The HWC Group at Morgan Stanley

Ira Hershkowitz is a Managing Director, Financial Advisor and founding partner of the Hershkowitz-Westphal-Clemens Group at Morgan Stanley in Bellevue. Ira holds the CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ certification awarded by the Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards, Inc. Prior to being at Morgan Stanley, he had been with Merrill Lynch Wealth Management since 1995. He has a J.D. from the U.C.L.A. School of Law (not practicing at Morgan Stanley) and a B.S. in Business Administration with a Concentration in Economics from the Wharton School of Business of the University of Pennsylvania. Ira was named to the Barron's "Top 1,200 Financial Advisors" list in 2021*, 2020, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014 and 2010. He was also recognized in Forbes "Best-in-State Wealth Advisors" list in February 2022*, 2021, 2020, 2019 and 2018.

The most treasured thing I own: An autographed menu from Jilly’s Restaurant, a famous NYC watering hole for the Rat Pack.

Favorite place I’ve travelled: Sicily, it’s like going back in time. Great pizza too.

One piece of advice: ‘Never give in,…-in nothing, great or small, large or petty, -never give in except to convictions of honor and good sense’. Winston Churchill

Hobbies & Interests: Playing and studying the drums…a lifelong aspiration that I realized during the pandemic. I also enjoy going to Trivia Nights at local spots with friends and family.

Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards Inc. owns the certification marks CFP^® and CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ in the U.S.

The College for Financial Planning Institutes Corp. owns the service marks Chartered Retirement Planning Counselor℠, CRPC^®, and the CRPC^® logo, and the certification marks Chartered Retirement Planning Counselor™, CRPC™, and the CRPC™ logo.

2018-2022 Forbes Best-In- State Wealth Advisors
Source: Forbes.com (Awarded 2018-2022). Data compiled by SHOOK Research LLC based 12-month time period concluding in June of year prior to the issuance of the award.

2010;2014;2015;2016;2017;2020;2021 Barron's Top 1,200 Financial Advisors: State-by-State (formerly referred to as Barron's Top 1,000 Financial Advisors: State-by-State)
Source: Barrons.com (Awarded 2010;2014;2015;2016;2017;2020;2021). Data compiled by Barron's based on 12-month period concluding in Sept of the year prior to the issuance of the award.

Matt Westphal is an Executive Director, Financial Advisor, and a founding partner of the Hershkowitz-Westphal-Clemens Group at Morgan Stanley in Bellevue. Matt holds the CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ certification awarded by the Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards, Inc. He received his B.A. in Finance from Western Washington University. Prior to joining Morgan Stanley, he was a Financial Advisor at Merrill Lynch Wealth Management since 1998. Matt works closely with his clients to build a customized wealth management strategy that is flexible as their needs and market conditions change. When appropriate, he works with clients' attorneys, accountants, and other advisors to help coordinate their financial and legacy strategies on matters such as sale of a business, concentrated stock positions, retirement planning, wealth management and wealth transfer. Matt was named to the Forbes "Best-in-State Wealth Advisors" list, April 2022 for the 5th consecutive year.

The most treasured thing I own: My golf clubs

A book recommendation: The Book Thief

One piece of advice: Find a good career/life mentor you trust and like

If I could have one superpower, it would be… scratch golfer

2018-2022 Forbes Best-In- State Wealth Advisors
Source: Forbes.com (Awarded 2017-2022). Data compiled by SHOOK Research LLC based 12-month time period concluding in June of year prior to the issuance of the award.

Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards Inc. owns the certification marks CFP^® and CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ in the U.S.

Erin Westphal is a Financial Advisor, First Vice President and holds the designation of Chartered Retirement Planning Counselor℠. When working with clients, Erin strives to simplify complex financial and investment issues, believing this approach makes discussions more interesting and engaging and leads to better collective decisions. Her focus is on developing strategies and providing investment guidance for individuals, their families, and their business by understanding their short and long-term financial goals.

She graduated from Western Washington University with a B.A. in Business with dual concentrations in Marketing and Finance. Prior to joining Morgan Stanley, Erin was with Merrill Lynch since 2001 after having worked as an analyst for a Seattle-based technology company.

Erin lives on Mercer Island with her husband Matt and two daughters. She enjoys interior design, reading, going for long walks while listening to podcasts and travelling the world.

A book recommendation: I’m a avid reader of books- not on a Kindle or tablet but a well-loved, slightly dusty, dog-eared paper book. It would be impossible to recommend just one so a few of my recent favorites are: “The Great Alone” by Kristin Hannah (really anything by Kristin Hannah), “Beneath a Marble Sky” by John Shors, “Book Woman of Troublesome Creek” by Kim Michele Richardson and “Where the Crawdads Sing” by Delia Owens.

Favorite place I’ve travelled: “Though you may leave Paris, Paris never really leaves you.” I love it all- the architecture, food, clothing, language, and sheer beauty. Even the ice cream cones are shaped like roses. Magnifique!

One piece of advice: “Do the best you can until you know better. Then when you know better, do better.”- Maya Angelou

The College for Financial Planning Institutes Corp. owns the service marks Chartered Retirement Planning Counselor℠, CRPC^®, and the CRPC^® logo, and the certification marks Chartered Retirement Planning Counselor™, CRPC™, and the CRPC™ logo.

Ryan Clemens is a Financial Advisor & First Vice President at Morgan Stanley Wealth Management. Prior to joining Morgan Stanley, Ryan Clemens was with Merrill Lynch for 10 years after having worked eight years in Sports Management and Business Operations. Ryan holds the designation of Chartered Retirement Planning Counselor℠, Certified Plan Fiduciary Advisor™, and is a Corporate Retirement Director with a focus on private wealth management and corporate retirement benefit plans. He earned his bachelor’s degree in Business Administration and Economics while majoring in Marketing at New Mexico State University. Ryan follows a disciplined process that begins with first developing a financial plan by taking the time to fully understand his clients objectives, needs, and tax considerations. He then builds an investment strategy that focuses on those priorities.

Ryan lives in Ponte Vedra Beach, FL with his wife and 4 young children. He enjoys cooking, fishing, golfing and most recently has taken up surfing.

Favorite book: Most of my reading time is spent with my kiddos. The consensus favorite seems to be the bedtime classic by Margaret Wise Brown, Goodnight Moon

Favorite Quote: “Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work” – Thomas Edison

Favorite Destination: Off the grid camping – destination unknown. Our family’s antidote for exhaustion is nature. “Wilderness is not a luxury but a necessity of the human spirit.” – Edward Abbey

The College for Financial Planning Institutes Corp. owns the service marks Chartered Retirement Planning Counselor℠, CRPC^®, and the CRPC^®, and the certification marks Chartered Retirement Planning Counselor™, CRPC™, and the CRPC™.

Lamar Neagle is a Financial Advisor at Morgan Stanley. His experience in business and sports led him to pursue his Global Sports and Entertainment Associate Director designation. Lamar focuses on educating clients, helping them understand the "why" behind the strategy and investments. He believes empowering clients with an understanding provides context and ensures clear communication that establishes and strengthens trust.

Lamar lives in Bonney Lake with his wife, Natalie, and three kids. He continues to be involved in soccer as a Co-Founder of Ballard FC & Salmon Bay FC, sports commentating for the Sounders and supporting multiple non-profits based around the sport.

Hobbies and Interests: With young kids, their interests have currently taken the front seat; soccer, basketball, dance, flag football, baseball, skiing and the occasional trampoline park.

Favorite place I've travelled: A month long trip with my wife to Southeast Asia, traveling to multiple destinations for different adventures, with stops in Kuala Lumpur, Jakarta, Ubud and a few others.

Emily transitioned to Morgan Stanley with the HWC Group in 2022, having previously worked at Merrill Lynch since 2010. She graduated Magna Cum Laude from the Leavey School of Business at Santa Clara University, receiving her Bachelor of Science in Commerce with a concentration in Finance.
Emily is fully licensed/registered and enjoys utilizing her education and experience to assist clients in working toward their financial goals. Having grown up in the Pacific Northwest, Emily currently resides in Seattle, and loves both the vibrancy of the city, and breathtaking beauty of the surrounding mountains and Sound.

One piece of advice: Get to know your neighbors. An unexpected and positive outcome of my experience with the Covid 19 pandemic was getting the opportunity to become close with my neighbors. I never knew such interesting, kind, generous people lived just a door away! Intentionally building these relationships fosters stronger community bonds and benefits both individuals and the public as whole.

Favorite place I’ve travelled: England. The people, the culture, the history, the theater, and so much more, makes England my favorite travel destination and I can’t wait to go back!

A book I enjoy: The Power, a novel by Naomi Alderman. An exciting and thought-provoking commentary on current power dynamics and social structures throughout the world, as well as an exploration of the liberating and corrupting effects of unrestrained power.

Prior to joining Morgan Stanley in 2021, Heather worked as an Investment Product Development Manager for a large mutual fund company where she started her investment industry career in 2013. Heather obtained her BA in Finance from the University of Wisconsin – Oshkosh.

Heather was born and raised in the greater Madison, Wisconsin area on a 500-acre dairy farm where she learned the value of hard work and planning for the future from a young age. She relocated to Washington in 2018 with her Husband, a Seattle native. Heather looks forward to developing close relationships with each client so she can help address their greatest concerns and help them achieve their financial goals.

Favorite place I’ve travelled: I love to travel so it’s hard to narrow it down to just one – but if forced to choose I’d have to say Ecuador. During college I did a summer internship at a government bank in Ecuador and the experience has stuck with me ever since. With this being a solo trip for an extended period I got to learn so much about myself and what I’m capable of while making lifelong friends in a beautiful country. This trip also came with the bonus of becoming much more grateful for things I previously didn’t think twice about (ahem – running water!)

One piece of advice: My dad used to always tell me “Never leave for tomorrow what you can do today”. Keeping this as my daily motto has already saved me on countless occasions. You never know what the next day is going to bring so always better to get things done right away!

Hobbies & Interests: My husband always refers to me as chameleon due to my wide array of interests. But you’re most likely to find me out wine tasting (or really any local food & beverage event) or watching reruns of Friends while working on my latest knitting project.

Hannah rejoined the HWC Group at Morgan Stanley in May 2023. She previously worked with the team from 2018-2020 and is excited to have returned to our clients and team!

Hannah grew up in nearby Edmonds, Washington. She moved to Los Angeles to attend college at Loyola Marymount University, where she received a BA in Film and Sociology. After graduation, she started her financial services career with Wells Fargo Advisors in Los Angeles, eventually returning home to Edmonds in 2018. She has remained in the financial services industry ever since and brings a decade of experience. She strives to deliver service with a smile and make your day better however she can.

In her spare time, Hannah indulges in cooking, golf, watching movies, and running. She also loves long walks with her senior pup, Fouts, who she and her husband adopted in 2022.

One piece of advice: Life’s too short – eat the whole pizza.

Favorite place I’ve travelled: Italy. All of it was amazing, but I DREAM about the food.

Next dream destination: Going back to Italy!

Leigh joined Morgan Stanley in 2011 as a Registered Client Service Associate and has a background in the banking and insurance industries. She strives to ensure every client receives excellent service and care in a timely manner.

Leigh graduated with honors from the University of North Florida with a B.S. degree in Business Administration and a minor in International Business. She studied abroad in Provence, France and has traveled throughout Europe.

Leigh and her husband Terry have two sons: Aiden & Ryan. They enjoy traveling, especially to Canada to visit Terry's immediate family. Her many interests include music and the arts, animal advocacy and most importantly, spending time with family.

Favorite Place to Travel: Rome, Italy

Henry joined the HWC Group in 2024, having previously worked in Morgan Stanley’s operations department and at the University of Washington Alumni Association. Henry is a Puget Sound native, and it is from the University of Washington that he earned a BS in Economics, with a certificate in Quantitative Managerial Economics & minor in Hellenic Studies.

As a Registered Client Service Associate, Henry acts as a liaison for our clients, using his experience and skills to help them work towards their personal financial goals.

Favorite Quote: “Don’t cry because it’s over. Smile because it happened.” I have always found solace in this quote. It helps remind me that life is what we make of it.

Favorite place to travel: Nafplio, Greece. Being a novice historian, I am incredibly grateful for the opportunity to have spent time studying and traveling in Greece. Nafplio beautifully preserves architecture from Antiquity, Byzantine, Frankish, Venetian, Ottoman, and Modern eras. The seafood and the Greek sunset certainly don’t hurt either.