Our Story and Services

Ron Johnson and Eric Matthews began their professional collaboration in 2000 when Ron, then employed at Morgan Stanley, recruited Eric as an intern while Eric was pursuing his studies at the University of North Texas. Following the completion of his internship, Eric commenced his career as an advisor at Morgan Stanley. Concurrently, Ron transitioned to Smith Barney.

Eric dedicated five years to his role at Morgan Stanley before advancing his career with positions at AIG and subsequently at JP Morgan Chase. Meanwhile, Ron continued his career at Smith Barney until the merger of Smith Barney and Morgan Stanley, which resulted in Ron's return to Morgan Stanley.

Eric accumulated 16 years of experience at JP Morgan Chase before rejoining Morgan Stanley. This move reunited Ron and Eric professionally, bringing their careers and partnership, full circle.
Services Include
Check the background of Our Firm and Investment Professionals on FINRA's BrokerCheck.*

Our Five Step Process

If you choose to work with The Matthews/Johnson Group, our wealth management approach focuses on you, your family, and your career – where you are today and where you want to go. Working together, we develop the strategies to help get you there, navigating life's challenges and helping you make more informed decisions about your wealth.

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    1. Introduction

    We begin with an informal conversation to understand your financial concerns and determine how we can add value. If we all agree to move forward, we'll schedule our next meeting and request important financial information.

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    2. Get To Know You Meeting

    We continue the dialogue by fostering an in-depth conversation where we learn about the values that shape your decisions and identify any unique circumstances. We also review the documents you've prepared and define your priorities.

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    3. Analysis & Plan Development

    Here, we utilize proprietary financial planning tools to develop a personalized and detailed plan with recommendations to help you grow, preserve and transfer your wealth.

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    4. Implementation

    In this step, we present appropriate strategies that are designed to work together to achieve your goals. Upon your approval, we open new accounts for you at Morgan Stanley and initiate our investment recommendations. We'll also begin to implement other strategies we've discussed. These often encompass tax minimization strategies, as well as risk management and estate planning techniques.

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    Ongoing Service

    Committed to premium service, we focus on developing a relationship that provides special value to you and your family. As we begin to execute each strategy, we'll set up tools so you have immediate access to your account information. And because markets and personal needs evolve over time, we set up ongoing meetings to ensure your plan remains on schedule to achieve your goals.

Financial Planning

Regardless of what stage your life is in - moving ahead in your career, enjoying retirement, or somewhere in between - as your Financial Advisors, we can help you achieve your financial goals.

Using a suite of tools that includes goal-specific analysis, we can work with you to create a realistic, holistic strategy that integrates the various aspects of your financial life, including your investments and cash management needs.

We can create your personal roadmap to help achieve and protect your goals — a framework that makes the connection between your life goals and your financial resources and provides a baseline for future discussions.

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    Manage Investments

    We take care of your retirement accounts and other investments based on your comfort level with risk and your current tax circumstances, tailoring your financial strategy to your unique situation, needs, and goals.

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    Retirement

    Leading up to and through retirement, we help you identify the most appropriate ways to obtain the income you need and help ensure that you are on track to achieve for financial goals.

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    Manage Debt

    We thoroughly review your mortgage, car loans, credit cards, and any other debts that you may have in order to help determine where you can save on interest and create a timeline for your debt payments by prioritizing which ones should be paid off first.

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    Estate Planning

    Regardless of your current financial circumstances, it is crucial to have a backup plan for your money. We regularly review your finances with you and coordinate with your estate attorney to help ensure that your wishes are met in the most efficient and cost-effective way possible.

Modern Wealth Tools

Our goal is simple: "To be the firm where the most talented, trusted advisors in the industry leverage cutting-edge technology and deliver customized wealth management solutions to their clients and their families to enable them to achieve their life goals." The Firm strives to ensure it serves clients on market-leading technology platforms that are resilient, safe, efficient, smart, fast and flexible.

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    Morgan Stanley Online

    Morgan Stanley Online allows you to seamlessly and securely manage your investments and everyday finances in one place.

    Register for Morgan Stanley Online Today
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    Total Wealth View

    It's hard to see the complete picture with only half the details. As a Morgan Stanley client, you can conveniently view your accounts from other financial institutions on Morgan Stanley Online or the Morgan Stanley Mobile App, giving you and your advisor a more complete financial picture. With full visibility of your financial picture, your advisor will be better able to track your financial goals and plan for your future.

    Learn More About Total Wealth View
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    Financial Planning

    Morgan Stanley Financial Planning can show you a single, comprehensive snapshot of your finances. We can help you create a wealth plan that's adaptable to the different stages of your life using our award winning tools- Goals Planning System (GPS) and LifeView.

    Learn About Our Planning Tools
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    Digital Vault

    Digital Vault lets you easily and securely manage and share important documents such as account statements, authorizations, tax filings and other relevant documents with your Financial Advisor.

    Get Started Today

Investor Resources

We strive to make complex financial ideas more digestible so that our clients understand what is being done on their behalf to plan for their financial future. The links below provide detailed analysis on interesting topics that are affecting the finance and business worlds.

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    GIC Weekly Report

    The Global Investment Committee's Lisa Shalett headlines this weekly look at markets, asset class performance, and fixed income.

    Read the Latest Report
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    On The Markets Report

    Detailed market commentary from Morgan Stanley's thought leaders on topics such as global equities, fixed income, monetary policy, and more.

    Read the Latest Report
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    Thoughts On The Market Podcast

    With perspectives on the forces shaping the market, join Mike Wilson as he and his colleagues discuss a variety of viewpoints regarding the latest trends in the financial marketplace.

    Listen to the Latest Episode
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    2025 Tax Tables

    Each year, the tax bill highlights how significantly taxes can impact your journey toward your financial goals. As tax filing deadlines approach, you can prepare for last year's taxes with the updated 2025 tax tables.

    View the 2025 Tax Tables

WORKPLACE FINANCIAL BENEFITS WITH MORGAN STANLEY AT WORK

Our mission is to help your company elevate your workplace financial benefits—helping you to attract and retain top talent. Our end-to-end solutions support your company and employees at any stage of growth through a powerful combination of modern technology, insightful guidance, and dedicated service.

    Equity Solutions

    Equity ownership is a powerful motivator. Streamline equity management through our leading-edge technology and provide global audit-ready reporting and insights, alongside customizable participant experiences to engage and educate your employees on how to make the most of their benefits. Our global solutions support private and public companies at any stage of growth.

    • Equity Administration and Financial Reporting
    • Liquidity Events
    • 409A Valuation Services and Cap Table Management

    Learn more
    Retirement

    For your employees, retirement is more than a date in the future—it's a milestone that takes time, hard work, and the right tools. Through our consultative process, we strive to assist with the management of your fiduciary responsibilities and risk, simplify plan management, and help you improve retirement readiness for your employees.

    • Defined Contribution Consulting
    • Solutions-Oriented Plans
    • Fiduciary Investment Oversight

    Learn more
    Deferred Compensation

    Access a range of Nonqualified Deferred Compensation plan services or pick the ones that best fit your needs. We provide recordkeeping and plan design, portfolio construction services, and plan education for your executive talent. We help you determine the appropriate plan design and inform a funding strategy through a needs-based assessment and consultative approach.

    Services include:

    • Recordkeeping and Plan Design
    • Portfolio Construction
    • Wealth Management Services
    Learn more
    Executive Services

    Our dedicated team provides concierge-level support for your executives' equity compensation plans, from 10b5-1 trading plans to form filing related to Rule 144 transactions, to access to wealth management and tax-optimization strategies, so helping them navigate their complex financial needs with greater confidence and certainty:

    • Equity Compensation Services
    • Equity Award Analysis
    • Specialized Solutions
    Learn more
    Saving and Giving

    Saving and Giving benefits can make a real difference in your employees' lives as they can support the things that matter most to them—like saving for education and repaying student loans. Show that you are committed to your employees' priorities with leading-edge solutions that help them chart a path toward financial well-being.

    • College Savings
    • Student Loan Repayment and Refinancing
    • Charitable Giving
    Learn more
    Financial Wellness

    We offer Financial Wellness with every solution we provide. Through a powerful combination of education, digital tools and guidance, Financial Wellness is designed to address the unique needs of your employees and empower their financial journey at every stage. Give your employees the confidence to take charge of their finances.

    • Financial Education
    • Digital Tools
    • Financial Guidance

    Learn more

Location

7500 Dallas Parkway
Suite 500
Plano, TX 75024
US
Direct:
(972) 943-7200(972) 943-7200

Meet Matthews/Johnson Group

About Me

Securities Agent: NJ, RI, UT, GA, AR, CO, IL, ID, TX, PA, NM, FL, WI, TN, OK, CA; General Securities Representative; Investment Advisor Representative
NMLS#: 2641472

About Ron Johnson, MBA

Ron joined Morgan Stanley in 1984 and is a Senior Vice President and Family Wealth Advisor in the Dallas complex. As a member of the Atlas Planning group Ron has been able to help clients reach their unique financial goals through forward thinking and financial fiduciary planning always with the client’s best interest in mind.
Ron has always had a passion for helping clients with their financial needs and considers it an honor and privilege to assist clients with wealth accumulation and wealth retention in an increasingly complex financial world. Ron grew up on a farm which taught him at a young age to look to the long-term to measure success. This is evident in his philosophy that success comes to those who do quality work, resist sacrificing long term gains for short term profits and sticking to core values. His extensive career as a Fiduciary has taught him that listening and empathy are vital skills in assisting people reach their long-term financial goals.
Ron is a graduate of Cornell University with a Bachelor of Science in Economics. In addition, Ron holds an MBA from the University of Illinois. Ron resides in McKinney Texas where he is very involved and active in his community. Ron is a member and past treasurer of the McKinney Texas Chamber of Commerce, a member of the McKinney Rotary Club where he was formerly President, a member of the McKinney Education Foundation where he was also formerly President, Collins College Foundation’s past president and McKinney Alliance’s current President. Ron enjoys spending his free time with his family and friends. He and his wife have two boys, a granddaughter and three dogs.
Securities Agent: LA, MI, RI, TX, PA, MA, WI, VA, NY, AL, KS, FL, AR, UT, NV, IN, IL, CO, MN, OK, OH, NC, WA, TN, SC, OR, NM, NJ, CA; General Securities Representative; Investment Advisor Representative; Managed Futures
NMLS#: 2176541
Wealth Management
Global Investment Office

Portfolio Insights

This is a video content

Equity Compensation

Helping you make the most of your equity awards and better understand how it may fit into your your larger financial picture – today and tomorrow.

  • Vesting events
  • Option expirations
  • Restricted stock units
  • Tax implications

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
A Simple Six-Step Retirement Checkup
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A Simple Six-Step Retirement Checkup

Checking in on your retirement plan may make a lot of sense, especially when market volatility arises.

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
The Robots are Coming
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The Robots are Coming

Adam Jonas, Morgan Stanley?s Head of Global Autos and Shared Mobility Research, discusses the fast transition of artificial intelligence into the physical world in the form of humanoid robots.

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
529 Plans: A Powerful Tool to Save for Education
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529 Plans: A Powerful Tool to Save for Education

Though education costs continue to climb, starting to save and invest early can make a difference.

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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Financial Planning for Life After Selling a Business

Selling your business can mean big changes for your life, both personally and financially. Know how to make the most of your windfall.

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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Donor Advised Funds: A Smart Way to Manage Your Giving�

There?s more to charitable giving than you may realize. Here?s one method that may be a tax-efficient way to give and can help maximize your impact.

Financial Wellness

Enhancing Financial Wellness enables your workforce to do their best work. Companies that invest in financial wellness have an opportunity to:
  • Reduce employee stress,
  • Improve retention and engagement, and
  • Set themselves apart by offering comprehensive financial wellness benefits.
The Business Case for a Financially Resilient Workforce
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The Business Case for a Financially Resilient Workforce

In the face of turbulent markets, the word “resilience” may be top of mind. Broadly speaking, resilience is the ability to “bounce back” when encountering life’s inevitable challenges.
Ready to start a conversation? Contact Matthews/Johnson Group today.
Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards, Inc. (CFP Board) owns the certification marks CFP®, CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™, and CFP® (with plaque design) in the United States, which it authorizes use of by individuals who successfully complete CFP Board’s initial and ongoing certification requirements.

1Morgan 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.

For more information, please see the Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC Client Relationship Summary.

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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.

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3Morgan 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.

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4Morgan 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.

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5When 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.

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6Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC does not accept appointments nor will it act as a trustee but it will provide access to trust services through an appropriate third-party corporate trustee.
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 and other legal matters.

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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)