The Carufe Group

Damion Carufe is a Managing Director and Private Wealth Advisor with Morgan Stanley Private Wealth Management on Palm Beach Island, Florida. He provides customized wealth management solutions and world-class customer service to ultra-high net-worth individuals, entrepreneurs, and corporate executives. With over 34 years of experience in the industry, he focuses on creating investment strategies with a disciplined risk management process to help his clients navigate through their complex financial needs.

Originally from New York, Damion started his career in 1986 at Drexel Burnham and joined Bear Stearns (now J.P. Morgan Securities) in 1988. Shortly after, he became a Managing Director in 1991 where he was one of the youngest Managing Directors in J.P. Morgan's history and tasked to help run the Atlanta, GA office. From 2016 to 2019, Damion was recognized by Barron’s Magazine as one of the “Top 1200 Financial Advisors” in the country. Most recently, he was also recognized by Forbes Magazine as one of “Best-In-State Wealth Advisors.” He was with J.P. Morgan for over 30 years before transitioning to Morgan Stanley PWM on Palm Beach in 2020.

As the founding principal of The Carufe Group, Damion is also among a select group of financial advisors at Morgan Stanley that has gone through a comprehensive screening and due diligence process to manage portfolios on a discretionary basis. He has a variety of proprietary strategies that he uses to customize portfolios.

Damion is involved in numerous non-profit organizations such as the Navy Seals Special Ops Fund, Scottish Rite Children's Hospital, and After-School All-Stars. He and his wife, Sherri, have also established the Carufe Family Scholarship at Elon University, benefitting an incoming varsity baseball player that majors in Finance.

Accolades:
Top 1200 Financial Advisors, Barron's: 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016
Best In State Wealth Advisors, Forbes: 2019, 2018

2016-2019 Barron's Top 1,200 Financial Advisors: State-by-State (formerly referred to as Barron's Top 1,000 Financial Advisors: State-by-State)
Source: Barrons.com (Awarded 2016-2019). Data compiled by Barron's based on 12-month period concluding in Sept of the year prior to the issuance of the award.

2018-2019 Forbes Best-In- State Wealth Advisors
Source: Forbes.com (Awarded 2018-2019). Data compiled by SHOOK Research LLC based 12-month time period concluding in June of year prior to the issuance of the award.


The individuals mentioned as the Portfolio Management Team are Financial Advisors with Morgan Stanley participating in the Morgan Stanley Portfolio Management program. The Portfolio Management program is an investment advisory program in which the client’s Financial Advisor invests the client’s assets on a discretionary basis in a range of securities. The Portfolio Management program is described in the applicable Morgan Stanley ADV Part 2, available at www.morganstanley.com/ADV or from your Financial Advisor.

Chong Luo is a Senior Vice President and Private Wealth Advisor for Morgan Stanley Private Wealth Management. He has over eighteen years of professional experience in the financial services industry. In 2017, Chong received the CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER TM (CFP^®) designation through Emory University. He and his team provide customized wealth and portfolio management services primarily to corporate executives and entrepreneurs. He works with his clients by simplifying their complex financial situations and implementing high quality portfolio advisory services, tailored wealth management strategies, and personalized advice.

Chong's main roles include new business development and relationship management with existing clients. He provides the financial planning and investment management aspects, including cash management and lending solutions, and hedge fund and private equity investments. Additionally, he assists with the design and execution of the group's overall strategies and long-term vision. Previously, Chong was a Vice President with J.P. Morgan. During this time, he was recognized by Forbes Magazine as Top Best-In-State Next-Gen Advisor for Florida. Prior to his time at J.P. Morgan, Chong was a Financial Planning Specialist at Smith Barney where his work included analysis and asset allocation for individual and corporate retirement plans, foundations and endowments.

Chong graduated from the University of Florida with a Bachelor of Science degree in Finance and a minor in Music Performance. He was a member of the Varsity Crew team and the Florida Cicerones, UF's official student ambassador organization. Fluent in Mandarin Chinese and Taiwanese, he was a Board member for many non-profit organization in the Asian-American community in Atlanta and represented them in numerous public speaking and professional development activities. He has also played the piano since the age of four and is avid in Crossfit and Krav Maga. Chong and his wife Gabrielle stay busy by chasing their two young daughters around South Florida.


Forbes America’s Top Next-Gen Wealth Advisors & Top Next-Gen Wealth Advisors Best-in-State
Source: Forbes.com (Awarded Aug 2019) Data compiled by SHOOK Research LLC based on time period from 3/31/18 - 3/31/19.

Jeffrey Johnson is a Wealth Management Associate with Morgan Stanley Private Wealth Management. He helps his team implement the wealth management process by researching, collecting, and analyzing investment strategies along with preparing model portfolios and recommendations for clients. He reviews research on current and prospective holdings to better understand the investment environment and macroeconomic outlook. He is continuously monitoring the market, search for activity related sectors or securities that could affect the portfolios so the team can make necessary adjustments to client portfolios.

Jeffrey graduated from Georgia State University with a Bachelor of Business Administration degree in Finance. He was immersed in finance from an early age. Fascinated with the stock market, he learned the basics from this father and grandfather who handled the family's investments. Through Georgia State's undergraduate program, he participated in the CFA Global Investment Research Competition, the Atlanta Hedge Fund Challenge, and was Chief Investment Officer for Georgia State's Portfolio Management Team, a student-managed, all-equity endowment fund.

Jeffrey transitioned with his team to Morgan Stanley PWM in February 2020. Prior to that, he joined J.P. Morgan Securities in 2014 where he held the same role with the team. Previously, he worked at Angel Oak Capital Advisors, LLC where he was a Risk and Compliance Analyst. He also worked at R.H Buchanan & Co. Asset Management, where he developed quantitative trading strategies and worked closely with the financial advisor to build retirement plans and construct fixed-income and equity portfolios.

Jeffrey is very active outside of the office; golfing on the weekends, fishing with friends, and playing basketball in his free time.

Jessica is a Senior Registered Associate with Morgan Stanley Private Wealth Management when she supports her team in an administrative capacity. She is responsible for on-boarding all accounts, deepening relationships with clients on behalf of the financial advisors, and extending support to cover clients' financial needs.

Jessica brings length of service to the group, having experience many cycles in the market. She strives to provide personalized service because she recognizes that valuing the relationship with a client is important to the team. Her 33 years in the industry has brought the team insight that clients appreciate: communication, sincerity, and promptness of follow through. Reviewing client activity on a daily basis to ensure accuracy and smooth execution of all client requests is a top priority. Jessica also serves as a liaison between the sales team, branch management, trading and compliance.

After graduating from Hofstra University in 1983 with a Bachelor of Business Administration degree in Finance, Jessica began working on Wall Street at Shearson/American Express in the research department as a Research Associate. Subsequent to that, she transitioned to a private money management/Investment Advisory firm as a Senior Investment Advisor where she was instrumental in its success by overseeing all aspects of the business.