RHO Group at Morgan Stanley

Melanie R. Regner is a Executive Director, Financial Advisor, CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ (CFP^®) and co-founder of The RHO Group, a highly skilled team of seasoned professionals located in Raleigh, North Carolina. With more than 35 years of experience, Melanie focuses on delivering personalized wealth management services to professionals, business leaders and families facing challenging life circumstances, such as a divorce, the death of a spouse or a chronic health issue. Her compassionate and comprehensive approach helps bring order, control and simplicity to complex situations. For Melanie, success is measured in terms of client well-being and goal achievement.

A graduate of Campbell University with a degree in Trust Management, Melanie continued her studies, earning an M.B.A. at Mount Saint Mary’s University. Throughout her career, she has remained committed to education for herself and her clients, acquiring important industry and firm designations, including CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ (CFP^®), Chartered Retirement Planning Counselor^® (CRPC^®) and Workplace Advisor - Equity Compensation at Morgan Stanley. These credentials provide Melanie with deep knowledge and skills in the areas of retirement and estate planning strategies, trust services, philanthropic services and special needs planning that she enjoys sharing with others.

As a seasoned wealth advisor, Melanie listens carefully to her clients’ personal situations, objectives and concerns in order to transform them into a tailored, long-term plan. Her style is simple and direct, as she guides each client through a maze of often conflicting information. Melanie works closely with a client’s tax and legal professionals to ensure the strategies she recommends are working together to help optimize results.

Outside of the office, Melanie enjoys all things related to food – cooking, gardening and trying new recipes. She also likes to relax at the Bogue Sound or in Washington, NC with her family and friends.

Melanie’s interest in continued advocacy and volunteerism inspires her many efforts that include the Raleigh Professional Women’s Forum (past president), Women President‘s Organization, the Foundation of Hope Advisory Board Member and the Contemporary Art Museum Board Member. She is a past board member for Disability Rights North Carolina and the O’Berry Foundation, specifically working on board governance, planned giving and investment risk management. Melanie is also a 2018 graduate of Leadership North Carolina.


Disclaimer:
Morgan 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.

Joel K. Hudson is a Senior Vice President, Financial Advisor, CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ (CFP^®) and co-founder of The RHO Group at Morgan Stanley. Joel has worked with highly successful individuals, families and business leaders for more than 25 years, providing personalized advice through a disciplined wealth management approach. His analytical background enables him to help clients manage all aspects of their financial lives. He uses a pragmatic approach that relies on in-depth analysis and research of market trends to help clients build investment portfolios tailored to their specific goals and needs.

Growing up in Louisiana and South Korea, Joel was interested in finance and economics at an early age. He attended the University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill, where he earned his B.A. degree in Economics. Upon graduation, Joel began his career at Andersen Consulting as a Systems Analyst working on complex system conversions.

While honing his analytical skills, Joel remained committed to his true intellectual passion: economics. He saw a career in wealth management as the perfect combination of those two disciplines – utilizing the advanced problem-solving skills of a systems analyst and applying them to the world of finance. Today, he leverages his deep knowledge of the capital markets and portfolio construction to educate and guide clients towards optimal financial outcomes.

Joel enjoys working with like-minded clients who value and appreciate the level of skill and service the RHO Group delivers. His results-driven process begins with asking the right questions and actively listening. This information then serves as the foundation for the development of a comprehensive plan and investment portfolio that reflects each client’s goals for the future. Joel focuses on creating long-term, trusting relationships to help his clients simplify their financial lives, so they may enjoy the wealth they are working so hard to create.

Joe and his wife, Angie, currently live in Cary, North Carolina. They have two grown children, Hannah and Trevor. Outside of the office, Joel enjoys all things outdoors. Favorite activities include hunting, fishing, boating and exercising. He also likes to train dogs.

As a Senior Vice President, Certified Financial PlannerTM (CFP^®), practitioner and co-founder of The RHO Group, Tim K. Otto is a skilled wealth management professional who enjoys helping families understand the intricate details of their finances. Through a disciplined approach, he guides them in the development of an ongoing financial plan that is designed to address their unique challenges and circumstances. Tim listens carefully to what is important to each family, so he can help them make informed and confident decisions about their life and their finances that reflect who they are and where they want to go.

A graduate of the University of North Carolina Wilmington, Tim earned a degree in Finance in 1993. From an early age, he knew he wanted to pursue a profession that would combine his interest in how world events affect the global markets with his desire to help people. After working as a small business lender and branch manager at a regional North Carolina bank for six years, Tim joined Morgan Stanley in 1999 for the opportunity to work more directly with individuals and families. As a Financial Advisor and CFP^®, practitioner he thoughtfully educates his clients about important financial concepts, helping to make a significant impact on the quality of their lives.

Tim has developed a strong understanding of economics and is well versed in the equity and fixed income markets. He has cultivated skills in asset allocation, investment management, banking and lending strategies, as well as retirement and estate planning. By advising clients on how to effectively grow, protect and transition their wealth, Tim has earned the reputation of being a valued and trusted advisor.

Originally from Durham, Tim now lives in Raleigh with his wife, Catherine, and their three sons. Away from the office, he enjoys spending time with his family, whether watching his oldest son play basketball, his middle son playing piano or his youngest son playing violin. Between games and recitals, Tim and Catherine enjoy traveling and dining at local restaurants. He has also been active in many community activities over the years. He is a former Vice Chairman of UNC Wilmington Board of Visitors, a past Board Member of Downtown Housing Improvement Corporation (DHIC) and a member of the 2010 Class of Leadership Raleigh.

Tommy Warren is a Vice President with the The RHO group at Morgan Stanley. Tommy has worked in finance for over 10 years, providing exceptional service and personalized advice to help his clients achieve their goals. His Hands-on-approach is a reflection of his drive to help his clients excel and his genuine investment in his clients and their families.

Growing up on the coast of Georgia to an entrepreneurial father, Tommy was interested in helping individuals achieve and protect their wealth from an early age. He attended Georgia College and State University where he earned a B.A. degree in Business Management. Upon Graduation, Tommy began his career at a financial institution in Jacksonville, FL. His position brought him to North Carolina in 2015 where he has been since.

Tommy and his wife, Kyle, currently live in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. They have two boys, Baker and Bo, and two chocolate labs. Outside the office, Tommy enjoys hunting, fishing, and chasing after his young boys.

Alexis Turner is a Financial Advisor with The RHO Group at Morgan Stanley. She began her career at Morgan Stanley as a Client Service Associate in 2012 in the Fayetteville, NC office. In 2019, after relocating to Raleigh with her daughter Gabrielle, she joined The RHO Group as a Senior Client Service Associate. Alexis was promoted to Portfolio Associate in 2022, and in 2023, she became a Wealth Management Associate. With her extensive experience, she seamlessly transitioned into her current role as a Financial Advisor in 2024, providing personalized financial guidance and support to clients.

A proud daughter of an Air Force veteran, Alexis has lived in many states but settled in Hope Mills, NC, when her family relocated for the last time. Claiming North Carolina as her home, she is a dedicated Tar Heel who passionately prefers Eastern NC BBQ over any other style. Growing up on military bases, Alexis learned the importance of community, a value that remains central to her work and personal life. She is deeply invested in serving her community and being a resource for those around her.

Alexis married Ralston Turner in 2023, and soon after, they moved their family to Wake Forest, a vibrant suburb of Raleigh. They are enjoying the strong sense of community and all that Wake Forest has to offer. Whether exploring local parks, dining at new restaurants, or participating in the many family-friendly activities available, Wake Forest has quickly become the perfect place for them to call home.

Outside of work, Alexis and her family have embraced the greater Raleigh area as their home, enjoying all the capital city has to offer. From visiting museums, attending sporting events, and spending time outdoors kayaking and hiking there is so much they love about the area. Their favorite weekend activity is visiting local farmers' markets and supporting local vendors, especially those with dog-friendly options so they can bring along their miniature schnauzer, Gatsby.

Jamie Allen is a Senior Client Service Associate with the RHO Group at Morgan Stanley. She started her career at Morgan Stanley as a Client Service Associate in 2014 in the Fayetteville, NC Office She began working with The Rho Group in 2022. As the Client Service Associate of the team, Jamie handles all new accounts, account maintenance, cash management, and all things related to servicing our team's treasured clients.

Jamie is originally from Virginia Beach, VA. She has lived in the Carolinas since 2009 and just moved to Raleigh in 2022. Prior to joining the firm, Jamie majored in Early Childhood Education at Ashford University. Her time there was most rewarding, she was able to develop patience, which allows her to meet clients where they are in their knowledge and help navigate them through different steps of the process. She is passionate about expanding her knowledge and expertise in the industry and utilizing this expertise to give back to others.

Outside of work, Jamie enjoys completing puzzles, creating DIY projects, going to the beach, and exploring new restaurants, bars, and local art galleries with her husband Daniel Claytor.

Caroline Regner is a Wealth Management Analyst with the RHO Group at Morgan Stanley. She started her career in Commercial Lending & Banking for two years, then spent three years working with Institutional Retirement Plans. She began with the RHO Group in 2023. As a Wealth Management Analyst of the team, Caroline helps our team with portfolio review, investment research, and financial planning updates.

Caroline grew up in Clayton, NC. She lived in Winston-Salem, NC for 2 years before returning home to Raleigh in 2020. Prior to joining the Industry, Caroline majored in Finance & Economics at University of South Carolina. In addition to her time at University of South Carolina, Caroline spent 6 months living in Australia studying finance at Griffith University. Caroline is passionate about helping others and has a constant desire to learn and innovate, delivering a premium level of service built on trust.

Outside of work, Caroline enjoys spending time on the North Carolina coast, skiing, trying different foods, and traveling and experiencing new cultures. She is completing various financial certifications and slowly but surely working to learn Spanish. Caroline also enjoys spending time with her 2 rescue dogs, Banks & Charlie.