Our Team

Mike Polan is a Private Wealth Advisor and Co-Founder of Next Phase Advisory Group. He is committed to providing clients with guidance that allows them to retire with confidence & create a legacy of significance.

Mike guides his clients through a process that allows them to crystallize their vision for the future - then creates a plan that helps bring that vision into reality.

Mike joined Northwestern Mutual here in Chicagoland's Western suburbs in 1990. He graduated from Bradley University with a Bachelor of Science in Finance and Economics. He went on to earn his CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ (CFP®), Chartered Life Underwriter (CLU®) & Chartered Financial Consultant (ChFC) designations and is 6, 7, 63 & 65 registered. During his 32 year financial services career he has earned several awards including qualified for the National Quality Award and Northwestern Mutual’s prestigious FORUM more than 10 times.

Mike and his wife Pam have been married for 25 years and are proud residents of Wheaton. They have two children, Connor and Shaye, who keep them very busy.

Mike is a strong believer in supporting his community. He supports their children’s High School, St Francis College Preparatory and Alex’s Lemonade Stand’s research for Childhood Cancer. In Mike's free time, he enjoys spending family time at their lake house in Wisconsin.

Kevin Olson is a Private Wealth Advisor and Co-Founder of Next Phase Advisory Group. His career path has been rooted in a desire to provide sound, thoughtful guidance to his clients in the form of a comprehensive financial plan. His personable approach is reflected in the lifelong relationships that he has developed with clients & their families.

People can trust Kevin’s recommendations because they are based on the best interest and long-term view of their business, family, and the future generation. He guides his clients through a process that allows them to envision the future and creates a plan that helps bring that vision into reality.

Kevin joined Northwestern Mutual here in Chicagoland’s Western suburbs in 1990. He graduated from Valparaiso University in Indiana with a Bachelor of Science in Business and a Minor in Economics. He went on to earn his Chartered Life Underwriter® and his Chartered Financial Consultant® Designations from the American College of Financial Services. He is FINRA Series 6, 7, 63 & 65 registered.

During his financial services career, Kevin has earned several awards, including: the Northwestern Mutual Life Impact Award; the National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors (NAIFA®) Quality Award; and Northwestern Mutual FORUM, recognizing financial representatives with the highest levels of productivity and excellence.  Kevin also was named a 2022 Best-In-State Wealth Advisor by Forbes.

Kevin and his wife, Beth, reside in the Western Suburbs of Chicago and have been married for 27 years. They are proud parents of three children, Andrew, David & Megan, who keep them very busy. In Kevin’s spare time he enjoys giving back to the community and is involved with Score Board Charities, Alex Lemonade Stand and DuPage county RMHC.

Carm Barbaro is a Private Wealth Advisor and Partner of Next Phase Advisory Group with over 15 years of experience guiding clients. Prior to establishing his practice at Northwestern Mutual in 2010, Carm acquired experience in the financial industry at JPMorgan and BMO Harris. Over the years, Carm has focused on a comprehensive financial planning relationship with clients in both the emerging affluent and retirement planning markets.

In 2012, Carm was honored to be a featured speaker at the Northwestern Mutual Annual Meeting in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Carm and his team are proud to have received the NAIFA Quality Award multiple times as well as being awarded the Advisor Today 4-Under-40 Award in 2018, which featured him and his team nationally. He is Series 6, 7, 26, 63 and 65 registered.

Carm grew up in the Southside Chicago area and attended St. Laurence High School. He went on to attend Northern Illinois University where he received a Bachelor of Arts in Corporate Communications, graduating Cum Laude. Carm is married to Kristen, and they are proud parents of Aubri, Ben and Cora. They reside in the Western Suburbs of Chicagoland and enjoy busy weekends with all three kids’ many activities, as well as volunteering for Feed My Starving Children, Alex’s Lemonade Stand, Ronald McDonald House and Kiva.

With almost twenty years in business, Chris Hemzacek brings a tailored perspective to financial planning. Chris graduated with a Bachelor of Science from the Eller School of Business at the University of Arizona.

His journey with Northwestern Mutual began as a client in his early 20’s and continues today as a Registered Representative with Northwestern Mutual Investment Services, LLC. He serves Big4 employees/partners, medical professionals, pre-retirees, and closely held businesses across the country. Chris is FINRA Series 6, 63 & 7 registered.

Chris placed in the National Top 50 among his peer class in four of the last five years. In 2019, he achieved Top 5 Best Financial Advisors and Advisor of the Year. In 2018, Chris qualified for the 263rd Fastrack Academy, an exclusive, career-development program for top financial advisors.

When not studying for continuing education, Chris enjoys weekends of yard work, fishing and boating with his wife and two boys, Hunter and Asher. Chris also enjoys serving as a Board Member of the Red Shoe Society, the Associate Board for Ronald McDonald Charities.

Karl graduated from Illinois State University in 2018 with a degree in Finance. He has worked in the Financial Services industry for the last 4 years and has a background in Insurance and Wealth Management. He is Series 6,7, 63, & 65 Registered, Life & Health and Property & Casualty Insurance Licenses and recently became a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ Professional.

Karl was born and raised in Naperville and now resides in Aurora with his wife, Jess, and their cat, Meredith. They recently got married in July of 2022. Jess is a Special Education teacher at Metea Valley High School in Aurora. Both she and Karl are involved with the Special Olympics of Illinois program.

Karl spends his free time golfing, watching movies, and spending time with his family. We are excited that Karl has joined the team and can’t wait for you to meet him.

Jennifer handles our client portfolio development and plan implementation. She also conducts research for plan updates, client reviews, and conducts plan maintenance. In addition, she handles the day-to-day operational procedures with Kevin.

Jennifer joined Northwestern Mutual in 2002. She is Series 7 & 63 registered. Prior to joining the team in 2007, she supported the Investment Operations department for the Agency. She graduated from MacMurray College with a Bachelor's degree in Business Administration and Management.

Jennifer was born and raised in the Western Suburbs, where she currently resides.

Dean graduated from DePaul University in 2005 with a degree in English Literature. After graduation, he worked for a Non-Profit Agency prior to joining the financial world.

In 2019, after four years working for a small Wealth Advisory firm, Dean joined the Northwestern Mutual office in Skokie, IL. as an Associate Financial Advisor.  Dean handles our new client accounts, continued client service and new business generation.  Dean holds his series 6 & 63 licenses.  

In his free time, Dean enjoys playing golf and basketball and spending time with his family. 

Cheryl is the main point of contact to schedule time to meet with Mike or Carm. Her responsibilities include scheduling client and prospective client meetings, managing the distribution of client communications and coordinating client appreciation events.

Cheryl has been with Northwestern Mutual since 2013 and joined the Next Phase Advisory Team in 2020. She brings over 20+ years of marketing and client services experience to the team.

Cheryl graduated with degrees in Advertising and Marketing from the University of Colorado, Boulder, and lives in Naperville with her husband and two sons. She enjoys volunteering in her community, reading, fitness and is a "foodie" who loves to cook and explore new restaurants throughout the city.

Aline handles the Marketing and Event Planning for Next Phase Advisory Group as well as assists clients in the application and underwriting process of all insurance products. She is currently Life and Health Insurance licensed.

Aline joined Next Phase Advisory Group in November 2019 and has a previous background of running a successful sales and marketing office.

Aline enjoys working out and traveling any chance she gets and has a young daughter who keeps her busy with her extracurricular activities.

Katy oversees day-to-day operational procedures with the firm, handles general account administration, new client enrollment and insurance underwriting.

Katy graduated with a degree in Psychology from Dominican University. She worked in inside sales for Hormel Foods for a few years before joining Northwestern Mutual in 2007.

Katy resides in Western Springs with her husband Pat and daughter Rose. In their spare time, Katy and her family are active members of their parish. She enjoys fitness and spending time with family and friends.

Lora has been with Northwestern Mutual since 2005. She began part-time as an Associate Financial Representative while her children were in school. She currently holds her FINRA Series 6 and 63 registrations, as well as IL Life, Health, and Long-Term Care licenses. She joined Next Phase Advisory Group in November 2019 as the Client Services Associate. Lora earned both her B.A. in Economics and MBA in Marketing at the University of Cincinnati.

Lora and her husband, Jim, reside in Batavia where they raised their 2 adult sons. As a family, they enjoy their timeshare in Cabo San Lucas and fostering dogs for local rescues. Lora enjoys experimenting in the kitchen, as well as playing pickleball and competitive tennis.

Sally handles our Investment client accounts and tailors their plans to meet their personal Investment needs. She processes account changes and updates. She guides our clients through the onboarding process and aggregating their financial information.

Sally joined Northwestern Mutual in 2001. She is Series 7, 9, 10 & 63, Life, Health & Variable Insurance licensed. She graduated from Eastern Illinois University with a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration. She has been working in the securities and advisory planning services since graduation.

Sally and her husband, Mike live in Naperville, IL with their son, Jake, and their daughter, Jordan.

Elizabeth Reynolds is an Associate Financial Representative with over five years’ experience in establishing and maintaining relationships with clients.  Elizabeth started with Northwestern Mutual in 2017 as a Financial Representative Intern, where she developed a passion for the impact Northwestern Mutual has on the community.  From there, she held multiple roles including,  Internship Coordinator, Marketing, and Recruiting before transitioning to her current role. Elizabeth is Series 6 and 63 registered. 

Growing up in the small Minnesota town of Hayfield, after graduating from the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire in 2019, she was drawn to the experience of a bigger city.  Elizabeth currently resides in the suburbs with her boyfriend and two-year-old kitty, Stormi.  In her free time, she enjoys spending time with family and friends, as well as volunteering with the Marine Corps Reserve Toys for Tots Foundation.

Cody joined Next Phase Advisory Group in February 2021. He aids in our investment client’s account maintenance and updates, account openings and designs comprehensive plans to aid our clients in achieving their financial goals.

Prior to joining the Team, Cody spent half a decade working as a restoration ecologist in the Lake Bluff area. He has a Bachelor’s degree in Biology with an emphasis in Ecology from Loyola University Chicago. Cody is Series 7 and 63 registered with FINRA, as well as Illinois Life and Health licensed.

Cody and his wife, Michelle, reside in the western suburbs with their Siberian Husky, Maple. Cody practices a wide range of hobbies from gardening to Martial Arts and enjoys continually learning new skills.

Erin joined Northwestern Mutual in January 2019 as an intern, while earning her Bachelor’s degrees in Finance and Economics from North Central College. Upon graduating, she served as a Financial Representative before joining Next Phase Advisory Group in May 2020. She currently holds her FINRA Series 6, 7 and 63 registrations, as well as IL Life, Health, and Long-Term Care licenses. Behind the scenes, Erin prepares all materials for client reviews, as well as supports the new account process.

Erin resides in Wheaton with her fiancé, Nick and rescue dog, Finn. In her spare time, she enjoys watching hockey, spending time outdoors fishing and attending concerts.

Allison joined Next Phase Advisory Group in February 2022. She assists in our Investment Clients’ account maintenance and updates, account openings as well as preparing materials for client reviews.

Prior to joining the team, Allison spent four years working in several roles to ensure the safety of both municipal and bottled drinking water. She has a Bachelor of Science in Biology with an emphasis in Microbiology from Western Illinois University. Allison currently holds her FINRA Series 6 and 7 registrations, as well as Illinois Life and Health license.

Allison and her husband, Ricky, reside in the southwest suburbs with their cat, Dorian. In her free time Allison loves to read, play video games, roller-skate and experiment with cooking new dishes.

Phil handles overseeing the network operations to achieve the highest levels of productivity and profitability. He also engages in marketing externally and internally to promote Next Phase Advisory Group.

Phil joined the team in 2014 and has been with Northwestern Mutual since 2007, starting as a Financial Representative and then as Client Relations Director. He is Life, Health, Annuity and Long-Term Care licensed.

Phil enjoys spending time with his wife, Shannon, daughter, Cambria and their dog, Leo. Music is a big part of his life, including writing music, playing guitar & piano. He also enjoys mountain biking and being outdoors.