The Melior Group at Morgan Stanley

Jesse Walton, Jr. is a Senior Vice President, Financial Advisor, Portfolio Manager and Founder of the Melior Group at Morgan Stanley. He is also a founding member of The Access One Alliance at Morgan Stanley, ten of Morgan Stanley’s most experienced, senior African-American Financial Advisors, who provide the full depth and breadth of Morgan Stanley’s platform to corporations, non-profit organizations, endowments and family office clients.

Jesse was named to Forbes’ ranking of the Best-in-State Wealth Advisors for 2022 and 2023, and Forbes’ Best-In-State Wealth Management Teams for 2023. He was also named to Morgan Stanley’s prestigious Master's Club in 2021, 2022 and 2023, a group of the Firm’s most successful Financial Advisors.

Prior to joining Morgan Stanley in 2005, Jesse began his career as a Financial Advisor in 2000 with Salomon Smith Barney. Since then, he has consistently invested in his education. In 2005, Jesse received an Executive Certificate in Financial Planning from Duke University. He also holds the Certified Investment Management Analyst (CIMA^®) designation, administered by IMCA^® and taught in conjunction with The Wharton School of Business, University of Pennsylvania. Jesse is a Certified Private Wealth Advisor (CPWA^®) designee, administered by IMCA^® and taught in conjunction with The University of Chicago Booth School of Business. Furthermore, Jesse holds FINRA License; Series 7, 63, 65 and 31 and is a licensed insurance agent with licenses in the following: Life, Disability Variable Life, and Variable Annuity.

Jesse is dedicated to promoting diverse work environments and to mentoring financial advisors and all young professionals. He is a member of the Morgan Stanley National Diversity and Inclusion Alumni Council. He is also involved in his local Atlanta community where he is a member of The 100 Black Men of Atlanta – Atlanta Chapter.

An alumnus of Howard University, Jesse received his B.BA in International Business and his M.S.E degree from Georgia State University. He and his wife, Angela, reside in Marietta, GA, along with their sons, Bryce and Duke. Both Jesse and Angela are active members of St. James United Methodist Church in Alpharetta, GA where they have served as leaders of the Marriage Ministry. Jesse also served as the St. James UMC Finance Chairperson from 2008-2011.

Disclaimers:
Access One Alliance is a sophisticated network of diverse Morgan Stanley Wealth Management Financial Advisors and/or Private Wealth Advisors (“Advisors”) who through the formation of an alliance have come together to combine their talents, experiences and skills in serving the financial needs of clients while promoting greater diversity and inclusion among Advisors. Morgan Stanley Wealth Management Advisors can conduct their business in several ways: individually, as a member of a team of Advisors, or through the formation of a Strategic Partnership with another Advisor or team of Advisors or through an alliance with an individual or a team of Advisors. A Strategic Partnership is an arrangement between an Advisor or a team of Advisors with another Advisor or team of Advisors that has a unique focus or knowledge regarding a specific business concentration, product area and/or client type. If your account is with an individual Advisor, that Advisor services all facets of your account. If your account is with an Advisor who is a member of a team, any Advisor on the team can service your account. If your Advisor is part of a Strategic Partnership, his or her role in that Strategic Partnership may be limited to a specific business and/or product area and may not cover all facets of your account. The use of the terms “Partner” or “Strategic Partner” and/or “Partnership” or “Strategic Partnership” are used as terms of art and not used to imply or connote any legal relationship. Morgan Stanley Wealth Management does not discriminate on the basis of any protected status, and welcomes all clients.

Forbes Best-In-State Wealth Advisors. Source: Forbes.com (Awarded Apr 2022) Data compiled by SHOOK Research LLC based on time period from 6/30/20 - 6/30/21. Source: Forbes.com (Awarded April 2023) Data compiled by SHOOK Research LLC based on time period from 6/30/21 - 6/30/22.
Forbes Best-In-State Wealth. Source: Forbes (Awarded Feb 2023) Data compiled by SHOOK Research LLC based on time period from 9/30/21 - 9/30/22.

Daryl Holmes is a First Vice President, Financial Advisor, Portfolio Manager and one of the founding partners of The Melior Group at Morgan Stanley.  Daryl joined Morgan Stanley over 23 years ago and after decades of invaluable experience, formed his own team, The Keystone Group South.  In 2022, The Keystone Group South and The Walton Group at Morgan Stanley came together, combining the full breadth and depth of their comprehensive approach to wealth management to best serve their respective clients as The Melior Group at Morgan Stanley.
 
Daryl is passionate about working with clients in pursuit of their personal and family wealth management goals.  Drawing upon his military service and management experience, which together inform his process-oriented approach to wealth management, Daryl serves corporate executive clients and families across generations.  From 1985 through 1991, Daryl served in both the active and reserve components of the U.S. Navy and U.S.M.C, and went to Officer Candidate School in Quantico, VA.  In 1991, he graduated from The Pennsylvania State University with a degree in Human Development and Family Studies. In 1989 Daryl began working for United Parcel Service and went on to hold several management positions before joining Morgan Stanley in 1999.
 
Prior to establishing his former team, The Keystone Group South, in Atlanta, Daryl spent six years in management. As Sales Manager in the Philadelphia Branch of Smith Barney and as the Branch Manager of the Camp Hill, PA office of Morgan Stanley, Daryl served both his clients as well as the Firm.  Outside of the office, Daryl has also coached youth football and basketball for over 20 years, and he and his wife, Sophia, have five children.

Bobbi Johnson is a Financial Advisor and Financial Planning Specialist with The Melior Group at Morgan Stanley.
Bobbi is focused on financial planning, having worked with advisors across the Atlanta Perimeter Complex. She now works with corporate professionals and business owners, leveraging her extensive financial planning experience to provide comprehensive wealth management and investment advisory solutions.
Bobbi is an Atlanta native and a member of the World Affairs Council of Atlanta. Prior to joining Morgan Stanley, Bobbi worked in Sales & Marketing developing cold markets. Outside of the office, she enjoys meeting new people, the outdoors, running, hiking, and spending time with family and close friends.

Johnny Elder is a Financial Advisor with the Melior Group at Morgan Stanley. He takes pride in helping clients navigate their financial life, with a focus in budgeting, planning, and long-term strategies. Prior to Morgan Stanley, Johnny worked in sales and account management for over a decade, working with manufacturing, logistics, higher education and small business clients across the US and Canada.

Johnny is an integrated marketing communications graduate of Mercer University’s Stetson School of Business and holds a public relations master’s degree from The University of Georgia’s Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communications.

Erin McGuirk is a Vice President and Director of Marketing and Communications with The Melior Group at Morgan Stanley (formerly The Walton Group at Morgan Stanley). She runs content strategy and communications for the team, writing and spearheading branding and marketing initiatives. Erin joined Morgan Stanley in 2017 with an eye on the intersection of philanthropy and business, and began working closely with The Walton Group in 2019. She also serves on the Atlanta Chapter of Morgan Stanley’s Diversity and Inclusion Council.

A Boston native, Erin graduated from Harvard with a BA in English and American Literature and Language. She taught English in Bangkok and traveled throughout Southeast Asia before returning to New York to work with Dewey & LeBoeuf LLP. After the 2008 financial crisis, she started a small business to unlock funding opportunities for nonprofit organizations through grant writing, research and strategic communications. Personally, she raises funds for Massachusetts General Hospital Pediatric Hematology and Oncology through the Boston Marathon.

Vernasia Prescott is a Registered Client Service Associate with the Melior Group at Morgan Stanley. She is the first point of contact with clients on a broad array of services related to investment portfolios and account management. Vernasia combines relationship management with product knowledge to cultivate trusting relationships with new and existing clients, proactively helping them understand their investments and planning strategies. As an integral member of the advisory team, she focuses on preparing performance reports and related data for clients, evaluating account performance, analyzing investment portfolio holdings, and generating quarterly investment performance monitors to help clients navigate their financial life.

Prior to joining Morgan Stanley in 2021, Vernasia began her career as an account executive with Nestle’ USA. She managed a multi-million-dollar territory comprised of mass merchants, national chains, and independent retailers. She then started her career in the financial industry with Bank of America/ Merrill Lynch as a Relationship Manager, managing a diverse portfolio of business and consumer clients by customizing comprehensive financial solutions and financial planning based on clients’ needs.

Vernasia earned her bachelor’s degree in economics at Clark Atlanta University’s School of Business and studied Mandarin Chinese at Spelman College for four years. Vernasia currently holds active FINRA Licenses; Series 7, Series 66, and Series 63. Vernasia is also continuing her education to gain additional financial designations to assist clients in growing and preserving wealth.

Outside of the office, Vernasia enjoys volunteering, playing lacrosse, traveling, and trying new restaurants. She currently resides in Sandy Springs, GA.

Dietrah Britton is a Client Service Associate who joined Morgan Stanley in October 2015. Entering the industry as an Administrative Associate, she has developed extensive knowledge to be able to support the needs of our clients. In her current role, Dietrah is responsible for numerous client-servicing and advisor-supporting processes.

Dietrah graduated from Andrews University with a B.S. in Business Administration and a M.S. in Speech-Language Pathology from Alabama A&M University. Originally from Connecticut, Dietrah currently resides in Atlanta, GA. She enjoys traveling, cooking and has recently started taking piano lessons. Dietrah and her husband, Lawrence, are the proud parents of two children (daughter, Ryan and son, Connor).

Meila Barnes joined The Melior Group in 2023 as a Wealth Management Associate, helping families steward their finances and investments to reach their life and legacy goals. She joined Morgan Stanley in 2022 as a Wealth Advisor Associate in the Buckhead Complex, where she served as a resource to showcase clients’ financial health through financial planning.

Prior to joining Morgan Stanley, Meila spent 13 years in the Healthcare industry. She served as a value-based Operations Leader towards the end of her healthcare management career, and during her time in this role she learned the significance of understanding a person’s individual circumstances and the power of meeting people where they are through personalized planning.

Meila graduated from the University of Georgia with a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology, and later received her MBA from Brenau University. She serves as a mentor to teens in her hometown and is a member of Association of African American Financial Advisors (AAAA), The National Black MBA Association, The 1961 Club at UGA, The Atlanta Black Chambers, and the Wall Street Friends network.

Meila currently lives in Midtown and is a member of Change Church - Atlanta. Outside of work she enjoys traveling, experiencing new restaurants, attending events around philanthropy, staying active through competitive sports and games, and being a listening ear to friends and family.

Maxwell Goldstein is a Client Service Associate with the Melior Group at Morgan Stanley. He is the first point of contact with clients, answering questions and bringing in resources to meet everyday client needs.

Prior to joining Morgan Stanley, Max spent eight years working in college and pre-professional basketball management. He was responsible for client-athlete relationship management, while evaluating and assembling the ideal mix of player potential within each recruiting class.

Max graduated from the University of Arizona with a bachelor’s degree in business management. He later received his master’s from Georgia Tech in Economics. During his time at both colleges, he worked on the coaching staff for their men’s basketball teams. He has earned his FINRA SIE license and looks forward to continuing his education to better assist clients in growing and preserving their wealth.

Max currently lives in Midtown with his wife, Caroline. He has a passion for participating in and attending sporting events. He also enjoys traveling, spending time with family and friends, and hiking with his dog.