The Buckeye Group at Morgan Stanley

As an experienced financial services professional since 1984, Russ has dedicated his career to helping improve the quality of his clients' financial lives.  He believes that in order to design a financial roadmap that addresses specific client goals, he must develop an in-depth understanding of each and every client. 

Russ is a Certified Financial Planner Professional with over four decades of industry experience. In 2008, Russ founded The Buckeye Group to provide wide-ranging strategies to customize client needs in an increasingly complex financial landscape. His team responsibilities include portfolio design, manager selection and monitoring, creation and implementation of financial plans, and overseeing The Buckeye Group's wealth management efforts.

Russ was born and raised in Wisconsin, moving with his family to Ohio in 1976. He played football for Boardman High School and went on to play for Syracuse University, where he earned a Finance degree from the School of Management in 1982. Russ is married to his high school sweetheart, Gwen. They have two grown sons, Adam (wife Anna, grandsons Leif and Lars), and Hunter (wife Megan, grandson Michael and granddaughter Madison). When not babysitting grandchildren, Russ and Gwen love traveling and all things outdoors including skiing, scuba diving, camping, and hiking.

In a world where success is the primary factor that people focus on, Scott believes that we are not called to be successful; rather we are called to be faithful.  Once we are faithful to building relationships (whether it be in business, marriage, or religion), then true success shines through.  Scott strives to incorporate this philosophy into his business practice, as he has been building these successful relationships since 1999 as a Financial Advisor. He is a problem solver who works to help simplify clients' financial lives.  Scott assists families grow and preserve their wealth by guiding them to make smart decisions about their money so they can spend more time doing what they love.  As a founding member of the Buckeye Group, Scott has been with the team since its inception in 2008. 

Scott graduated Summa Cum Laude from Liberty University’s Rawlings School of Divinity with a BS in Religion and has completed two years of seminary at Pittsburgh Theological seminary in their Master of Divinity program. His team responsibilities include portfolio design, manager selection and discretionary portfolio management. A believer in continuing education, Scott has earned the designations of Investment Management Consultant and Portfolio Manager at Morgan Stanley.  He holds the firm designation of Financial Planning Specialist and was awarded Morgan Stanley Century Club in 2021 and 2022. In addition to demonstrating leadership through best practices of wealth management, this accolade recognizes Scott's consistent excellence in providing a wide range of investment products and wealth management services to clients like you.

Scott was born and raised in Warren, Ohio. He resides in Howland where he is active in his church. Scott is happily married to his best friend, Jessica. They have two sons, two daughters-in-law and most recently a new grandchild. He is an avid outdoorsman, enjoying boating, fishing, hiking, camping, and skiing. Scott is an Eagle Scout and a former Scoutmaster with the Boy Scouts of America. Scott is a veteran of the U.S. Air Force and a former adjunct faculty with the National Security Agency (NSA).

Kurt Hurdley is a Financial Advisor with eight years of experience helping clients navigate some of life’s most meaningful decisions. He primarily serves high-net-worth retirees and business owners transitioning into retirement, guiding them through thoughtful planning designed to turn decades of hard work into lasting financial independence.

Kurt specializes in comprehensive financial planning, high net worth lending strategies, and retirement solutions including annuities and insurance. Clients describe his approach as grounded patient and deeply invested in their success. What sets Kurt apart is his commitment to listening to truly understand the lives and goals behind the numbers so he can tailor strategies that reflect what matters most to each client.

His path into the industry began with a question he often asked while growing up: Why do so many people struggle financially even when they work so hard? That curiosity became a calling, and today he's motivated by seeing clients achieve the goals they once shared with him.

A proud Ohio native, Kurt grew up in Youngstown and graduated from Youngstown State University Outside of work he enjoys classic cars, vintage watches, and financial history.

Kurt works best with people who are ready to seek guidance and put it into action. He believes that financial advice matters most when it helps clients protect their future and the people they love.

Since 1996, Amanda has been the cornerstone of delivering the highest level of personalized service for clients. Although her career in the financial industry began at Merrill Lynch, she joined Morgan Stanley in 2006 as one of the original members, she became an integral part of building The Buckeye Group. Through her hard work, creativity, and her willingness to tackle any client request, she has often become the initial point of contact for clients. She is dedicated to making clients feel that she truly cares about them. Amanda spear-headed the implementation of the team’s current client contact system which has helped the team greatly enhance their World Class Service.
Born in Huntington, West Virginia, Amanda moved to Hermitage Pennsylvania at the age of 5. She has one daughter, Brittany, who is currently in Grad School at Slippery Rock University. She is engaged to her fiancé, Les, and the two of them enjoy time outside in their vegetable and flower gardens.

Carmen's goodwill and compassion for others is easily seen as one of the most distinct characteristics to
his uplifting nature. The Buckeye Group had the pleasure of first meeting and working with Carmen in
2004, during his internship with the team. After 21 years, and a wealth of industry knowledge gained, we
are honored to welcome him with open arms to the team.

His prior experiences at John Hancock, JP Morgan Chase, and PNC have set him apart as an
accomplished professional with a dedication to building client relationships accompanied with in-depth
knowledge of financial products and business assessment expertise. His 20 years of experience in
providing comprehensive financial arid banking strategies to clients from countless walks of life, have
supported his delivery of outstanding results and exceeding client expectations.

Carmen lives near Poland, Ohio and enjoys running, working out, and playing golf in his free time.
Carmen is an esteemed resource to Our clients and to Our team. We are looking forward to you meeting
and working with him!