The Gannon Group

The lead member of the Gannon Group at Morgan Stanley Private Wealth Management, Niall’s role is Private Wealth Advisor to ultra-high-net-worth investors. At Morgan Stanley Private Wealth Management, Niall manages a group of five professionals that have extensive experience assisting Forbes 400 families, C.E.O.s and other investors of substantial means.

Niall’s first major book: Investing Strategies for the High Net-Worth Investor: Maximize Returns on Taxable Portfolios, published by McGraw-Hill in December 2009, has received recognition among investing and business media including: Forbes, Morningstar, the Institute for Private Investors (IPI), the St. Louis Business Journal, and has been featured in an article published in BusinessWeek (2009).

In 2019 Niall authored, Tailored Wealth Management: Exploring the Cause and Effect of Financial Success (Palgrave-MacMillan). In 2018 he published, Forecasting Long-Term Portfolio Returns: The Efficient Valuation Hypothesis, in Seeking Alpha.

Niall has appeared on CNBC and National Public Radio. In addition, he has been quoted in the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Barron’s, and BusinessWeek. In 2009, Niall was featured in Curtis Faith's book, Inside the Mind of the Turtles: How the World's Best Traders Master Risk (2009) and Mebane Faber's The Ivy Portfolio: How to Invest Like the Top Endowments and Avoid Bear Markets (2009). In 2008, his academic work was featured in Eric Falkenstein & Eric W. Richardson's Finding Alpha (2008). In 2012, he was quoted in Andreas Schyra’s book Indices as Benchmarks in Portfolio Management with Special Consideration of the European Monetary Union. In 2014, Niall’s research was featured in Paul Watkins’ book, Portfolio Management 186 Success Secrets and in Charlotte B. Beyer’s book Wealth Management Unwrapped. In 2015, he was quoted in Marc Engelbrecht’s book Asset Allocation in Private Banking.

Niall is a former member within the Institute for Private Investors and during 2008-2010, served on the CFA Institute Committee for the development of Investment Policy Statements for high net worth investors. Niall also serves as chairman of the Investment Committee and treasurer for the Papal Foundation and as a Board of Trustees member for the Roman Catholic Foundation of Eastern Missouri. He is co-founder of the Fr James Kisero Children's Clinic in Bolo, Kenya. In addition, he has made enduring commitments to professional and civic associations in the St. Louis region and the State of Missouri. Niall is a former Board of Directors member of the Junior Achievement of Mississippi Valley, a past Director of Connections to Success and St. Louis Variety, and a past advisory board member to Cor Jesu Academy. He was also former President of the St. Louis Irish Arts and former Chairman of the 2006 Annual Catholic Appeal.

For his work in these and other areas, Niall received the Silver Congressional Award and is a four-time recipient of the President’s Volunteer Service Award in 2004, 2005, 2006 and 2007. In 2008, he received the Bill Eager Portfolio Manager of the Year Award. In 2019, he was inducted into The Citadel’s Baker School of Business Hall of Fame. For his work with the Archdiocese of St. Louis, he was inducted into the Order of St. Louis the King.

Niall completed The Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania’s ‘Institute for Private Investors: Private Wealth Management Professional Track Program’ in 2005. He received his undergraduate degree from The Citadel Military College of South Carolina and subsequently held the rank of lieutenant in the U.S. Army Reserve as an M1 Abram’s tank platoon leader.

As a Private Wealth Advisor, Portfolio Manager, and key implementer of financial strategy for The Gannon Group at Morgan Stanley Private Wealth Management, Matt’s role as Senior Portfolio Management Director gives him the responsibility for macro after-tax portfolio strategy, asset management, and security selection. Matt has 25 years of experience advising on and managing taxable accounts, trusts, and foundations for ultra high-net-worth families.

Matt is a Certified Financial Planner, CFP. In 2011, Matt earned the Certified Portfolio Manager (CPM^®) designation, sponsored by the Academy of Certified Portfolio Managers and Columbia University in New York.

Prior to joining The Gannon Group, Matt was a Fixed Income Specialist at Edward Jones. In this position, Matt was responsible for trading fixed income products including government, municipal, and corporate bonds.

Scott serves as a Private Wealth Advisor, working with affluent multi-generational families, foundations, and executives. He utilizes his extensive industry experience of nearly two decades to provide wealth management solutions tailored to each clients specific goals. In addition, Scott is a member of The Gannon Group’s investment committee, leading the research and due diligence efforts on both equity and bond portfolios. He is actively involved in managing client portfolios on a daily basis, making sure portfolios are properly allocated to target with an emphasis on tax efficiency. Scott also oversees the Gannon Group’s compliance with the Global Investment Performance Standards (GIPS) of the CFA Institute. His work ensures the full disclosure and fair representation of the Gannon Group’s investment performance, which is communicated to current and future clients. Scott maintains the Gannon Group’s proprietary after-tax historical and future return models that are used in client and prospect consultations.

Prior to joining the Gannon Group, Scott was an Investment Consultant at Scottrade. Specifically, he worked on the advanced option strategy desk where he was an expert in option strategies and utilized that knowledge to manage risk for the firm.

Scott is a Chartered Financial Analyst^® (CFA) charterholder. Scott received his MBA from Washington University with a concentration in Finance and completed his undergraduate degree at Indiana University.

Jeff helps deliver holistic wealth management planning for individuals and families in addition to consulting services to for-profit and not-for-profit organizations. His holistic planning practice is focused on helping clients achieve their financial goals within their personal boundaries of risk tolerance and their investment time horizon. He is committed to delivering exceptional service. His approachable style helps clients make well-informed decisions, while maintaining the discipline necessary to navigate the most challenging of markets.

Jeff joined Morgan Stanley in 2018 after a successful 23 year career at Anheuser-Busch where he worked in Marketing and Field Sales. After moving his family to Austin Texas in 2007 with Anheuser-Busch, and returning to St. Louis with Anheuser-Busch in 2011, he managed the company’s Entertainment Marketing strategies. In this role, he acted as a consultant to the brand teams regarding the music industry. He continued working as an Entertainment Marketing consultant after leaving Anheuser-Busch and worked with Fortune 100 companies and creative agencies. Jeff graduated from Arizona State University and earned his MBA in Finance from Saint Louis University.

Jeff and his wife, Ann, have three grown children, and their youngest son is a freshman in college. They live in Des Peres Missouri and are active in their parish, St. Gerard Majella. They enjoy spending time together as a family, traveling, and outdoor activities. Jeff is an avid triathlete and has completed five Ironman competitions.

In 2016, Sarah joined the Gannon Group at Morgan Stanley as their Wealth Management Associate. Serving as the group's operational manager, it is her main focus to deliver a world class service model to all clients. Sarah is responsible for conducting account service reviews to maintain due diligence of account documentation and cash management instructions. Her other duties include the resolution of complex servicing issues, coordination of operational obligations to team members and oversight of the team's marketing. Within the firm, Sarah serves on the PWM Strategic Solutions Forum.

Sarah began with Morgan Stanley in 2013 as a Client Service Associate and became a Registered Associate in 2014. Before joining the Gannon Group, Sarah was the Client Engagement Associate for the St. Louis Complex and was serving as the local subject matter expert for Cash Management and Digital Strategies. 

Prior to joining Morgan Stanley in 2013, Sarah worked at the US Department of Agriculture processing loss claims and loss mitigation for guaranteed rural housing loans. She also has professional experience as a Senior Staff Designer at Ginger Huff Interiors, after receiving her Bachelor of Science degree, in Family and Consumer Science - Interior and Environmental Design, from Illinois State University.

Cindy has over 30 years of private banking and client service administration experience for ultra-high-net-worth families. Serving as the group's administrative coordinator, her primary goal is to help ensure new and existing clients are on-boarded and serviced with ease, care and attention to detail. Her other duties include daily management of client liquidity needs, maintenance of relationships with client's external strategic partners and coordination of long range philanthropic distributions.

Cindy has been with Morgan Stanley Smith Barney and its predecessor firm since 1996, originally working as a Client Service Associate for a team of Financial Advisors in Dallas, Texas. Her career in financial services began as a personal banker and cashier at Bank One after receiving her Bachelor of Science degree in elementary education from Illinois State University.

Cindy also has been active within the United States Armed Forces as a former member of the U.S. Air Force Reserves where she held the rank of Airman, First Class.

With over 5 years of client service experience, Janna serves as a Registered Client Service Associate. She enjoys providing exceptional service with care and attention to detail. Her responsibilities include account opening, cash management, digital services and many more.

After graduating from the University of Missouri - St. Louis with a degree in political science, she moved to South Korea for 2 and a half years to teach English. She enjoys spending time outside with her dog.

Janna recently returned to Morgan Stanley and the St. Louis area from Las Cruces, New Mexico. She currently holds the Series 7, 63 & 66 licenses.