People

Peter has over 34 years of experience in the financial industry. In addition to working with individual clients and families, Peter acts as portfolio manager for the North Star Micro Cap Fund, the North Star Dividend Fund, the North Star Bond Fund, the North Star Opportunity Fund and the North Star Small Cap Value Fund. Peter has served as the treasurer of a number of charitable and political organizations, and as a director of a Chicago-area bank, a publicly traded business development company, and a community hospital. Peter holds a Certified Trust and Fiduciary Advisor designation and earned his B.B.A. from the University of Michigan Ross School of Business. Peter and his family live in Chicago.

Eric has over 40 years of experience serving both individual and institutional clients. As Chairman of the Investment Committee, Eric is responsible for overseeing the firm’s various investment strategies. Eric acts as portfolio manager for the North Star Micro Cap Fund, the North Star Opportunity Fund, the North Star Bond Fund, the North Star Dividend Fund and the North Star Small Cap Value Fund. Eric holds an M.B.A. in Finance as well as a B.A. in Economics from The University of Chicago. Eric and his family live in Lake Forest, Illinois.

Eric has 25 years of experience in the financial services industry. He provides customized, comprehensive family office services which includes developing and confirming financial plans and investment strategies, reviewing investment performance, acting as a fiduciary liaison, and administering complex financial situations for High Net Worth individuals and families. Eric began his career in retail banking with NBD Bank and quickly transitioned within the parent organization to Trust & Asset Management with American National Bank/Bank One/JPMorgan Chase. Since 2004 and until joining North Star in 2020, Eric worked in Wealth Management for MB Financial Bank (now Fifth Third) most recently as Senior Vice President and Managing Director of Investment Advisory Services. Additionally, he also served as a Relationship Manager and/or Senior Investment Advisor for High Net Worth clients during his entire tenure with the bank. Eric earned his M.B.A. from DePaul University’s Kellstadt Graduate School of Business as well as his B.A. in Economics from the University of Michigan. He is also a Certified Financial Planner (TM). Eric and his family live in Downers Grove, Illinois.

Harry has over 27 years of experience in the financial industry. In addition to working with individual clients and high net worth families, Harry acts as a Vice President for the North Star Family Office. He has experience in trust and estate administration as well as all aspects of financial planning experience that he practiced while working at Mid City National Bank, US Bank and MB Financial Bank, where he specialized in providing a broad range of financial services to families with multi-generational wealth. Harry has a Series 65 license and has received a Bachelor of Science in Business from North Park University and an MBA from Lake Forest Graduate School. Harry and his family live in Arlington Heights, Illinois.

Shannon is Director of Client Services and Operations at North Star Investment Management. Shannon is responsible for client relations and administration of customer accounts. Responsibilities include managing all aspects of Family Office relationships with multiple generations and family lines. She also oversees and manages Black Diamond, the firms performance reporting platform. Shannon has over 20 years of office administration experience. Shannon earned her undergraduate degree at Columbia College and is currently seeking her MBA from Lake Forest Graduate School of Management. Shannon and her family reside in in Rolling Meadows, IL.

Renee Hampton, Executive Administrator has over 40 years of office management and administrative support for clients. She has previous experience with BNR Partners, LLC, who provided family office services to high net worth individuals and their families. She also has experience with financial management and facilities management at Cremer, Kopon, Shaughnessy, Jansen and Siegert, LLC, Attorneys at Law, and Berg, DeMarco, Lewis, Sawatski & Co. a well known accounting firm in Northbrook, Illinois. Her role included administrative support for clients, personal/business mail, paying bills reconciling bank statements. Establishing relationships with property and casualty insurance, evaluate current insurance coverage for clients, including homeowners, automobile and personal umbrella limits. Domestic concierge, process medical claims and other insurance claims. Building relationships with other professionals such as asset managers, bankers and private equity professionals, attorney.

Matthew has over 18 years of industry experience and assists clients with financial planning and acts as an investment adviser for their portfolios. From 1996 to August of 2005, Matthew served in various capacities for W.W. Grainger, Inc., and was a senior financial analyst, investments supervisor, business analysis manager, and director of finance; he also was responsible for selecting the investment managers for the company’s profit-sharing plan as well as employee educational programs related to retirement planning. Matthew serves on the board of directors of Flanagan State Bank, a Central Illinois financial institution operating since 1913. Designations: Matthew is a CFA charter holder and in 2020, Matthew earned the CKA, Certified Kingdom Advisor designation. Matthew earned his B.S. in Finance and Economics from Elmhurst College and his M.B.A. from Illinois State University.

Sharon has over 20 years in financial services, much of that in the banking industry, with positions at Bank of America, Chase Bank, and ABN Amro Bank, as a commercial lender, product specialist, and consultant for training. In 2005 she left banking and joined Mickey Lefton as a financial planner, and in 2010 they both joined North Star Investment Management Corp. Her work centers on the issues of women and people who are interested in making financial decisions that support life goals. This includes education for clients and encouraging them to increase their knowledge of financial issues. Sharon was chairman of the board for the FPA Illinois in 2014, is an instructor at Northwestern University, and speaks to groups around Chicago advocating financial literacy. Designations: Certified Financial Planner, Insurance licenses, MBA from Indiana University.

Mike has over 30 years of financial and insurance industry experience. He is responsible for providing guidance to corporate and personal clients in the areas of insurance, benefits, and investment planning. He holds designations as a Chartered Life Underwriter (CLU) and Chartered Financial Consultant (ChFC) from The American College. Registrations: Series 6 and 63, Insurance Licenses: Life, Health and Accident, Variable, and Long-Term Care. Mike earned his undergraduate degree from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Mike lives with his family in Highland Park.

Sherri has over 20 years of industry experience. She is responsible for client relations, benefit operations, and overseeing plan administration. Sherri earned her undergraduate degree at Northeastern Illinois University and lives with her family in Arlington Heights, Illinois. Insurance Licenses: Life, Health, and Accident.

Melissa is responsible for executing all equity and fixed-income trades for the firm. Melissa has 20 years of industry experience. Registrations: Series 7, 63, and 65. Melissa received her B.A. in Psychology from the University of Wisconsin and her M.B.A. from DePaul University.

Andy joined North Star in 2015 and is responsible for oversight of the firm’s compliance. Prior to joining North Star, Andy served in various positions, including general counsel for a futures clearing firm, compliance specialist at a registered custodian, options trader at a proprietary trading firm, and litigation attorney. Andy received his B.A. in Sociology from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and his J.D. from John Marshall Law School. Andy and his family live in Highland Park. Registrations: Series 7 and 24.

Sandy has over 50 years of experience in the financial services industry. She started her career at Thomson & McKinnon as gal in the steno pool and relief switchboard operator. She raised her hand to learn more and do more and eventful became a branch manager in Chesterfield, MO and was there for 29 years when Prudential took them over. Sandy worked at Source Capital in Connecticut for 5 years and then joined North Star 19 years ago. Sandy brings to the table her years of industry experience, specifically problem solving and assisting the advisors and administrative assistants. She lives in Michigan with her family and commutes to the North Star Chicago office. She loves to bake, go to antique fairs and take the corvette for a drive along Lake Michigan.

Vanetta has over 6 years of experience in the financial services industry and 10 years of customer service experience. Her responsibilities include client service support and office administration. Vanetta attended Columbia College for Business and Entrepreneurship. Vanetta and her family live in Oak Park, Illinois.

Shellie is responsible for client relations and administration of customer accounts. Shellie and her family live in Highland Park, Illinois.

Shelley graduated in 1992 from the University of Wisconsin-Madison with a degree in Communications. She has over 20 years of experience in the financial industry. She began her career in 1992 at Rodman & Renshaw, a boutique Chicago wealth management firm. While at Rodman, she supported four wealth advisers and handled the day to day operations while servicing clients. She then joined Goldman Sachs in 1996 as a Client Analyst. At Goldman Shelley worked for a team of Investment Professionals in a fast paced environment while also servicing high net worth clients. She coordinated the implementation and rebalancing as part of the team’s portfolio management process, as well as managed cash balances and private banking services in client accounts. Shelley left Goldman in 2008 to stay at home and raise her 3 children. She re-entered the workforce in 2020 when her husband Alan formed Trails Wealth Advisers where she serviced the firm’s clients and helped run the operational side of the business. Shelley joined North Star in March 2024.

June is responsible for a wide range of the firm’s marketing, trading, technology and various operational responsibilities. June received her undergraduate degree in Finance from Robert Morris University after attending UMass in Boston, and is from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. June has over 25 years of financial services experience and has a Series 7 and 63.

Brooke works across the North Star Fund Family in various functional areas such as Research and Marketing. Her efforts also involve directing the seasonal intern program and conducting community outreach. Prior to joining North Star full-time, Brooke spent 4 years as an intern studying the firm’s investment philosophy and strategies. Brooke received her Bachelors of Science in Business Administration from the University of Southern California. Outside of the office, she enjoys playing tennis and going to the Farmers Market.