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Guests & Co-Hosts

Karl Denninger

Karl Denninger is an American technology businessman, finance blogger, and political activist, sometimes referred to as a founding member of the Tea Party movement.

Denninger was the founder and CEO of MCSNet in Chicago. Opened as Macro Computer Solutions, Incorporated in 1987, it expanded its service offerings in 1993 to become one of the area’s first commercial internet service providers. Among its customers was the Chicago Public Library, which relied on MCSNet for both internet access and web hosting. In 1997 he led a coalition of ISPs in setting up the Enhanced Domain Name System, a short-lived alternative DNS root which allowed registrants to add their own generic top-level domains. Denninger continued to run MCSNet until August 1998, when he sold it to Winstar Communications for an undisclosed amount. For his efforts, the Chicago Sun-Times dubbed him one of “the movers and shakers who brought Chicago into the Internet Age”. After the sale of MCSNet, he moved to Florida, where he began to devote more time to stock trading and political activism.

Chris Manns

Christopher Manns manages PTI Securities & Futures’ global commodities area and is a research analyst. He devotes much of his time to monitoring and analyzing the latest international commodities reports and financial research. This allows him to keep the firm’s management well informed so that they can, in turn, apprise their clients on pertinent information. Christopher has more than 18 years of securities and financial services experience. Prior to joining PTI Securities, he was a floor broker for AE Staley at the Chicago Board of Trade, and worked for the grain division of Rodman & Renshaw. He has authored many commodities articles and training materials, and speaks English, Spanish and Portuguese. Christopher earned a bachelor’s degree in economics from Catholic University of America in Washington, DC. Christopher lives with his wife in Chicago’s Gold Coast neighborhood. Read more.

Bob Russell

Mayor Russell has been a resident of the City of Pontiac for over 31 years.  He moved here from Ottawa, IL and grew up in the small town of Earlville, which is located about 30 miles north of Ottawa.

He moved to Pontiac in 1979 to open an Engineering and Land Development office. He operated that business and retired in March, 2011. Prior to that Mayor Russell worked eight years in the engineering department for LaSalle County Highways and three years as construction superintendent for a roadway construction and ready mix concrete company. He is a licensed Professional Land Surveyor in the State of Illinois.

While in Pontiac, Mayor Russell has served on the Pontiac Library Board, the St. James Hospital Advisory Board, the First of America Bank Board, the Martin Luther Home Board and various other service group boards.

In 1992, he was asked to fill the vacant seat of a councilman who had become ill. He agreed to accept that appointment and served as a councilman in the 1st Ward for 17 years before being elected mayor in the spring of 2009.

Mayor Russell’s children attended Pontiac Grade School, Pontiac Junior High and Pontiac Township High School. During those years, he was a coach for Peanut League and Little League baseball teams and coached the High School Boys Club traveling basketball team.

He and his wife, Susan, have four children and seven grandchildren.

John Neal

John Neal directs PTI Securities’ Glendale, Arizona office serving the firm’s clients in the Phoenix metro area and across the Western U.S. He oversees day-to-day operations, including client services, investor education, staff management and marketing. John has more than 12 years of management experience in the securities and financial services industry. He joined PTI Securities in 2003 in this role. Prior to that time, he was a branch manager with Phoenix area firms, Granite Capital Management and, most recently, Independent Financial Management. A native of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, John earned a bachelor’s degree in international management from Arizona State University in Tempe. Away from work, John enjoys reading, live music and outdoor activities. He also volunteers with the St. Vincent De Paul Society and the Lupus Foundation of America. Married with two children, John and his family live in Peoria, Arizona.

David Andalman

Technical Analyst, DACS Research, PTI Securities & Futures

David Andalman joins the Stocks & Jocks show every Monday and Wednesday morning. He was born and raised in Chicago, Illinois and earned his bachelor's degree in Engineering from the University of Illinois, and then his MBA in Finance and Marketing from Indiana University. David traded for a year at the MidAmerica Commodity Exchange before starting the DACS Research Newsletters on commodity futures, which were the first all-technical research newsletters at the CME. Currently, he has been a senior wealth manager and portfolio strategist for over 23 years. He holds registrations in Series 3, 4 (Options Principal), 7, 55, 63 and is a registered Commodity Trading Advisor. Read more.