (my birthplace and where my family roots are) to be closer to my father and grandmother, who was caring for him. In 2015, I transitioned my practice to independence with LPL Financial, which gave me the freedom to build the firm and process I'd been envisioning for years.

What drives me now is helping people realize what's possible with their finances. Most of our clients aspire to a work-optional lifestyle, and my job is to help make that dream a reality. The best part is when someone walks into our office feeling concerned, confused, and uncertain about their situation, and we're able to show them they're actually in better shape than they thought. That they've made good choices. That with some coordination and planning, they can get where they want to go. Our role is simple: help clients worry less and enjoy life more by planning for the certainty of uncertainty.

Outside the office, life revolves around my family. My wife Karen and I got married in 2005, and we have two sons: Cade, who's a freshman at the University of Missouri, and Colin, who's a junior in high school. We also have a Bernedoodle puppy named Keiki who keeps things interesting. Our family loves to ski and snowboard, stay active (I'm religious about working out because your health is your first wealth), travel, and host game nights. I'm an avid golfer and a loyal Chicago sports fan (Bears, Cubs, and Hawks). Karen and I enjoy good restaurants, bourbon and wine, and catching up on movies and series when we get the chance.

After 30 years in this business, what keeps me motivated is knowing my clients depend on me to be their financial GPS. Helping them navigate the road ahead and being there when life throws them a curveball is what this work is really about.