The Kelly Group at Morgan Stanley

As founder and senior advisor of The Kelly Group, Chris serves as the team’s pilot, shaping the Group’s strategic vision with a commitment to excellence. For more than 25 years, he has been providing personalized financial advice to individuals, families and business leaders in the Pensacola area and across the country. His extensive knowledge, experience and relationship management skills enable him to understand the intricate details of each client’s personal wealth. He focuses on what is most important to each client, so he can develop a tailored plan designed to address their specific challenges and accomplish their long-term goals.

Born on an army base in Germany, Chris spent his early school years near Ft. Rucker, AL before moving to the Pensacola area in 1976. He graduated from the University of West Florida with a B.S. degree in Marketing and Finance and began his career with First Alabama Bank in Birmingham. His first few years in the industry took him from Alabama to Tennessee, providing a solid foundation in the banking and lending industry. He enjoyed being part of the financial world, but it was working one-on-one with clients that was his true passion. In 2000, he made the decision to return to Pensacola, where he joined Morgan Stanley as a Financial Advisor. He has been an invaluable member of the firm ever since.

Throughout his career, Chris has remained committed to professional development, earning important industry designations including Certified Investment Management AnalystSM and Certified Wealth Strategist^®, and such firm certifications as Portfolio Management Director and Wealth Advisor. These credentials reflect Chris’s commitment to a world-class client experience and desire to provide ongoing education to himself and his clients.

Chris draws upon his vast experience to provide clients with customized portfolios and tailored advice. His disciplined process begins with asking the right questions and actively listening. This information then serves as the foundation for the development of a detailed plan that reflects each client’s goals, values and personal circumstances. He enjoys putting complex investment strategies into action and effectively communicating these strategies using simple and easy-to-understand language. Chris is also responsible for managing the Group’s various investment portfolios and interviewing potential new portfolio managers.

Chris’s desire to help others is equaled only by his dedication to his community, his industry and his family. Over the years, he has been active with many organizations. He has been a board member of the Waterfront Rescue Mission for the past nine years and has served with the Downtown Rotary Club for ten years. He is also active with Kingdom Advisors and Grace Community Church, as well as the Estate Planning Council of NW Florida, Cannon Financial and the Investment & Wealth Institute. Previous leadership roles include Escambia County 4H (board member and investment chair); WSRE Public TV (board member and investment chair); Covenant Hospice (board member); Panhandle Tiger Bay (board member and President); and the Bar Association Foundation Board.

Chris believes balance is vital to a happy life. Outside of the office, he enjoys hiking and being in the mountains and has spent the last several years hiking sections of the Appalachian Trail. He also enjoys exercising regularly, playing tennis, kayaking and travelling, especially to visit clients who live across the United States. His life centers on a love for his family. He and his wife, Sharyn, have been married for 33 years, and find their most valued assets are their four children and two children-in-law.

As the financial planner on the team, Asher acts as the air traffic controller for our clients. Walking clients through a well defined process, Asher helps them see where they are in their flight towards success. Asher believes that no client should near retirement unsure of where they stand and strives to cover every detail of a personalized plan to best project what to expect in the future.
Being the grandson of James (Jimmy) Kelly and the son of Chris Kelly, Asher is from a lineage of financial professionals. Born in Pensacola, Asher has spent time in the Midwest, the southeast as well as south Florida before returning to Pensacola. He graduated from Indiana University in 2011 with a BM and from Florida State University in 2014 with a MM with both degrees in music performance.

Asher has performed with many orchestras across the south including Pensacola Symphony, Panama City Pops Orchestra, Valdosta Symphony, Albany Symphony, Ocala Symphony, Gainesville Orchestra, Southwest Florida Symphony and Sinfonia Gulf Coast where he still serves as principal oboe.

In addition to performing, Asher has taught for the University of South Alabama, Atlanta Music Project, Porterville Summer Strings, FSU summer music program, a private studio as well as being a teaching assistant for Florida State University. He also serves as executive director of the Pensacola Community Music School, a local non-profit organization which gives access to music education to the underserved community in Pensacola.

Asher lives with his wife Grace Kim, an incredibly talented and accomplished violinist as well as their Australian Shepherd Reya. In their spare time they enjoy traveling, hiking, running, biking and spending time with their friends and family.

Mychaela Lingo joined The Kelly Group as a client service associate May 2025, upon graduating early from the University of West Florida with a degree in Business Administration.
She is currently studying for her SIE Licensing Exam.

A native of Pace, FL, Mychaela enjoys coaching youth travel volleyball, reading, walking, being outdoors and spoiling her cat, Nala. Mychaela is a former Barista and passionate about good coffee, be sure to ask about her favorite coffee spots!

Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC. Member SIPC
This material has been prepared for informational purposes only. It does not provide individually tailored investment advice