

The Continental Divide Group at Morgan Stanley

Our Mission Statement
Our Story
At the Continental Divide Group, we believe that you should feel confident in your investments because they reflect your goals. We begin with financial planning to define your goals. As Certified Portfolio Managers, and part of the Morgan Stanley portfolio Management Program, we help simplify the investment process by managing our own discretionary portfolios. This allows us to specifically tailor your investments to help achieve your goals.
The foundation of our process is risk management and income generation strategies. We build diversified portfolios focused on building an income stream for retirement and utilize a “bucket” approach of dividing assets based on risk tolerance and time remaining until withdrawal.
OUR CLIENTS UNDERSTAND THAT DECISIONS THEY MAKE AROUND COMPANY STOCK AND OPTIONS ARE SOME OF THE MOST CONSEQUENTIAL THEY’LL FACE IN THEIR FINANCIAL LIFE.
You May Ask Yourself:
• How well do I understand my equity compensation and the strategies that exist to maximize its value?
• Am I being as smart as my managers and coworkers with my equity compensation? Should I be making different choices based on my specific situation?
• How do I turn my company equity into something I can enjoy?
• Can I afford to leave my company, and how should I plan for that?
• What the heck is the Alternative Minimum Tax?
How Can We Help?
Understanding how your stock or option plan works is only the first step. We work with you articulate specific goals such as diversification, tax management, charitable gifting, or simply having enough cash to live on while you wait for an exit. Projecting a variety of multi-year scenarios, we help you make the best decisions you can to maximize this valuable asset.
Why Us?
We are part of a small group of Morgan Stanley advisors trained and experienced in these complex issues and have tools and resources that stand out among your choices in selecting a financial advisor.
Location
Meet The Continental Divide Group
About Bryan Koepf
With over fifteen years of experience as a financial advisor and investment consultant, he has been awarded the CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ and Certified Portfolio Manager® designations. He earned his Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from the University of Colorado at Boulder in 1996. As a Certified Financial Planner ™, his emphasis is on the financial plan as the foundation for working with his clients. Furthermore, as a Senior Portfolio Management Director, his “bucket” portfolio strategies enable him to work with his clients through all phases of their lives – Growth, Transition, and Income for Retirement.
Bryan, his wife, Megan, and their three children—Abby, Claire and Bennett—reside in Highlands Ranch, CO.
NMLS#: 515696
About Howard Hissrich
Howard is an Executive Financial Services (EFS) Director at Morgan Stanley which enables him to work with Corporate Executives who receive equity compensation.
Howard is a founder of the Fort Collins Rowing Association and an avid soccer fan. He is married with 2 sons and resides in Fort Collins, Colorado.
NMLS#: 515676
About Zach Leonard
Zach believes strongly in the benefit of financial planning for his clients. While working in the senior care industry, he saw first-hand how proper financial planning can impact a person or a family. This experience has motivated Zach to help clients build detailed financial plans to ensure they are prepared to handle unforeseen challenges in retirement.
Zach and his wife, Ashley, live in Aurora, CO with their son – Henry – and their two dogs, Copper and Finn.
NMLS#: 1282772
About Brian Casey
Brian feels that creating and maintaining a robust financial plan is at the core of helping clients reach their financial goals.
Brian lives in Highlands Ranch, CO, with his wife Kaela and two rescue dogs, Stevie Ray and Sonoma. He is an avid fly fisher and lover of the outdoors.
NMLS ID: 1215172
NMLS#: 1215172
About Paula Zavatti-Rainbow
Paula was born and raised in Colorado Springs. She moved to Boulder to attend the University of Colorado and never left the Denver/Boulder area. She currently lives in Arvada, CO with her husband Tom and their two dogs. In their free time they enjoy, hiking, walking, traveling and spending time with family and friends including their two granddaughters.
Series 7, 3, 63 and 66 licensed.
About Lori Gibb
Lori has worked in financial services for more than 35 years. She spent 20 years in retail banking, advancing from Teller to Operations Manager. In 2004, Lori transitioned her career to work alongside advisory teams and their clients. Lori helps mentor newer employees in Operations at Morgan Stanley and serves as a peer resource for other Operations employees who encounter more complicated issues. She holds Series 7 and 66 securities licenses, and is insurance licensed in Colorado. Lori also holds a Chartered Retirement Plans Counselor designation.
Lori has lived in Colorado most of her life and considers it home. She has volunteered with Habitat for Humanity, Wounded Warrior Project, various local Food Banks, and Boulder County Hospice. In her spare time, Lori enjoys pulling for her favorite NASCAR driver Chase Elliott, attending concerts of George Strait and others at the famed Red Rocks outdoor amphitheater in Colorado, and spending time with family and friends, enthusiastically cheering one of her many favorite sports teams like the Colorado Avalanche.
About Karen Thomson
For the Continental Divide Group, Karen’s role is to provide client services in the areas of client reporting, RMD processing, client review and report preparing, and the handling of administrative estate matters. Karen appreciates developing strong, personal connections with the team's clients and approaches the client relationships with the desire to understand each of their unique circumstances. Her multifaceted professional career and personal background enable her to offer clients a wide range of experience.
German-born, Karen grew up in Germany and is bilingual. She also spent three years outside of Brussels in Belgium during her father's military deployment with NATO. Before moving to the United States in 2005, Karen earned a law degree in Germany and started her professional career outside of Munich, Germany. Karen is a graduate of the University of Denver Law School's JD and LLM in American and Comparative Law programs. She passed the Colorado bar in 2009 (not-practicing with Morgan Stanley.) Karen started her career in the financial industry at a small Denver brokerage firm and later transitioning to JP Morgan Securities LLC, before joining Morgan Stanley Wealth Management. She is Series 7, 63 and 66 licensed.
In the community, Karen stays active raising money for the needs of people suffering from Cystic Fibrosis in the hopes of finding more and more effective, life-prolonging treatments. Calling Denver home, Karen and her family enjoy skiing, hiking, and going for runs. She loves spending time with her twelve year old daughter and taking their dog Luna for walks. Together, Karen and her family also like to travel within the United States as well as abroad. Having been a ballet dancer herself for twelve years, Karen has a life-long fondness for the performing arts.

Contact Bryan Koepf

Contact Howard Hissrich

Contact Zach Leonard

Contact Brian Casey
Portfolio Insights
Retirement
- 401(k) Rollovers
- IRA Plans
- Retirement income strategies
- Retirement plan participants
- Annuities
Family
- Estate Planning Strategies
- 529 Plans / Education Savings Planning
- Long Term Care Insurance
- Special Needs Planning
- Trust Services
Investing
- Asset Management
- Wealth Planning
- Traditional Investments
- Alternative Investments
- Impact Investing
Business Planning
- Succession Planning
- Business Planning
- Qualified Retirement Plans
Financial Wellness
- Reduce employee stress,
- Improve retention and engagement, and
- Set themselves apart by offering comprehensive financial wellness benefits.
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