The Hillrock Group

Jared Samos, a Hillrock Group partner, co-leads a team of seven professionals who collectively provide comprehensive wealth management solutions to families of distinction. Jared’s primary responsibilities are to oversee the team’s portfolio construction process, asset allocation models, manager search and selection process, risk management, trading, trust and estate planning strategies and philanthropic advisory services.

Jared began his career as a Portfolio Analyst at UBS Private Bank. He moved to Salomon Smith Barney (now Morgan Stanley) where he helped launch a global family office to address the complex needs of multigenerational families. After spending 12 years at Morgan Stanley, Jared transitioned to J.P. Morgan Securities in 2012. He returned to Morgan Stanley in 2020, the year he was also recognized as a Forbes Best-In-State Wealth Advisor.

Jared graduated cum laude from the George Washington University with a B.A. in international affairs. He and his wife, Roona, live with their kids, Carys and Dylan, in Rye, New York. Jared is also an active supporter of many charities that are dedicated to improving the lives of children and American veterans.

​Forbes Best-In-State Wealth Advisors
Source: Forbes.com (Awarded Jan 2020) Data compiled by SHOOK Research LLC based on time period from 6/30/18 - 6/30/19.

Benjamin April, a Hillrock Group partner, co-leads the team and focuses on delivering comprehensive wealth management services to address the complex challenges of ultra high net worth individuals, families, foundations and family offices. Benjamin approaches each client relationship from a holistic perspective, leveraging the firm’s global resources to frame his streamlined guidance in portfolio management, wealth structuring, banking services, credit facilities and charitable giving. He combines analysis and oversight for families and their beneficiaries so that each decision is structured to meet their ongoing objectives.

Benjamin’s 20 years of financial services experience are informed by his earlier work as an Investment Analyst, where he constructed customized asset allocation models for private clients. That background drives the process he follows today in helping his clients manage their wealth in the public and private capital markets. Benjamin researches and identifies investment opportunities and creates diversified portfolios that are precisely tailored to his clients’ current and long-term requirements. He positions each portfolio to respond to evolving macroeconomic factors and makes adjustments to keep pace with his clients’ evolving needs.

Benjamin began his financial services career at Salomon Smith Barney, a legacy firm of Morgan Stanley, in 2004. He transitioned to J.P. Morgan Securities 2012 and returned to Morgan Stanley in his current capacity in 2020.

Benjamin graduated from Lafayette College with a B.A. in political science. He, his wife, Samantha, and his children, Andie, Olivia, and Matthew, live in Scarsdale, New York. He is a member of the Portfolio Management Institute, an independent membership-supported organization dedicated to educating and improving the skills of its members. He is a member of the Finance Committee for Beach Point Club, a member-owned club in Mamaroneck, NY. Benjamin is passionate about giving back – he is actively involved in his community, an Advisory Board member for Our House NYC, a non-profit providing communities with grief support services, and was a founding board member of a grassroots charity that sends children to summer camp.

Jonathan Madrigano, a Hillrock Group partner, has worked with prominent families and for their single-family offices for more than 20 years. In the process, he has developed a distinctive approach that combines exceptional knowledge of the financial aspects of governing and managing family wealth with extraordinary sensitivity to wealth’s psychological and interpersonal effects. Jonathan’s integrated, values-based approach to comprehensive wealth management and estate planning helps to develop enduring family legacies that are designed to encourage family unity and affluence across generations. The core of his philosophy is his single-minded commitment to client advocacy and to the elimination of potential or perceived conflicts of interest.

Jonathan began his wealth management career in 2000 at a legacy firm of Morgan Stanley. He served as a Senior Advisor Citi Family Office, which was Citigroup’s highest service offering and their most intimate access level. He grew his practice at Salomon Smith Barney before becoming a Morgan Stanley Private Wealth Advisor. In 2011, Barron’s Magazine named Jonathan as one of America’s Top 100 Financial Advisors. He was also ranked number 14 on Barron’s list of Top 1,000 Financial Advisors in New York State in 2010. Jonathan moved his team to J.P. Morgan Securities in 2012 and returned to Morgan Stanley in 2020.

Prior to his wealth management career, Jonathan worked as an attorney at the world’s largest insurance defense law firm, Wilson, Elser, Moskowitz, Edelman, and Dicker, LLP. He had previously practiced trust, estate and corporate law at Mendalis and Goldberg, a boutique litigation firm in New York City’s financial district that catered to single-family offices. Though not practicing at Morgan Stanley, Jonathan is a member in good standing of the New York State Bar. He belongs to the New York State Bar Association, where he is a member of the Tax Section and the Trusts and Estate Law Section, and to the American Bar Association, where he is a member of the Family Law Section, the Real Property, Trusts and Estate Section and the Taxation Section.

Jonathan earned his Juris Doctorate from the Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law at Yeshiva University, and his Bachelor of Science in corporate finance and international economics from the Leonard N. Stern School of Business at New York University. In 2012, Jonathan returned to the classroom to teach entrepreneurship to students of The Julliard School, where he also founded the Entrepreneurship Grants program in their career services office.

​Barron's Top 100 Financial Advisors
Source: Barron's.com (Awarded Apr 2011) Data compiled by Barron's based on time period from Dec 2009 - Dec 2010.

​​Barron's Top 1,000 Financial Advisors: State-by-State
Source: Barron's.com (Awarded Feb 2010) Data compiled by Barron's based on time period from Sept 2008 - Sept 2009.

A financial services industry veteran of over 25 years and lead administrator of The Hillrock Group, Beverly Athanassopoulos plays an instrumental role in delivering an outstanding overall service experience to the team’s clients. Beverly oversees and coordinates the team’s day-to-day operations, supervising support staff and ensuring proper execution of administrative processes. Having forged close relationships with many clients, she works to ensure that they are always connected to their financial information, both online and in person. In acknowledgment of her many contributions, Beverly recently received a 20-year recognition award for service and loyalty at Morgan Stanley.

Prior to joining the team, Beverly worked as an educator and sports coordinator, her first job after graduating from G.C. Foster College of Physical Education and Sports with a B.S. degree. She lives in Central New Jersey, where she is an active volunteer at her neighborhood food bank. Outside of work, she enjoys traveling, gardening and spending quality time with family and friends.

Drawing on over a decade of financial services industry experience, Ringo Lu works alongside the team’s partners to implement The Hillrock Group’s financial planning and portfolio construction process. This effort begins with an in-depth study of our clients’ financial position, family dynamics, risk tolerance and attitudes toward money. Having learned the values that drive our clients’ decisions, Ringo can craft highly customized financial plans, which inform the investment strategy and guide them towards their financial goals. Applying academic research to portfolio management, Ringo employs analytics to conduct manager due diligence and provide clients with objective advice, market access and insightful reporting.

Ringo interned with the Hillrock Group in 2012, and joined the team in 2013. In the interim, he spent a year as a Business Analyst at Abrams Media. He is a graduate of New York University, where he earned a B.A. in mathematics and economics.

Ringo lives with his wife in northern New Jersey, where he enjoys cooking, particularly in Hong Kong Kitchen, his family’s restaurant. He is a car enthusiast, a sneaker collector and an avid Brooklyn Nets fan.

Nicholas Gao supports the team’s Private Wealth Advisors with responsibilities that encompass portfolio management, financial reporting, account analytics and capital market access. Nicholas also works directly with clients, helping them with online access, cash management requests and identification of other firm services and solutions that support their needs. He plays a key a role in the team’s marketing efforts, including maintenance of the digital and social media platforms and the planning of client events.

Nicholas graduated from The Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art, in Lower Manhattan, with a B.S. in Engineering. Prior to joining Morgan Stanley, Nicholas worked as a software engineer at Highbridge Capital Management, a $3 billion alternative investment manager.

Nicholas grew up on Long Island and now resides in lower Manhattan. He is passionate about emerging technology, artificial intelligence, and biotechnology, and enjoys exploring Manhattan and tracking down the best eateries the city has to offer.

Shelagh Kerrisk supports the team's financial advisors in their goal of providing a comprehensive, modern wealth management experience to each client. From account onboarding and administration to cash management and transfers to coordinating client communication and marketing, Shelagh is focused on ensuring an exceptional level of personalized care to meet our clients' wide-ranging and unique needs.

Shelagh graduated magna cum laude from Caldwell University with a B.S. in Business Administration, with a minor in Marketing. During her four years at Caldwell, she was the starting mid-fielder on the Women’s soccer team. Prior to joining Morgan Stanley, Shelagh served as an Operations Manager at SHI International, a billion-dollar global IT solutions provider.

Shelagh grew up along the Jersey Shore, and now resides in Hoboken, New Jersey. In her free time, she enjoys running along the Hudson, playing soccer, and spending time with friends and family.