Atlanta Buckhead Market Office

Securities Agent: CA, FL, GA, HI, MA, NC, SC, OK; Investment Advisor Representative; BM/Supervisor; General Securities Representative; Transactional Futures/Commodities; Managed Futures

FA, National Training Officer, Manager of Financial Advisory Associate Training, Branch Manager, Complex Manager; Locations – Ft. Lauderdale, Hartford, Orlando, Hartford, Atlanta

I believe my main responsibility is to attract, develop, motivate and retain the highest quality Advisors, support professionals and management team leaders. My philosophy is to create a positive, stimulating environment for my colleagues by fostering an environment filled with value-driven individuals who share the same vision of delivering exceptional advice and experiences that consistently exceed expectations. By providing this type of environment, I feel that Advisors will be in strong positions to take great care of their clients, continue to grow personally and have the ability to build reputations that will be well respected in their communities.



Licenses – Series 3, 7, 9. 10 and 66
Certification – Chartered Alternative Investment Analyst

Max Hilsman is an Executive Director and PWM Regional Manager for the Southeast. He has 20 years of wealth management experience and has spent his entire career in finance at the firm.

An Atlanta native, Max attended the United States Military Academy at West Point. Upon graduation, he and his wife Ingrid (also a native Atlantan) moved to Germany where they lived for three years. Max was twice deployed to the former Yugoslavia in both Bosnia and Kosovo. He finished his tour with the US Army at Ft Benning, GA where Max served as an instructor at the Officer Candidate School.

Max began his career in finance as a Financial Advisor. He subsequently moved into management and has held many leadership positions across the Southeast.

As the PWM Regional Manager for the Southeast, Max is responsible for connecting Ultra High
Net Worth Clients and the advisors who serve them, to the entire firm. He helps advisors and
clients curate and navigate the challenges of significant wealth by triangulating the vast
resources available at Morgan Stanley.

Max has a constructive outlook for the PWM business. He believes the firm’s commitment to investing in infrastructure, its people and resources will continue to create a competitive advantage for the group and its clients.


Outside of work, Max is a passionate supporter of numerous Veteran Support organizations and enjoys the adventures of being a dad to his two adult children.

Trish Pagoaga is a Managing Director and Sub Market Manager of the Morgan Stanley Buckhead Market Office. She started her career in Wealth Management over 30 years ago as a Client Service Associate at Merrill Lynch and has served in a variety of branch and corporate roles all focused on the Wealth Management client.
Throughout her career, Trish has implemented and participated in initiatives focused on delivering a first-class client experience through coaching, mentoring and empowering those around her.
Prior to her current role as Branch Manager, Trish led the Field Services Organization for Morgan Stanley Wealth Management. In this role Trish was responsible for overseeing over 7,000 Support Professionals and 500 Service Managers in the field. She was instrumental in creating the support professional team roles that have become a critical component of our teams today. She worked closely on national projects with many internal organizations that impact the field including Legal, Risk, Compliance, Compensation, Advisor Training, Investment Solutions, Human Resources, and Finance.
As a Branch Manager, Trish is charged with assisting Financial Advisors and Support Professionals in growing the business, delivering exceptional client service and managing risk. She partners and coaches the Financial Advisors in her branch on how to adapt to changes in the market and leverage the wide array of tools available to Morgan Stanley advisors. Utilizing her vast experience in both field and home office roles, Trish assists her advisors in removing obstacles to reach their goals.
In 2020, Trish was honored to be nominated by her colleagues and selected as a MAKER at Morgan Stanley. This achievement recognized Trish among a class of groundbreakers, innovators and advocates, who sponsor and champion women’s advancement. She is actively involved in HER Way, an initiative led by Morgan Stanley female advisors that focuses on empowering women investors through education.
Trish is a strong believer in giving back and does so through dedicating time to mentoring professionals within Morgan Stanley and the industry. She also volunteers as a mentor for American Corporate Partners, an organization dedicated to assisting veterans in entering the corporate workplace after leaving the military.
Trish and her husband Dennis have two sons and live in Marietta, GA. In her spare time Trish enjoys spending time with family and friends, gardening and reading.

Meredith Jordan is a Senior Vice President and Associate Market Manager for the Atlanta Buckhead Complex. She has over 20 years of wealth management experience and has been with Morgan Stanley since 2006. As a member of the Complex leadership team, she plays a key role in the overall management of all aspects of the Complex. Her responsibilities include sourcing and developing the next generation of financial advisors, maintaining a superior and consistent level of client service, developing cohesive teams and providing consistent leadership.

Meredith graduated from Florida State University with a degree in Finance and holds her Series 7, 66, 24, 9, 10, 3, 4, 31 and 53. She lives in Sandy Springs with her husband and two children. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her family and traveling when she can.

Christine Lu is an Atlanta native with over 12 years of Wealth Management industry experience. She joined Morgan Stanley in 2012 and holds the FINRA Series 3, 7, 9, 10, 66 as well as insurance licenses. Christine’s primary responsibility is to lead and supervise all service and business functions in the Buckhead Complex. Her focus is on consistency and the overall client experience. Christine joins us in Buckhead with experience at various different levels of the service organization with perspective from multiple complexes with Morgan Stanley. Christine has strong relationships throughout the firm that she utilizes to ensure advocacy for the overall complex. Christine oversees a team of five business service officers in the complex who partner closely with our Financial Advisors, Support Professionals and, operations team.

Christine is a UGA graduate with a degree in finance. Christine and her husband welcomed their daughter in 2021 and have been thrilled with the joy becoming parents. She is an animal lover and her family also includes two dogs and a cat. Christine enjoys being outdoors, is an avid hiker, and enjoys travelling.

Connie Visco is the Market Business Service Officer in Morgan Stanley’s PWM Southeast office in Atlanta.

Connie began her career trading commodities but soon moved into management. Her focus has been in the Ultra High Net Worth space for over 25 years. Prior to joining Morgan Stanley, Connie worked at Credit Suisse as a Director in Private Wealth Management. Balancing her time between Private Wealth Advisors and Support Professionals, she strives to create a service environment conducive to a positive client experience.

Connie graduated from University of Georgia with degrees in Economics and Secondary Education. Outside of Morgan Stanley, she enjoys her two dogs, gardening, cheering for the Bulldogs and any beach time she can get. Connie is happy to have both her grown children close by in the Atlanta area.

Denny has been in Wealth Management for over 26 years with his entire career at Morgan Stanley. Prior to becoming a Risk Officer, Denny has been a supervisor in the margin department and a Branch Operations Manager. Denny found his calling in Risk and has held various positions in this area for the past 20 years.

Denny’s mission in his role as Senior Complex Risk Officer is to partner with Financial Advisors on helping them navigate the complex regulatory environment so they can provide the best service to their clients. Denny oversees a team of four Risk Officers who have the same objective.

Denny graduated from the University of South Florida with a Bachelor of Art’s degree in Communication. He enjoys spending time with his wife and two children both of who are attending college, running, and playing golf. He holds FINRA Series 3, 7, 8, 24, 63 and 65 licenses.

Chris Brantley is a First Vice President and PWM Senior Risk Officer for the Southeast. Drawing on 2 decades of experience in the Ultra-Hight Net Worth sphere, he is responsible for a variety of supervisory, compliance, and risk functions for the Southeastern PWM Region.

Prior to this role, he spent five years as the Assistant Branch Administrative Manager for the Southeast and Mid-Atlantic PWM Regions. He began his career as a Client Service Associate for the Atlanta PWM office.

Chris graduated from Oglethorpe University with a Bachelor of Art’s in Communications. He resides in Atlanta with his dog Titan. Outside of work, he enjoys playing the piano, reading, and baking.

Roxana Farrar is an accomplished Business Development Manager with 16 years of experience in the finance industry. Known for her resourcefulness and servient leadership style, Roxana excels at connecting people together and fostering collaboration. Her expertise lies in identifying strategic opportunities and driving growth for organizations.

With a passion for exploration, Roxana finds joy in traveling to new destinations, immersing herself in diverse cultures, and gaining valuable insights along the way. When she's not jet-setting, she can often be found engrossed in a captivating book, expanding her knowledge and broadening her perspectives.

In addition to her professional pursuits, Roxana cherishes spending quality time with her two children. As a dedicated parent, she prioritizes creating lasting memories and nurturing their personal development.

Roxana Farrar embodies a unique blend of business acumen, interpersonal skills, and a zest for life. Through her collaborative approach and unwavering dedication, she continues to make a significant impact in the world of finance while finding fulfillment in her personal journey.

Alex Harbin is the Complex Administrator for the Atlanta Buckhead Complex. Alex’s goal is to ensure her colleagues have the tools and resources they need to best serve their businesses, and provide necessary support. In addition, she supports the Complex Senior Leadership team with year-round support and strategic efforts. She is also focused on fostering a culture of fun and philanthropic environment.

Alex leads the Complex’s philanthropic efforts including fundraising for The Atlanta Mission, Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, Emory Winship Cancer Institute, For The Kid, Inc., and Atlanta Food Bank.

She received BA/Public Relations from the University of Georgia. She enjoys travel, reading, dining, wine, and animals. Alex is married. The couple have a yellow lab named Lilly and they live in Atlanta.