Phone:
(713) 968-3008(713) 968-3008
LMD Legacy Group at Morgan Stanley
Direct:
(713) 968-3000(713) 968-3000
Our Mission Statement
We dedicate our experience, resources, and time to help people meet their financial and life goals. We are committed to our clients and strive to deliver an exceptional experience every time.
Our Story and Services
As your Financial Advisors, we can help you define and strive to meet your goals by delivering a vast array of resources to you in the way that is most appropriate for how you invest and what you want to achieve. Working together we can help you to preserve and grow your wealth. You’ll have access to some of the world’s most seasoned and respected investment professionals, a premier trading and execution platform and a full spectrum of investment choices.
Check the background of Our Firm and Investment Professionals on FINRA's BrokerCheck.*
Location
1330 Post Oak Blvd
Suite 900
Houston, TX 77056
US
Direct:
(713) 968-3000(713) 968-3000
Meet LMD Legacy Group
Phone:
(713) 968-3126(713) 968-3126
Phone:
(713) 968-3136(713) 968-3136
Rita McNeal
Senior Registered Client Service Associate
Phone:
(713) 968-3069(713) 968-3069
About Mitchell Lou
Securities Agent: TX, NY, OK, NM, GA, IN, CA, AR, AK, MT, MS, LA, CO, WI, RI, MI, AZ, TN, PA, NJ, ME, IL, WA, MO, DE, CT, OR, AL, VA; General Securities Representative; Investment Advisor Representative; Transactional Futures/Commodities; Managed Futures
NMLS#: 1275720
NMLS#: 1275720
About James R. McDonald III
Securities Agent: NY, MO, TX, WA, VA, AK, LA, IL, DE, WI, CO, CA, NJ, MI, IN, TN, OK, NM, PA, OR, ME; General Securities Representative; Investment Advisor Representative
NMLS#: 2275121
NMLS#: 2275121
About Joshua Dragosavljevic
Securities Agent: TN, VA, WA, WI, AK, TX, AL, AR, AZ, CA, CO, CT, DE, GA, IL, IN, LA, MI, MO, MS, MT, NJ, NM, NY, OK, OR, PA, RI; General Securities Representative; Investment Advisor Representative
NMLS#: 2533773
NMLS#: 2533773
Contact Mitchell Lou
Contact James R. McDonald III
Contact Joshua Dragosavljevic
The Power of Partnerships
By partnering with experienced individuals across wealth disciplines, Morgan Stanley Financial Advisors can align specialized resources with your custom needs and deliver strategic guidance through the familiarity and trust of existing relationships
Ben Cucuzza
Private Banker
Joe Saadi
Trust Specialist
Lisa D'Alessandro
Planning Associate
About Ben Cucuzza
Ben Cucuzza is a Private Banker serving Morgan Stanley Wealth Management offices in Texas.
Private Bankers partner with Financial Advisors to develop a specialized approach for managing clients’ cash flow, liquidity and financing needs, leveraging our comprehensive suite of cash management and lending solutions.
Ben began his career in financial services in 2005, and joined Morgan Stanley in 2022. Prior to joining the firm, he was an Affluent Segment Leader at Wells Fargo Bank, N.A.
Ben is a graduate of the University of Georgia, where he received a Bachelor of Business Administration in Marketing. He lives in Houston, Texas with his family. Outside of the office, Ben is involved in the Junior Achievement as well as the Big Brothers Big Sisters program. He also enjoys fishing, sports, and watching the Georgia Bulldogs.
Private Bankers partner with Financial Advisors to develop a specialized approach for managing clients’ cash flow, liquidity and financing needs, leveraging our comprehensive suite of cash management and lending solutions.
Ben began his career in financial services in 2005, and joined Morgan Stanley in 2022. Prior to joining the firm, he was an Affluent Segment Leader at Wells Fargo Bank, N.A.
Ben is a graduate of the University of Georgia, where he received a Bachelor of Business Administration in Marketing. He lives in Houston, Texas with his family. Outside of the office, Ben is involved in the Junior Achievement as well as the Big Brothers Big Sisters program. He also enjoys fishing, sports, and watching the Georgia Bulldogs.
NMLS#: 703137
About Joe Saadi
Joseph Saadi is the Regional Trust Specialist for Morgan Stanley’s Central Region. Within the Trust Services Group, Joe is responsible for delivering the “Open Architecture” trustee platform, which consists of several unaffiliated third-party trust companies who serve in a fiduciary, agency or custodial role for high-net-worth and ultra-high-net-worth families. Joe and the Trust Services Group help Morgan Stanley Financial Advisors, clients, prospects and the professional community understand the corporate trustee services available through Morgan Stanley and how their corporate trustee partners provide fiduciary services to clients. The process involves reviewing trust documents and statements as well as analyzing family dynamics. Joe then uses this information to help clients select one or more of the Firm’s corporate trustee partners to possibly serve as trustee, co-trustee or administrative agent for client trust accounts.
Prior to joining the firm, Joe’s 30 years of legal and comprehensive wealth planning experience include positions as Managing Director at TIAA Trust Company, Market Trust Director at JP Morgan Trust Company, Trust & Estate Specialist at Merrill Lynch Trust Company, and District Attorney General at the Ohio Attorney General’s Office.
Joe obtained his Bachelor of Science in Business Administration degree from John Carroll University and his Juris Doctor from Cleveland-Marshall College of Law. Joe is a member of the State Bar of Ohio and holds his Series 7 and 66 licenses.
Prior to joining the firm, Joe’s 30 years of legal and comprehensive wealth planning experience include positions as Managing Director at TIAA Trust Company, Market Trust Director at JP Morgan Trust Company, Trust & Estate Specialist at Merrill Lynch Trust Company, and District Attorney General at the Ohio Attorney General’s Office.
Joe obtained his Bachelor of Science in Business Administration degree from John Carroll University and his Juris Doctor from Cleveland-Marshall College of Law. Joe is a member of the State Bar of Ohio and holds his Series 7 and 66 licenses.
About Lisa D'Alessandro
Lisa is a Planning Associate at Morgan Stanley providing dedicated financial planning support to Financial Advisors and their teams. Operating as an extension of the FA/Team, she collaborates with clients to discover and define goals that matter most to them. Leveraging state of the art technology, she will evaluate various options and their potential outcomes to help clients confidently choose the appropriate course of action. Lisa provides expertise across a wide suite of Morgan Stanley planning tools designed to assist in the areas of investment accumulation, retirement, education, major purchase, cash flow, risk management, tax efficiency, and wealth transfer planning.
She earned her undergraduate degree from The University of New Hampshire] and received the Financial Planning Specialist® designation from the College for Financial Planning. Lisa is originally from New Jersey and currently resides there.
She earned her undergraduate degree from The University of New Hampshire] and received the Financial Planning Specialist® designation from the College for Financial Planning. Lisa is originally from New Jersey and currently resides there.
Wealth Management
Global Investment Office
Portfolio Insights
Retirement
Working with you to understand your life goals and develop a personalized wealth strategy. Today and for the years to come.
- 401(k) Rollovers
- IRA Plans
- Retirement income strategies
- Retirement plan participants
- Annuities
Investing
Working closely with you to guide your wealth and investments through the most challenging market cycles.
- Asset Management
- Wealth Planning
- Traditional Investments
- Alternative Investments
- Impact Investing
Family
Creating customized financial strategies for the challenges that today’s families face.
- Estate Planning Strategies
- 529 Plans / Education Savings Planning
- Long Term Care Insurance
- Special Needs Planning
- Trust Services
Business Planning
Helping you on key aspects of your business such as ownership, liquidity and developing opportunities.
- Succession Planning
- Business Planning
- Qualified Retirement Plans
Financial Planning for Life After Selling a Business
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Philanthropy
Making sure your philanthropic dollars are managed with the same high quality service as the rest of your wealth.
- Endowments
- Foundations
- Donor Advised Funds
- Impact Investing
Donor Advised Funds: A Smart Way to Manage Your Giving
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Ready to start a conversation? Contact LMD Legacy Group today.
1When Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC, its affiliates and Morgan Stanley Financial Advisors and Private Wealth Advisors (collectively, “Morgan Stanley”) provide “investment advice” regarding a retirement or welfare benefit plan account, an individual retirement account or a Coverdell education savings account (“Retirement Account”), Morgan Stanley is a “fiduciary” as those terms are defined under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended (“ERISA”), and/or the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 (the “Code”), as applicable. When Morgan Stanley provides investment education, takes orders on an unsolicited basis or otherwise does not provide “investment advice”, Morgan Stanley will not be considered a “fiduciary” under ERISA and/or the Code. For more information regarding Morgan Stanley’s role with respect to a Retirement Account, please visit www.morganstanley.com/disclosures/dol. Tax laws are complex and subject to change. Morgan Stanley does not provide tax or legal advice. Individuals are encouraged to consult their tax and legal advisors (a) before establishing a Retirement Account, and (b) regarding any potential tax, ERISA and related consequences of any investments or other transactions made with respect to a Retirement Account. Individuals should consult their tax advisor for matters involving taxation and tax planning and their attorney for matters involving trust and estate planning, charitable giving, philanthropic planning and other legal matters.
For more information, please see the Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC Client Relationship Summary.
2Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC (“Morgan Stanley”), its affiliates and Morgan Stanley Financial Advisors or Private Wealth Advisors do not provide tax or legal advice. Clients should consult their tax advisor for matters involving taxation and tax planning and their attorney for legal matters.
3Morgan Stanley offers a wide array of brokerage and advisory services to its clients, each of which may create a different type of relationship with different obligations to you. Please consult with your Financial Advisor to understand these differences or review our Understanding Your Brokerage and Investment Advisory Relationships brochure available at www.morganstanley.com/wealth-relationshipwithms/pdfs/understandingyourrelationship.pdf.
Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC (“Morgan Stanley”), its affiliates and Morgan Stanley Financial Advisors and Private Wealth Advisors do not provide tax or legal advice. Clients should consult their tax advisor for matters involving taxation and tax planning and their attorney for matters involving trust and estate planning, charitable giving, philanthropic planning and other legal matters.
4Alternative Investments are speculative and include a high degree of risk. An investor could lose all or a substantial amount of his/her investment. Alternative investments are appropriate only for qualified, long-term investors who are willing to forgo liquidity and put capital at risk for an indefinite period of time.
5Insurance products are offered in conjunction with Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC’s licensed insurance agency affiliates.
6Structured Investments are complex and not appropriate for all investors. An investment in structured investments involves risks. These risks can include but are not limited to: fluctuations in the price, level or yield of underlying asset(s), interest rates, currency values and credit quality, substantial loss of principal, limits on participation in appreciation of underlying asset(s), limited liquidity, credit risk, and/or conflicts of interest. Many structured investments do not pay interest or guarantee a return above principal at maturity. Investors should read the security’s offering documentation prior to making an investment decision.
7Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC (“Morgan Stanley”), its affiliates and Morgan Stanley Financial Advisors and Private Wealth Advisors do not provide tax or legal advice. Clients should consult their tax advisor for matters involving taxation and tax planning and their attorney for matters involving trust and estate planning and other legal matters.
8Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC (“Morgan Stanley”), its affiliates and Morgan Stanley Financial Advisors and Private Wealth Advisors do not provide tax or legal advice. Clients should consult their tax advisor for matters involving taxation and tax planning and their attorney for matters involving trust and estate planning and other legal matters.
Check the background of our Firm and Investment Professionals on FINRA's BrokerCheck*.
The information, products and services described here are intended only for individuals residing in states where this Financial Advisor is properly registered as described in this site.
Morgan Stanley reserves the right, to the extent permitted under applicable law, to retain and monitor all electronic communications. Morgan Stanley will not accept purchase or sale orders via any Internet site, social media site and/or its messaging systems. Morgan Stanley does not endorse and is not responsible and assumes no liability for content, products or services posted by third-parties on any Internet site, social media site and/or its messaging systems. All electronic communications are subject to terms available at the following link:
https://www.morganstanley.com/disclaimers/mswm-email.html. Any profiles and associated content are for U.S. residents only.
The securities/instruments, services, investments and investment strategies discussed in this material may not be appropriate for all investors. The appropriateness of a particular investment, investment strategy or service will depend on an investor's individual circumstances and objectives. Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC recommends that investors independently evaluate particular investments, strategies and services, and encourages investors to seek the advice of a Financial Advisor or Private Wealth Advisor. This material does not provide individually tailored investment advice. It has been prepared without regard to the individual financial circumstances and objectives of persons who receive it.
Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC (“Morgan Stanley”), its affiliates and Morgan Stanley Financial Advisors or Private Wealth Advisors do not provide tax or legal advice. Individuals should consult their tax advisor for matters involving taxation and tax planning and their attorney for legal matters.
Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC (“Morgan Stanley”) is not implying an affiliation, sponsorship, endorsement with/of the third party or that any monitoring is being done by Morgan Stanley of any information contained within the website. Morgan Stanley is not responsible for the information contained on the third-party website or the use of or inability to use such site. Nor do we guarantee their accuracy or completeness.
The views, opinions or advice contained within third party websites or materials are solely those of the author, who is not a Morgan Stanley employee, and do not necessarily reflect those of Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC, or its affiliates. The strategies and/or investments referenced may not be appropriate for all investors as the appropriateness of a particular investment or strategy will depend on an investor's individual circumstances and objectives.
*References to length of service at Morgan Stanley include years at Morgan Stanley and predecessor firms.
Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards Inc. owns the certification marks CFP®, CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ and federally registered CFP (with flame design) in the U.S, which it awards to individuals who successfully complete CFP Board’s initial and ongoing certification requirements.
The use of the CDFA designation does not permit the rendering of legal advice by Morgan Stanley or its Financial Advisors which may only be done by a licensed attorney. The CDFA designation is not intended to imply that either Morgan Stanley or its Financial Advisors are acting as experts in this field.
Awards Disclosures
For more information, please see the Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC Client Relationship Summary.
2Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC (“Morgan Stanley”), its affiliates and Morgan Stanley Financial Advisors or Private Wealth Advisors do not provide tax or legal advice. Clients should consult their tax advisor for matters involving taxation and tax planning and their attorney for legal matters.
3Morgan Stanley offers a wide array of brokerage and advisory services to its clients, each of which may create a different type of relationship with different obligations to you. Please consult with your Financial Advisor to understand these differences or review our Understanding Your Brokerage and Investment Advisory Relationships brochure available at www.morganstanley.com/wealth-relationshipwithms/pdfs/understandingyourrelationship.pdf.
Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC (“Morgan Stanley”), its affiliates and Morgan Stanley Financial Advisors and Private Wealth Advisors do not provide tax or legal advice. Clients should consult their tax advisor for matters involving taxation and tax planning and their attorney for matters involving trust and estate planning, charitable giving, philanthropic planning and other legal matters.
4Alternative Investments are speculative and include a high degree of risk. An investor could lose all or a substantial amount of his/her investment. Alternative investments are appropriate only for qualified, long-term investors who are willing to forgo liquidity and put capital at risk for an indefinite period of time.
5Insurance products are offered in conjunction with Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC’s licensed insurance agency affiliates.
6Structured Investments are complex and not appropriate for all investors. An investment in structured investments involves risks. These risks can include but are not limited to: fluctuations in the price, level or yield of underlying asset(s), interest rates, currency values and credit quality, substantial loss of principal, limits on participation in appreciation of underlying asset(s), limited liquidity, credit risk, and/or conflicts of interest. Many structured investments do not pay interest or guarantee a return above principal at maturity. Investors should read the security’s offering documentation prior to making an investment decision.
7Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC (“Morgan Stanley”), its affiliates and Morgan Stanley Financial Advisors and Private Wealth Advisors do not provide tax or legal advice. Clients should consult their tax advisor for matters involving taxation and tax planning and their attorney for matters involving trust and estate planning and other legal matters.
8Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC (“Morgan Stanley”), its affiliates and Morgan Stanley Financial Advisors and Private Wealth Advisors do not provide tax or legal advice. Clients should consult their tax advisor for matters involving taxation and tax planning and their attorney for matters involving trust and estate planning and other legal matters.
Check the background of our Firm and Investment Professionals on FINRA's BrokerCheck*.
The information, products and services described here are intended only for individuals residing in states where this Financial Advisor is properly registered as described in this site.
Morgan Stanley reserves the right, to the extent permitted under applicable law, to retain and monitor all electronic communications. Morgan Stanley will not accept purchase or sale orders via any Internet site, social media site and/or its messaging systems. Morgan Stanley does not endorse and is not responsible and assumes no liability for content, products or services posted by third-parties on any Internet site, social media site and/or its messaging systems. All electronic communications are subject to terms available at the following link:
https://www.morganstanley.com/disclaimers/mswm-email.html. Any profiles and associated content are for U.S. residents only.
The securities/instruments, services, investments and investment strategies discussed in this material may not be appropriate for all investors. The appropriateness of a particular investment, investment strategy or service will depend on an investor's individual circumstances and objectives. Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC recommends that investors independently evaluate particular investments, strategies and services, and encourages investors to seek the advice of a Financial Advisor or Private Wealth Advisor. This material does not provide individually tailored investment advice. It has been prepared without regard to the individual financial circumstances and objectives of persons who receive it.
Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC (“Morgan Stanley”), its affiliates and Morgan Stanley Financial Advisors or Private Wealth Advisors do not provide tax or legal advice. Individuals should consult their tax advisor for matters involving taxation and tax planning and their attorney for legal matters.
Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC (“Morgan Stanley”) is not implying an affiliation, sponsorship, endorsement with/of the third party or that any monitoring is being done by Morgan Stanley of any information contained within the website. Morgan Stanley is not responsible for the information contained on the third-party website or the use of or inability to use such site. Nor do we guarantee their accuracy or completeness.
The views, opinions or advice contained within third party websites or materials are solely those of the author, who is not a Morgan Stanley employee, and do not necessarily reflect those of Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC, or its affiliates. The strategies and/or investments referenced may not be appropriate for all investors as the appropriateness of a particular investment or strategy will depend on an investor's individual circumstances and objectives.
*References to length of service at Morgan Stanley include years at Morgan Stanley and predecessor firms.
Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards Inc. owns the certification marks CFP®, CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ and federally registered CFP (with flame design) in the U.S, which it awards to individuals who successfully complete CFP Board’s initial and ongoing certification requirements.
The use of the CDFA designation does not permit the rendering of legal advice by Morgan Stanley or its Financial Advisors which may only be done by a licensed attorney. The CDFA designation is not intended to imply that either Morgan Stanley or its Financial Advisors are acting as experts in this field.
Awards Disclosures
CRC 6491812 (04/2024)
