Syracuse Market Office

Dean was born and raised in Philadelphia and the surrounding suburbs. After graduating with a Bachelor of Science in Business Finance from the University of Delaware, he moved to Hawaii. There, Dean joined a startup retail watersports equipment company, initially tasked with expanding its footprint. Over eight years, he opened 10 new locations and eventually became the General Manager. Dean later returned to Philadelphia to start a career in financial services as a Financial Advisor with Smith Barney, where he achieved Blue Chip Council status in his first four years.

In 2000, Dean transitioned into management, opening a satellite office in Wilmington, Delaware, and later returned to Philadelphia as a Sales Manager. After two years, he was promoted to the position of Branch Manager in Syracuse, NY. He eventually became the Complex Manager for the Central Eastern New York Complex after the Morgan Stanley joint venture in 2009. Today, Dean is the Market Executive in Central Eastern NY, overseeing 14 branches with 135 Financial Advisors managing $32 billion in assets.

Outside of work, Dean lives in Syracuse with his wife, Heather. They have two grown children living in Washington, DC, and Pittsburgh, PA, whom he regards as his greatest and proudest achievements (although he says his wife deserves most of the credit). Dean enjoys recreational fitness, golf, skiing, surfing, reading, traveling, and spending time with his family. He is also involved with several charitable organizations, including the Food Bank of Central NY, The Rescue Mission, and the Jim and Juli Boeheim Foundation.

Julia McCurdy embarked on her career in the financial services industry with First Albany Corporation in 1998, where she excelled as an Operations Liaison, delivering customized financial solutions to a diverse clientele. In March 2009, she joined Morgan Stanley in Saratoga Springs, NY, where her career trajectory has been marked by significant achievements and leadership roles.

Julia's dedication and expertise led to her promotion to Portfolio Associate, followed by her role as Senior Field Trainer. In April 2020, she became a pivotal member of the Central Eastern New York Market Management team as a Business Development Manager. Her exemplary performance and strategic vision earned her the position of Associate Market Manager in October 2022.

In her current role, Julia is committed to empowering Financial Advisors and their teams by ensuring they have access to Morgan Stanley's comprehensive suite of products, resources, and services. Her passion for enhancing productivity and fostering growth is evident in her collaborative work with the management teams across the 14 branches within the market.

Born in Lake Forest, IL, and having spent much of her childhood in England, Julia brings a global perspective to her work. She currently resides in Saratoga Springs, NY, and enjoys traveling to Europe and California to connect with her family.

Tracie McCarthy’s career as a client relationship manager has been built on two decades of collaborating with financial professionals and working people alike in order to provide comprehensive solutions to the unique challenges of wealth planning. As Market Business Service Officer for Central and Eastern New York, Tracie uses her ability to recognize and respond to issues in order to effectively supervise those supporting the operations of Financial Advisors within the complex.

Tracie began her career in financial services in 1997 after earning a degree in Business Administration from State University of New York at Albany with a concentration in Finance. Beginning as a Client Service Associate with Dean Witter and later UBS, Tracie then moved on to working on 401(k) retirement accounts for Voya Financial in 2003. In 2009, Tracie became Complex Operations Manager at Wells Fargo, where she gained valuable experience and contributed greatly to building a more collaborative environment through the relationships she was able to cultivate. In 2017, she took up her current role at Morgan Stanley where she is committed to maintaining a standard of consistency and quality in all business and service operations throughout the Market.

Outside of work, Tracie enjoys spending time with her family, especially watching her two sons compete in baseball and basketball. Additionally, she is active in the community and volunteers through her sons’ school.

Brian Grooms began his career in financial services after graduating from Sienna College with a Bachelor’s of Science degree in Finance in 1990. As First Vice President of Morgan Stanley and Senior Risk Officer for the Central Eastern New York Market, Brian works with market management and the other Risk Officers to monitor and supervise the overall risk, reporting, policy and procedures of the market.

Prior to joining Morgan Stanley, Brian held similar positions, first at Securities America and then at Merrill Lynch. In these roles, Brian was tasked with helping to formulate guidelines and processes that ensured compliance with regulation and adherence to laws. In 2011, Brian took up his current role at Morgan Stanley where he seeks to be a resource for the market concerning risk and compliance by helping to educate all employees on these matters. In prior years, Brian represented Senior Risk Officers in the field by sitting on the Senior Risk Officer Council where he reported to senior Morgan Stanley management concerning all topics related to policy and procedures.

Outside of work, Brian enjoys spending time with his family and is a frequent golfer and downhill skier. Brian is also an avid sports fan, rooting for the Syracuse University Orange and his native Buffalo Bills. Additionally, Brian donates his time every year to the Walk to End Alzheimer’s that is put on through the Alzheimer Association.