HALO Advisory Group

12/07/2025

A heartfelt thank you to the Woodstock Institute Board of Directors and President Horacio Mendez for inviting our Founder and Principal, Lou Sandoval, to serve as keynote speaker at this year’s Small Business Finance Conference. It was an honor to stand with leaders who are committed to expanding financial inclusion and strengthening opportunities for small businesses across Illinois.

Lou shared insights from his work as an entrepreneur, board director, and former statewide business leader. His keynote focused on the need to modernize how capital reaches the businesses that drive our communities forward. Highlights included:

• The growing challenges facing the missing middle of small businesses
• How technology and modern underwriting can open doors for more entrepreneurs
• The continued importance of trust, transparency and strong relationships in lending
• The opportunity to build a coordinated statewide capital strategy that fuels growth

We are grateful for the warm welcome and the meaningful conversations that followed. Thank you again to the entire Woodstock Institute team for the impact you make every day.

12/06/2025

𝗣𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝘀𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗛𝗮𝗹𝗼 𝗔𝗱𝘃𝗶𝘀𝗼𝗿𝘆 𝗚𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗽 𝗙𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗣𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗰𝗶𝗽𝗮𝗹 𝗟𝗼𝘂 𝗦𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗼𝘃𝗮𝗹 𝗶𝘀 𝗳𝗲𝗮𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝗶𝗻 𝗖𝗿𝗮𝗶𝗻’𝘀 𝗖𝗵𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗴𝗼 𝗕𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝘄𝗲𝗲𝗸 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗮𝗻 𝗼𝗽-𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗮𝗸𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗮 𝗰𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝘁𝗿𝘂𝘁𝗵 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗰𝗶𝘁𝘆’𝘀 𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗼𝗺𝗶𝗰 𝗳𝘂𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲.

Chicago’s ability to grow depends on creating conditions that allow employers to thrive. Lou calls out the disconnect between stated priorities and lived reality for businesses across the Loop and beyond.

One line captures it clearly:

“𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙥𝙖𝙩𝙝 𝙛𝙤𝙧𝙬𝙖𝙧𝙙 𝙞𝙨 𝙣𝙤𝙩 𝙘𝙤𝙢𝙥𝙡𝙞𝙘𝙖𝙩𝙚𝙙. 𝙍𝙚𝙨𝙩𝙤𝙧𝙚 𝙨𝙖𝙛𝙚𝙩𝙮, 𝙧𝙚𝙙𝙪𝙘𝙚 𝙛𝙧𝙞𝙘𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙚𝙢𝙥𝙡𝙤𝙮𝙚𝙧𝙨, 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙛𝙤𝙘𝙪𝙨 𝙤𝙣 𝙜𝙧𝙤𝙬𝙩𝙝.”

At Halo Advisory Group, we see this every day in our work with companies navigating inflection points. Growth happens where clarity, stability, and partnership exist. The city’s economic engines deserve nothing less.

Grateful to Crain's Chicago Business for elevating this conversation and to the many leaders working to strengthen Chicago’s competitiveness.

Read the full Op-Ed: https://www.chicagobusiness.com/opinion/chicago-cant-grow-if-city-hall-undermines-economic-engines-opinion

The past week in Chicago should serve as a long-overdue wake-up call for anyone concerned about our central business district’s economic health.

11/27/2025

Si We wish you a peaceful Thanksgiving Holiday. We are most grateful for all of our clients, colleagues and friends and wish you the very best this Holiday Season.

In Observance of the Thanksgiving Holiday, our offices will be closed from November 26-28 and reopen for normal business hours on Monday December 1st.

11/18/2025

At Halo Advisory Group, we believe that business leadership matters now more than ever.
Today, we are proud to share that our Founder and Chairman, Lou Sandoval (Former President and CEO of the Illinois Chamber of Commerce), published an important op-ed in the Chicago Tribune titled:

“Who speaks for business when companies stay silent?”

In a time when confidence in government is at historic lows and traditional advocacy channels are often limited, Lou raises a critical question about the role of business leaders in shaping the economic future of our communities. His message is clear:
Silence has a cost. Growth requires courage. And leadership requires a voice.

At Halo Advisory Group, this philosophy is at the core of the work we do. We partner with executives, founders and organizations to help them think boldly, act strategically and lead with clarity in complex environments. Lou’s commentary reflects the same commitment to independence, integrity and pro-growth thinking that guides our firm every day.

We invite you to read the full op-ed and join the conversation about what it means to advocate for a stronger, more competitive future for Illinois and the nation.

Read the Chicago Tribune op-ed here: https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/11/17/opinion-business-immigration-raids-chicago-speaking-out/

11/15/2025

We’re proud to welcome back Founder & Board Chair Lou Sandoval after his impactful tenure as President & CEO of the Illinois Chamber of Commerce.

Lou returns with deeper insight into how policy, technology, and business transformation intersect , strengthening Halo’s work with CEOs, PE partners, and growth-focused companies.

His leadership enhances our mission to help organizations unlock clarity, accelerate growth, and build future-ready enterprises.

11/13/2025

Congratulations to Founder Lou Sandoval on being named to the 2026 .titan100 ! So Well deserved for a visionary leader! 💪🏼l

11/13/2025

Thank you 🙏🏼 Veterans !

12/20/2024

To All of our Customers, Clients, and Friends:

On behalf of our management team and board, we wish you a very Happy Holiday Season!

Holiday Hours: December 23- January 1. - Closed

11/28/2024

We wish all of our clients and friends a Very Happy Thanksgiving Holiday.

Our offices will be closed Thanksgiving Thursday and Friday and Will Re-Open on Monday December 2nd.

10/12/2024

Congratulations to Halo Advisory Group Founder and Board member Lou Sandoval .0 on his recognition on BoardProspects’ list of “100 Hispanic Board Members Making A Difference.” Mr. Sandoval also serves on the board at .

07/04/2024

Happy Birthday USA🇺🇸