The Aegis Group at Morgan Stanley

With more than 30 years of experience serving the specialized needs of nonprofits and institutions, Joe leads The Aegis Group, a team of 10 seasoned professionals strategically located throughout the country in Hartford, Pasadena and Charleston. As founding partner of the Group’s Institutional Consulting practice, Joe is responsible for managing the team’s investment and consulting services, as well as their Planned Giving and Donor Development programs. 
Upon graduating from Saint Anselm College, Joe entered the workforce as a Corporate Trust Officer and set out to build a career that would blend his skills in investment management with his passion for nonprofit service. Joe has been fortunate to serve the nonprofit sector in this capacity nearly his entire career. This opportunity enables Joe to understand the unique needs and challenges nonprofits face as they coordinate multiple disciplines to support their overall mission. In 2007, after years of serving as Senior Vice President of Wachovia’s Philanthropic Consulting Practice, Joe formed The Aegis Group, a team of dedicated professionals who focus on the most critical needs of all nonprofit organizations: stability and sustainability of their mission.
Throughout his career, Joe has been committed to professional development. He holds the Certified Investment Management Analyst (CIMA^®) and Accredited Investment Fiduciary (AIF^®) designations and is a graduate of the ABA National Graduate Trust School from Northwestern University. Within Morgan Stanley, Joe’s designations include serving as a Government Entity Specialist and an International Wealth Advisor. Joe is a member of the Investment Managers Consultant Association, the National Partnership for Philanthropic Planning and the Planned Giving Group of Connecticut.
Joe’s community involvement includes serving as Governing Director of the Hartford Stage Company and board member of the Gaylord Specialty Healthcare Foundation. He also served on the Saint Francis Hospital, Hartford Symphony, Yale-New Haven Health System and the Foundation for the Advancement of Catholic School’s Planned Giving Committees. Joe proudly serves as a Susan G. Komen “Pink Tie Guy.” He is a nationally featured speaker on topics from investment management and high impact philanthropy.

Working with families and individuals assisting with all aspects of their financial needs. This includes debt management, asset management, asset titling, philanthropic endeavors and strategy. My role goes beyond that of money manager to more of a deep and meaningful relationship whereby I assist in advancing the value-based goals and objectives incorporating cash flow, education, milestone events and generational planning. I assist in the design and execution of the philanthropic plan by integrating estate planning strategies and financial planning while incorporating legacy and family dynamics to help best meet the intended purpose and guidelines of the donor. Appropriate planning and design strategies can benefit both individuals and extended families and I use an inclusive approach incorporating your legal and accounting advisors into the planning and execution process.

I invite you to contact me to have a conversation about how I may be able to help advance your vision for successful attainment of the goals established for you and your family's future

Viktor is a Vice President and Financial Advisor at Morgan Stanley. As an important member of the Aegis team, he focuses on guiding nonprofit institutions and individuals to help achieve their overall mission and goals through sustainable financial management and oversight.

Viktor graduated from Pepperdine University with a B.S. in Business Administration, and the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill with a Masters in Business Administration, MBA, and with an academic emphasis in Finance. He currently serves on multiple non-profit boards throughout Southern California and the Southeast.

Viktor has been married to his college sweetheart, Angie, since 2013, and is proud to call Middle Tennessee home. Viktor and Angie are passionate about animal rescue and adopted their German Shepherd, Juno, from the Ventura County Humane Society, and their Beagle mix, Luke Kuechly II, from Proverbs 12:10 Animal Rescue. Additionally, Viktor and Angie are advocates for mental health and are committed to advancing accessibility to affordable and quality mental health services in their local community.

Jim Thomforde, Senior Portfolio Manager and Financial Advisor for the Aegis Group at Morgan Stanley, has 15 years of experience in the investment industry, including 10 years on Wall Street providing prominent New York and Connecticut hedge fund managers with institutional equity research, investment ideas, and capital markets experience, and 5+ years at Morgan Stanley. Jim leads all aspects of the investment process for the Aegis Group, including research, trading, and portfolio management. Jim actively manages a comprehensive suite of portfolio strategies for institutions, non-profit endowments, foundations and family wealth for the Aegis Group. Jim also played professional baseball for the New York Yankees organization and is a graduate of Trinity College, where he earned a BA in Economics, and the University of Edinburgh, where he completed a PhD in historical theology.

Drawing on 25 years of client service experience, Manon is the head of client relationship management for The Aegis Group. She is often the first line of contact on a broad array of client specific services. Highly adept at answering client questions quickly and efficiently, Manon is passionate about providing excellent service. She not only knows how to help meet each client's specific needs, she knows how to anticipate them as well. Her industry knowledge and reliability help provide clients with confidence as she works to find solutions to their financial challenges.
Manon joined The Aegis Group upon its formation in 2007 and has been an integral member of the team ever since. She currently holds her FINRA Series 7 and 66 certifications and earned her Certified Trust Financial Advisor (CTFA) designation* from the American Banker Association in 2003. Prior to joining the team, Manon worked as a Senior Trust Administration Officer and Paralegal at Advest Trust Company for 14 years. She is a Notary Public in Connecticut.
Born and raised in Quebec, Manon attended college at the CEGEP Beauce-Appalaches, where she earned her liberal arts degree. She moved to the U.S. in 1991 and pursued a career as a paralegal. Fluent in French, Manon currently lives in South Windsor, CT with her husband, Richard, and two children, Alexandra and Jake. She is on the Board of Directors of the Hartford Interval House, a nonprofit organization that provides support to victims of domestic violence. In her free time, Manon enjoys traveling and spending time with family and friends.

*This role cannot solicit or provide investment advice

Salvatore Cipolla is a Financial Advisor with The Aegis Group at Morgan Stanley. He was brought on for an internship in 2018 by the group, learning the industry and how to better serve clients while anticipating their needs.

He is fully registered with the Series 7 and Series 66 licenses.

Salvatore draws on experience from his BA in Communication to bring a personable business relationship while helping to meet client’s needs. While in college at Southern Connecticut State University he spent his free time starting a media and management company working to help service up and coming musicians and artists. Salvatore has worked with people trying to grow their independent business and finds joy in helping them realize their goals. He has always had a love for finance and after interning with The Aegis Group decided this was the career for him. His favorite part about working with the team is helping people meet their financial and personal goals and assisting institutional clients.

Salvatore was born in Overland Park, Kansas City Kansas and spent most of his life growing up in Connecticut but remains an avid Kansas City Chiefs football fan. He grew up playing sports predominantly hockey and later on rugby where he was named a captain on both teams. He is a music enthusiast of all genres and sub genres and is a collector of sports memorabilia and books.

He moved to California in 2020 and has been living in Pasadena since 2021 helping serve The Aegis Group West Coast partnership. In his free time he enjoys a good book, loves cinema and immersing himself in different cultures through trying new things especially music and cuisine.

Cassie Beauvais is a Registered Client Service Associate with a keen interest in building strong relationships with clients. Having started this role in January 2025, she is committed to providing exceptional service and ensuring client satisfaction. She is registered holding both a Series 7 and Series 66 license. Originally from Glastonbury, CT, she is happily settled there with her supportive husband. Cassie's major in Communication at Central Connecticut State University has equipped her with the skills necessary to excel in client service and relationship building. Cassie also did a course abroad in New Zealand as part of her university experience. Apart from work, she is a passionate traveler who has explored over 25 countries, with Japan holding a special place in her heart for its culture and cuisine. In her free time, you can find Cassie exploring new painting techniques, channeling her creativity onto the canvas and other projects.