Meet the Team

Tony Velasquez​

Office: 219.214.1212 Direct: 630.214.1149 tony@wiselyadvised.com

Born into a hard working blue collar family Tony realized at a very young age that if you want to succeed in life you have to work hard and plan for the future. Tony watched his parent’s raise a family of six on a construction workers salary. At times it wasn’t easy but they always provided for the family. Watching first hand the sacrifices they made helped Tony learn important life lessons that have stuck with him ever since. After graduating from Columbia College Chicago, Tony was offered a position to work at a prestigious investment firm in Oak Brook, IL. Excited about the opportunities that were presented to him he accepted the offer.

After working there for three years, and earning a promotion – Tony began to realize that working for a large investment firm wasn’t the path for him.  He knew he wanted to help more people than he currently could at the investment firm so he struck out on his own.

Tony now runs Wisely Advised, LLC a full-service Registered Investment Advisory Firm.  Wisely Advised offers financial planning and investment management to individuals, families, and businesses. 

When Tony isn’t in the office working, you can find him with his wife Kelli and their three children, Jorge, Theodore, & Presley.  Whether it’s traveling, being at the beach, or at his family’s ranch in Texas, Tony loves enjoying time with his family and friends. 

Maria Bushey

Director of Operations

Born and raised in Northwest Indiana, Maria began her academic journey at Indiana University Northwest, where she pursued a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration and a Minor in Human Resources and Management.  In 2020, she proudly graduated, equipped with knowledge in the detailed workings of the business world. Her professional path led her to the mortgage industry, where she found her niche in the analytical department.  

After working her way into a management position, Maria decided to take her professional path in a different direction.  Rooted in her hometown, she discovered a profound passion for helping individuals within her community and making an impact on people’s lives.  In her journey, she discovered Wisely Advised, where her goals were aligned with that of the company. Maria began working with Wisely Advised in June of 2023 as the Director of Operations, where she is continuing her education to bring the most to her professional position and personal development. 

She is passionate about using her analytical skills and business knowledge to help the company achieve its goals, while continuing to search for new avenues of development.

When Maria is outside the office, she can often be found spending time with family and friends, or her niece and nephew.  Maria likes to travel and spend time in the outdoors hiking and enjoying nature.

Ken Michaels

Office: 219.900.0053 Ken@wiselyadvised.com

Ken began his Financial Planning & Investment Advisory career at Wisely Advised as an intern in 2021. During his two-year internship Ken learned firsthand what it takes to be a top performing advisor. Throughout his time with Wisely Advised Ken realized that by putting himself in his client’s shoes he was able to view their desired financial outcomes. Together Ken works hand in hand with his clients to understand each of their financial goals so that he can formulate a plan to help them achieve their desired outcomes.


While interning at Wisely Advised, Ken attended Indiana University Northwest where he graduated with a bachelor’s degree in business. While attending school full-time and interning Ken also launched a financial blog; Money Talks, which highlights several of today’s financial planning and investment topics in an easy-to-read format.


When Ken isn’t in the office you can find him spending time with his friends and family. Ken is also a numismatist who enjoys collecting coins and currency. He is a member of Good Fellow Coin Club located in Northwest Indiana where he proudly serves as the Marketing Chair.

Chris Deems, CPA​

Office: 708.572.3000
Direct: 708.572.3001
chris@wiselyadvised.com

Chris grew up in the south suburbs of Chicago in a hard-working, blue-collar family.  Watching his father work as a local 2-elevator mechanic for over 35 years taught Chris the value of a hard day’s work.

​As a teen, Chris spent most of his summer days caddying at Midlothian Country Club where he discovered that he wanted to work in the business world.  He knew it would take hard work to advance himself, but wasn’t afraid of a challenge.
 
After graduating from Indiana University’s Kelley School of Business, Chris went to work at a well-established accounting firm in Orland Park, IL.  While getting to know the ins and outs of the accounting trade, Chris decided to continue his education and earn a Post Baccalaureate Certificate in Accounting.
 
When Chris isn’t handling payroll or tax returns, he loves traveling the world with his wife, Katie.  In his downtime, he can be found hanging out with his family, friends, or his dog Guinness.  One of his passions since his days at Midlothian Country Club is golf, so you might even catch him out on the golf course getting beat by Tony!