Research Triangle Group at Morgan Stanley

Michael is a founding partner of the Research Triangle Group focusing on retirement planning, tax planning, and wealth transfer planning & inheritance. With his highly skilled team of experienced professionals, Michael works with retirees, business professionals, and families as they progress through various stages of their career and life.

Michael holds a degree in Business and Economics from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. With over sixteen years of experience and tenure at Morgan Stanley since 2012, Michael has a deep understanding of economics and investments. He leverages Morgan Stanley’s award-winning research and resources to provide clients with solutions to achieve their financial objectives.

Michael is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™. The CFP^® designation identifies those individuals who have met the rigorous professional standards, experience, and ethical requirements, and have successfully completed financial planning coursework and certification examination. CFP^® practioners have ongoing education requirements and adhere to the Certified Planner Board of Standards code of conduct while serving clients. With over 500+ implemented plans for our clients, Michael believes prior planning prevents deficient performance and brings a sense of order to changing circumstances.

Michael lives in Pittsboro with his wife Ashley and two young children—and their two dogs. His family leads an active lifestyle with their children’s many activities. In their spare time, Michael and Ashley enjoy connecting with friends, exploring local restaurants and new hiking trails.

Pat is a founding partner of the Research Triangle Group focusing on retirement incomes strategies, alternative investments, and professional portfolio management. With his team Pat works with a network of highly skilled professionals in the area, dedicated to providing the highest quality of holistic service and advice.

With over sixteen years at Morgan Stanley and twenty-two years of experience in the industry, he has a proven track record of providing his clients with integrated wealth management solutions that simplify and enhance the quality of his clients’ lives. Pat helps these individuals, and their families, achieve their financial planning goals by providing advice on Investment Planning, Retirement Planning, Intergenerational Wealth Transfer Planning, and Educational Savings Planning.

He is a Certified Retirement Planning Counselor (CRPC^®) and Portfolio Manager. In addition to having his CRPC^®, Pat is licensed to sell securities, as well as life, health, and long-term care insurance. Originally from Oklahoma, he earned his BA from the University of Oklahoma.

Pat is actively involved in improving our community life and is a proven leader in the local organizations in which he participates. He is a former President of the Tobaccoland Kiwanis Club of Durham and Lt. Governor of Division 13, Carolina Kiwanis. He served for twelve years as Treasure on the Board of Directors of the Durham Nativity School and spent several years of the Chapel Hill-Carrboro Board of Education Foundation.

Outside of work Pat enjoys hiking, camping, travel, golf, and birding. Pat lives with his wife, Kate, in Chapel Hill. They have two adult children.

Laura is a founding partner of the Research Triangle Group, focusing on estate planning, investment strategies, philanthropy, banking and credit. With her team Laura delivers the vast resources of Morgan Stanley while providing the level of care akin to a boutique style practice. Laura strives to offer clarity and enable those she serves to feel empowered to enjoy life rather than worry about it. She enjoys building relationships with our clients and is committed to promoting their financial success.

With a strong desire to help others, Laura began her career in the financial services industry in 1999. Her drive stems from financial challenges faced by the most important people in her life and experienced how financial security impacts the next generation. At a young age Laura learned the value of hard work, education, and perseverance. While life cannot always be predicted, it can be planned for with the guidance of a knowledgeable and compassionate steward.

As a Financial Planning Specialist, Laura brings over 20 years of experience to the team. Laura was recruited by Morgan Stanley in 2011. She has completed the study and examination for the Series 3, 31, 7, 66, and 9/10 licenses.

Laura resides in the Triangle area with her husband and three children. During her time away from the office she relishes time spent outdoors with her family, dogs in tow. She can frequently be found relaxing with a good book and cup of coffee in hand.

Leah offers clients perspective and wisdom as she guides them in planning for their future. With a background in bond management and the experience of a career in the financial industry that began in 1980, she believes that wealth is measured in more than dollars and cents – that it is also measured in the quality of life her clients are able to lead. Leah enjoys taking clients on a discovery process that helps them identify their individual goals and personal aspirations upon which their financial plans and asset management strategies are ultimately based.

Prior to joining Morgan Stanley as a Financial Advisor, Leah was an advisor with Raymond James, where she focused on collaborative and holistic financial planning, creating customized investment strategies for high-net-worth clients. She has also held senior and vice president-level positions in the bond and fixed income industry, where she led the management of multibillion-dollar portfolios.

Leah has earned the designation of Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA^®) that many refer to as one of the gold standards of professional credentials within the investment community for measuring competence and integrity in the fields of portfolio management and investment analysis. Her educational background includes a Bachelor of Arts from Kenyon College in Gambier, Ohio, where she graduated cum laude, and an MBA from Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business, where she was a Fuqua Scholar.

Originally from Shaker Heights, Ohio, Leah now enjoys life in Chapel Hill and is active in the community. She has served on the Fuqua School of Business Alumni Council as well as the Boards of Compass Center for Women and Families, the Durham Technical Community College Foundation, and the Eno River Fellowship Foundation.

Leah is passionate about empowering women in the areas of personal finance by demystifying the process of investing. Leah also loves teaching young adults about saving early and the power of compound interest. Her personal interests include Pilates, walking with friends, and ballroom dancing. Leah is always excited to visit her daughter, Leslie, and son-in-law, Sam, in Charleston, SC to help care for infant twin grandsons, Lewis and Lawson, and grand pup, Stewart.

Drawing on over 20 years of experience in the financial services industry as a Senior Client Service Associate, Tellie brings a great deal of knowledge to the serve clients of the Research Triangle Group at Morgan Stanley.

Her amiable demeanor and genuine interest in meeting client needs shine through in her pride of being the primary point of contact for clients for all administrative requests. Tellie is passionate about developing meaningful relationships with our clients to ensure they receive the highest level of service.

Outside of work Tellie enjoys cooking, hiking, and spending time with her husband riding on the back of his Harley. As a native of Colorado, she loves taking day trips, discovering new out of the way places around North Carolina.

LeeAnne joined the Research Triangle Group at Morgan Stanley in 2023 as a Client Service Associate. LeeAnne is committed to prompt, friendly and efficient solutions to clients’ administrative and service needs. Her focus on the team is assistance with digital enrollment and support, cash management, asset operations, and account documentation.

Originally from Chapel Hill, LeeAnne attended the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill for her undergraduate degree in Psychology. She went on to earn her Master’s of Science in Environmental Policy and Management from the University of Denver, Colorado. LeeAnne has completed her Series 7 and 66 licenses.

After completing her graduate studies, she worked abroad in Australia and New Zealand. Now, she has returned home to North Carolina to be close to her family and friends. In her free time, she enjoys hiking, volleyball and Boggle.