The Claremont Group at Morgan Stanley

John brings a lifetime of experience to his role as a Senior Portfolio Management Director, Financial Advisor and founding partner of The Claremont Group. With more than 30 years of investment experience, John has a rare depth of knowledge and understanding of the financial markets with a keen focus on individual equities. John enjoys sharing his insights with high net worth individuals who seek more sophisticated strategies to grow and preserve their assets.

Born and raised in Concord, California, John has been reading The Wall Street Journal since he was in seventh grade. He inherited his passion for the markets from his father, an immigrant from Italy who owned his own business. He attended California State University, Chico where he earned his degree in Business Administration with a focus on Finance. After graduation, he joined Shearson Lehman Brothers, a firm that would later become Morgan Stanley. His 30+ year tenure with the firm has enabled John to build longstanding relationships with the firm’s senior leaders, providing his clients and colleagues with immediate access to the full scope of Morgan Stanley’s intellect and global resources.

With John’s extensive investment experience, he has developed a strong understanding of economics and is well versed in the equity and fixed income markets. Over the years, he has cultivated skills in investment selection. He thoroughly enjoys researching stock ideas, talking with investment managers and studying annual reports. He loves discussing his research findings with clients and helping them customize their investment portfolios with stocks and other investments that aim to grow and preserve their assets in a tax-efficient manner.

John now lives in Moraga, California with his wife, Kathy, and their two children, Jake and Ella. Outside of the office, John is an LMYA coach and regularly volunteers at a number of local food banks. His favorite hobbies include playing tennis, chess and watching movies.

Rick is a First Vice President, Financial Advisor and Financial Planning Specialist with The Claremont Group, a highly skilled advisory team located in Oakland, CA. With nearly 15 years of industry experience, Rick combines his extensive planning skills with an educational approach to guide clients towards the achievement of their specific financial goals. Rick is committed to delivering exceptional service as he works with each client to develop a customized financial plan to guide them to – and through – their retirement years.

Growing up in Southern California, Rick always had an interest in the financial markets. His parents instilled in him the importance of hard work and saving for unexpected financial emergencies, yet they took a more conservative approach in their investment strategies. When Rick learned about the stock market and how investing strategically could create greater wealth, he wanted to study as much as possible on the subject. While attending the University of California, Berkeley, Rick served as an intern at Morgan Stanley to continue learning about financial markets. It was during this experience that Rick achieved an even greater appreciation of the power of investing when paired with comprehensive financial planning. Upon earning his degree in 2007, Rick joined Morgan Stanley.

Today, Rick’s responsibilities focus on creating financial plans for every client. He manages the team’s mutual fund and exchange-traded fund investments. His goals-based process begins with asking the right questions and actively listening. This ongoing dialogue serves as the foundation for the development of a comprehensive strategy that reflects each client’s goals for the future. Rick receives great satisfaction knowing he is making a significant impact on the quality of his clients’ lives. He excels at simplifying the complexities of wealth management, effectively communicating each concept in a way his clients can easily understand.

Rick believes balance is vital to a happy life. He and his wife, Hana, live in Davis, California with their six-year-old son, Gavin, and their German Shepherd, Stella. Outside of the office, he and his family enjoy giving back to their community and are active in their church. Rick is a former board member of Mission Graduates, a San Francisco-based non-profit organization dedicated to establishing a college education as an expectation and goal for every child. Rick enjoys gardening, fishing and casual bike rides with his family. Among many of Rick’s activities, his favorite pastime is being a husband and dad and coaching his son’s baseball and soccer teams.

Pauline is a Vice President and Wealth Management Associate at The Claremont Group with more than 25 years of industry experience. A results-driven professional, she is committed to cultivating deep relationships with clients so she can help them solve their financial challenges.

Pauline’s primary responsibilities focus on bridging the advisory services offered through the team with operational excellence. Pauline is the cohesive and guiding force behind the scenes. She manages the team’s day-to-day workflow, reviews and analyzes financial reports, and identifies service enhancements to improve efficiencies for both our clients and advisors. Pauline maintains her FINRA Series 7 and 66 licenses.

A graduate of San Francisco State University with a degree in Business Administration and an emphasis on Finance and Banking, Pauline began her career in 1988 as an accountant at a local CPA firm. Over the years, she has worked at both large and small companies, including Chevron, the Internal Revenue Service and Bisys Brokerage Services. Pauline joined the Morgan Stanley family in 2006 and has been an invaluable member of the firm ever since.

Pauline resides in Orinda, California with her husband, Peter. In her free time, she enjoys going to the movies, eating out at local restaurants and reading good books with her book club.

As a Registered Client Service Associate at The Claremont Group, Maria is often the first line of contact on a broad array of client services. She is committed to providing each client with caring and personalized attention. She enjoys helping clients solve problems and delivering a positive experience with every interaction.

Maria leads of number of important client servicing activities for the team. Her responsibilities include opening new accounts, money transfers and assisting clients with technical support for Morgan Stanley Online and other digital services. She enjoys building meaningful relationships with clients and receives great satisfaction knowing she is helping them simplify their finances and achieve their long-term financial goals.

Prior to joining Morgan Stanley in 2018, Maria worked in retail banking for six years and held several positions there. She is a 2010 graduate of San Francisco State University, earning her degree in Business Administration with an emphasis on Marketing. She maintains her FINRA Series 7 license.

A lifelong resident of Richmond, California, Maria enjoys spending time with friends and family. She also enjoys volunteering with the Richmond High School robotics club, FIRST Team 841, a program providing students with exposure to the fields of STEM.