The Hudson Valley NY Group at Morgan Stanley

Jack Higbee is a Senior Vice President with more than 39 years of experience as a Financial Advisor. He focuses on providing personalized advice and solutions to financially successful individuals, families, businesses and non-profit organizations. Jack’s extensive knowledge of the financial services industry, coupled with his communication and teaching skills, allow him to deliver a comprehensive wealth management solution designed to help his clients achieve their financial goals.

Jack was raised in New York’s Hudson Valley. In 1981 he received a BA in Economics from The College of the Holy Cross in Worcester, MA and returned to the Hudson Valley to begin his career as a Financial Advisor. He became a Certified Financial Planner™ (CFP^®) in 1987 demonstrating his commitment to financial planning early in his career. During his time at Merrill Lynch, Jack was named to their Chairman’s Club, a distinction reserved for successful financial advisors. In April of 2009, Jack and his team moved their practice to Morgan Stanley. He has continued the same level of success achieving the titles of Senior Vice President, Portfolio Management Director, Family Wealth Advisor and Insurance Planning Director. Jack has been a member of the Morgan Stanley Century Club since 2009.

Jack lives in Hudson, NY with his wife, Mary Ellen. She was his partner at Morgan Stanley until she retired in 2017. They have two children and six grandchildren.

Jonathan Meier is a Financial Advisor with over 17 years of investment experience. An avid student of the financial markets, he takes pleasure in educating and guiding clients through the financial planning and portfolio management process. Jonathan’s primary responsibilities include customized financial planning, investment research, asset allocation modeling, portfolio risk analysis and advisory account trading.

Jonathan is a graduate of The College of St. Rose in Albany, NY where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree. Jonathan began his career as a Financial Advisor in 2005 by completing the rigorous training program at Merrill Lynch. He earned the designation of Chartered Retirement Planning Counselor™ (CRPC^®) in 2007. In 2009 Jonathan and his team moved their practice to Morgan Stanley where he became a certified Portfolio Manager and earned the title of Vice President.

Jonathan was born, raised and currently lives in Coxsackie, NY with his wife Deidre and their two young children. They are very active in the local Parent Teacher Organization hosting events and fundraising. Jonathan also enjoys prototype design, woodworking, and is a blue belt in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu.

After serving as a Naval Officer in the United States Navy for 7 years, Tony began working in the financial industry in 1994 for Merrill Lynch. He moved to Smith Barney in 2008, which eventually became Morgan Stanley. Tony focuses on building discrete portfolios of stocks, bonds and ETFs for his clients.

Tony grew up in Verona, PA. He attended Boston University where he earned a BS in Electrical Engineering. He has lived in Rhinebeck, NY since 2001.

Tony has been married to his wife, Wendi for 28 years and has two sons, Ben and Owen. He also has two dogs, Pepsi and Stella. Tony spends most of his free time enjoying activities with his family. He likes playing most sports, especially basketball and golf.

Chris is a Financial Advisor who joined Morgan Stanley in 2018. He focuses on providing personalized advice and solutions to individuals, families and businesses. He takes pleasure in helping clients identify their financial objectives and crafting a plan to achieve them. Chris’ primary focus is on implementing customized financial planning and utilizing Morgan Stanley’s extensive alternative investment platform.

Chris was born and raised in Cottekill, NY. The second oldest of five boys, he grew up in a highly competitive atmosphere focused around academics and athletics. Chris received a scholarship to compete collegiately for the University of Illinois golf team, and upon graduating with Big-Ten honors athletically and academically, he enjoyed a 6 years professional golf career. His highlights include two seasons on the Web.com Tour and competing in the US Open at Congressional Country Club in 2011. Chris has since transitioned his competitiveness and passion into Financial Services, where he prides himself on building strong relationships, and assisting clients with achieving their goals.

Chris currently resides in Kingston with his wife, Alexandra, and their two daughters, Cahill and Rollins. While golf still plays an important role in Chris’ life, it has taken a back seat to caring for his family, and serving his growing client base.

Michelle Barkan is a Business Development Associate with the Hudson Valley NY Group. She has been with Morgan Stanley since 2018 and in the financial industry for 16 years. Michelle is an assistant to the advisors, a guide for clients and prospects through the account inception and discovery process and remains hands on through the life cycle of an account. Her knowledge of the administrative processes and firm procedures is an asset to the team.

Within the Hudson Valley NY Group, Michelle leads their client service department, manages the team marketing and digital presence, and commits to a proactive role in firm developments. She is a member of the Central Eastern New York Women in Wealth chapter, focusing on community outreach and charitable giving. In 2022 Michelle was awarded the Field Service Champion award, given to select professionals each year. She also serves as a Market Coach for her peers in the client service department, promoting firm resources, piloting new programs and collaborating with management on best practices for efficiency and progress.

Michelle is fully registered, receiving her Series 7 and Series 66 license. She resides in Port Ewen, NY with her family. She is an active member in the local CrossFit gym and an avid reader.

Alexandra Cunningham joined Morgan Stanley as a Client Service Associate in 2022 and has worked in the financial services industry since 2012. She began her career at Ulster Savings Bank where her most recent position was New Account Representative. Following the bank, she was employed with Empower Retirement, a major recordkeeper for retirement accounts, as a Participant Services Representative.

Alexandra received her Bachelor of Science in Business Administration with an emphasis in Finance from Marist College in 2012. She went on to receive her Master of Science in Finance from Southern New Hampshire University in 2019.

As a Client Service Associate, Alexandra is the point of first contact for clients of the Hudson Valley NY Group at Morgan Stanley and is responsible for a variety of administrative and operational duties for the team. With both her education and work experience focused on finance she is well equipped to deliver a superior level of client service.

Alexandra resides in Saugerties, NY. She loves outdoor activities such as hiking, playing tennis, and traveling to see new states and National Parks.