John Griffin is an Executive Director, Family Wealth Director, Portfolio Manager and Alternative Investments Director in the Private Wealth Management division of Morgan Stanley. John has worked with successful executives, business owners and entrepreneurs for over 25 years – assisting in the sale of a family business, raising capital, protecting assets, investing the proceeds of a transaction and structuring portfolios to preserve and grow family wealth as well as transfer legacy assets to the next generation or a philanthropic priority. John has enjoyed developing strong and lasting relationships with the heirs of family-owned businesses.
Each of John’s clients are unique- requiring a familiarity with complexity and specialization. Clients have benefitted from his tenured experiences trading municipal bonds for a Wall Street firm or leading the investment committee as a trustee of a large university endowment. John’s additional certifications and personal commitment to rigorous continuing education have been hallmarks of his career and impactful to his clients.
John has recently partnered with Robert V. Kyle and Wendy Masse, CIMA®, CDFA® to form the ThirtyFive/24 Wealth Management Group in an effort to enhance his services supporting Ultra-High Net-worth Individuals and families.
John is very active in Philadelphia based nonprofit organizations. He currently serves on the Board of Independence Blue Cross and Roman Catholic High School. He previously served on the board of St. Joseph’s University and the Philadelphia School Partnership. John graduated magna cum laude with a B.S. from St. Joseph’s University, an MBA from Drexel University and completed additional investment management studies at Yale University School of Management. He was previously the successful men’s head basketball coach of Siena College and St. Joseph’s University.
John believes very strongly in acting as an advocate for his clients. He started his career as a high school teacher and feels that his current work is an extension of his commitment of service to others. He believes in the empowerment of women, the education of the next generation and the importance of diversity and inclusion. He enjoys helping elite athletes become owners of their own businesses and consulting nonprofits on how to best use their endowments to have a meaningful social impact.
Capabilities
- Tax, Trust & Estate Advisory
- Philanthropy Management
- Family Governance & Wealth Education
- Lifestyle Advisory Services
- Tailored Lending
- Corporate Services
- Asset Allocation
- Investment Management
- Proprietary Investment Opportunities
- Pre-Liquidity Planning
- Comprehensive Wealth Planning
Securities Agent: WY, IN, NJ, PA, CO, VA, SC, MD, HI, NY, MA, IL, WA, OH, NV, NC, MI, DC, RI, GA, TX, CA, SD, DE, CT, IA, FL, OK, AZ, TN; General Securities Representative; Investment Advisor Representative
NMLS#: 821373
Founded in 1977, Private Wealth Management is the division of Morgan Stanley Wealth Management that is dedicated to serving the firm’s most affluent clients, including some of the world’s most accomplished entrepreneurs, executives and stewards of multigenerational wealth. Functioning as an exclusive investment boutique within a global financial firm, we deliver sophisticated solutions that leverage the intellectual capital and insight of Morgan Stanley’s substantial global resources. Drawing on a deep understanding of your financial life, our goal is to help you:
- Manage investments with an unwavering focus on your financial strategy and personal goals
- Create comprehensive, multigenerational wealth management plans based on your needs, challenges and the values that guide your life and legacy
- Simplify financial complexity to help you achieve clarity and control
Private Wealth Management Highlights
- Approximately 350 teams1 specialized in assisting individuals and families with $20MM+ in investable assets
- Over $980 billion in AUM1
- Comprising 23% of the Barron’s Top 250 Private Wealth Management Teams for 2024
- Direct access to ultra high net worth experts in philanthropy, family dynamics, wealth transfer, lifestyle advisory and other areas of interest to ultra high net worth families
1 Morgan Stanley Wealth Management, December, 2024
Source: Barron's.com (May 2024) 2024 Barron's Top 250 Private Wealth Management Teams awarded in 2024. The teams are ranked on a variety of factors, including their size and shape, their regulatory records and credentials of their members, and the resources they have at their disposal to serve their client bases. The rankings are meant as a starting point for clients looking for an advisor—a first-pass vetting that can help investors narrow a search. Every advisor will have his or her own approach to investing, financial planning, and other services. Clients are encouraged to approach a search for an advisor the way they would a search for a doctor—interviewing multiple professionals and getting opinions from multiple third parties. Rankings are based on the opinions of Barron's and this ranking may not be representative of any one client’s experience. This ranking is not indicative of the Financial Advisor’s future performance. Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC is not affiliated with Barron's. Barron’s is a registered trademark of Dow Jones & Company, L.P. All rights reserved.