Midtown South 552 Branch Office

Nik Totaro is the Managing Director - Market Executive for the Midtown South Market of Morgan Stanley Wealth Management. The market is comprised of over 250 financial advisors supported by more than 230 service professionals. In total the market has been entrusted to manage over $100B of client assets. The Midtown South market has rich culture and legacy, something Nik and his team take immense pride in preserving and continuing.

Prior to joining Morgan Stanley in 2024, Nik spent 16 years at Merrill Lynch, having joined in 2008 as a financial advisor. He began his career in wealth management as a Financial Advisor in 2004. After 11 years as an advisor, he transitioned into leadership in 2015 and in 2018 he was recognized as one of the Top 75 branch manages in the industry by On Wall Street.

Nik attended the Charles F. Dolan School of Business at Fairfield University where he majored in Finance with a minor in accounting. While at Fairfield he was a member of the varsity football team.

He grew up in Northern New Jersey and currently resides in Darien, CT with his wife Lauren, son Niko, and daughter Ava. In his spare time Nik enjoys playing golf, fishing, cooking, coaching his kids’ sports and traveling with his family and friends.
His previous years were spent with Morgan Stanley and its predecessor firms in progressively responsible sales, business, and leadership roles having spent much of his career in the field. In his last role at Morgan Stanley, John was Director of Professional Development and responsible for the professional growth of the firm’s field management, financial advisors and home office employees. Prior to MS, he served as Chief Administrative Officer of Smith Barney, overseeing the firm’s retail branch system of more than 12,000 financial advisors.

John enjoyed his time in the various corporate roles; however he realized his real passion was being in a branch working with clients, advisors and support staff. He has spent a good portion of his career managing branches for Smith Barney throughout the North East. He began his career as a Financial Advisor after graduating with his BA from Pace University.

John, his wife Lisa and three children Ryan, Victoria and Ali live in New Jersey. During their free time they enjoy sports and travel.

Clint Clifford serves as Market Manager of Morgan Stanley’s Midtown South location, one of the firm’s largest and most dynamic markets. Clint has held multiple leadership roles throughout his career journey, progressing from financial advisor to running the National and Regional training teams, and ultimately, market leadership, building a reputation as a trusted leader and collaborative partner. Today he oversees 105 accomplished financial advisors, providing the strategic vision and resources to deliver exceptional results.

Clint’s leadership approach tethers from his passion as a dedicated coach and his core belief that “people have to know you care before you can coach.” Guided by this principle, he fosters growth, collaboration, and success for advisors and partners alike. He believes in building a culture of excellence rooted in client focus, teamwork, and integrity. Under his capable leadership, the Midtown South market continues to set the standard for growth, innovation, and client service in the Northeast.

Jeremy Autry is the Associate Market Manager for the 5th Avenue Market. He brings 25 years of financial services experience, both working in partnership with Financial Advisors and Planners, as well as serving the financial needs of individuals and families.

Prior to joining Morgan Stanley, Jeremy held roles in sales, leadership, financial planning, and wholesale distribution. His professional passion is helping financial professionals leverage the full breadth of Morgan Stanley, so that they can tailor solutions to complex client needs. He believes financial planning is the foundation of the strongest relationships and the context for smart investment decisions.

Jeremy received his Bachelor’s degree from the University of Connecticut. He also is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™.

He is originally from Southern California, where he grew up with a passion for the outdoors. He enjoys snowboarding, cycling, fishing, and when the time allows, mountaineering. He currently resides in Fairfield, CT with his wife and two sons. As a family, they have a passion for travel and good meals.

Denise Liddiard is the Associate Market Manager of Morgan Stanley’s Midtown South location in
New York City. Denise has over 20 years of industry experience in both sales and management roles and uses the vast resources of Morgan Stanley to support Financial Advisors in serving their clients and growing their practices. Before joining Morgan Stanley in 2022, she served as both Client Service Group Manager and Associate Regional Director with J.P. Morgan Advisors in the San Francisco and New York City offices.

Denise graduated from Coe College with a BA in Economics and Business Administration. She then
continued her studies with Northwestern Kellogg earning an MBA.

Denise has lived in Chicago, San Francisco, and now New York City. In her free time, she can be
found with her two small dogs, Oscar and Georgie, rooting for the Iowa Hawkeyes, and exploring the Northeast part of the United States which has become home.

Vincenzo Cimino joined Morgan Stanley in 2011 in the Branch Inspections Department. In September 2018, he was promoted to Complex Risk Officer at the Park Avenue Plaza complex. After three years, he was offered the Senior Risk Officer role at the 5th Avenue Market in Midtown Manhattan. Vincenzo is responsible for managing a team of 6 Risk Officers that conduct risk management & oversight for a market of 251 Financial Advisors who hold in aggregate roughly $100B in client assets as of November 2025.

Vincenzo has been on the risk and compliance side of the wealth management business for the past 11 years. Prior to Morgan Stanley, he was with Park Avenue Securities working as a Branch Examinations Auditor for both their investment and insurance business.

Vincenzo graduated from Queens College, in New York and attended La Sapienza University in Rome, Italy and attained his bachelor’s degrees in political science. He enjoys traveling, cooking and spending time with family and friends. Vincenzo currently resides in Williston Park, New York with his wife Josephine and two children Alessandra and Mario.

Jennifer started her career at TD Waterhouse Securities. In 2004, she was recruited to Morgan Stanley as the Corporate Actions Service Manager and in 2007 was promoted to Complex Service Manager for the 1211 Avenue of the Americas branch. She has been a member of the management team at Park Avenue Plaza, now referred to as Midtown South, for over 17 years.

Through her experience and education, Jennifer has developed a keen business acumen and unwavering professional resolve. Her strong leadership enables a culture that allows both our clients and business partners to enjoy a level of trust in and loyalty to Morgan Stanley. Jennifer is passionate about retaining, attracting, and developing the most talented individuals in the industry.

Jennifer holds a Bachelor’s of Science in Business Administration from Villanova University. She is involved in outside charity work and takes part in Villanova alumni events that includes the Morgan Stanley Mentorship Program. She resides on Long Island with her husband James and daughters, Julianne and Ashley.

Zach Venning is a 10-year U.S. Army Special Operations Veteran with a focus on counterterrorism operations throughout Southeast Asia. After a decade of service, he transitioned into the financial services sector, where he has spent the past five years building a diverse and impactful career. His experience includes financial advisor recruiting, venture capital investing, and most recently, serving as a Private Wealth Management (PWM) investment consultant, working with international clients and corporate stock plans.
Currently based in Westchester, New York, Zach lives with his fiancée, Gabrielle, and son, Valentino. Outside of his professional responsibilities, he is deeply committed to supporting fellow veterans, mentoring those in transition through an interpersonal psychotherapy initiative led by The Columbia University in the City of New York. Zach holds a bachelor’s in marketing, M.B.A in Advanced Corporate Finance, and a Master’s of Science in Sustainability Management. An avid outdoorsman and adventurer, he spends his free time riding motorcycles, sailing, and enjoying winter sports with his family.

Dominique Hicks is a dedicated financial planning director and CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ professional at Morgan Stanley’s Wealth Management office in New York, NY, specializing in financial planning solutions that encompass estate and legacy planning, charitable giving, retirement strategies, executive compensation, and next-generation planning. Based in Stony Brook, NY, Dominique earned her BS in Accounting from the State University of New York at Old Westbury and achieved her CFP^® designation through rigorous education and examination, underscoring her commitment to the highest standards in financial planning. With a profound passion for finance, Dominique has worked with 500+ financial advisors, utilizing her expertise to contribute to the financial security of families and communities.

Prior to joining Morgan Stanley, Dominique spent 7 years as a financial advisor and private client banker at Merrill Lynch and JP Morgan Chase, where she focused on helping clients achieve their goals through financial planning. Dominique cherishes time spent with her loved ones. As a proud mother of two, their joyful presence inspires her to cultivate a happier and more prosperous life.

Dominique is also passionate about mentoring youth, sharing her financial knowledge and empowering the next generation to make informed financial decisions. Dominique Hicks’ diverse background, commitment to financial excellence, and dedication to community support exemplify her role as a trusted financial planning director, guiding clients toward financial success while making a meaningful impact in the lives of others.

Jean is the Senior Regional Training Specialist for New York City. Jean enhances advisors’ businesses through tailored coaching sessions to efficiently manage their practice at scale and offer the full firm as a connection between management, product specialists, and market leaders.
He incorporates a modern wealth management approach centered around financial planning, client engagement, and tax efficiency during engaged prescriptive meetings analyzing an existing book of business and discovering growth opportunities for business development and practice management.