The New York Fourth Avenue Group at Morgan Stanley

Mike Scotto is a senior partner of The New York Fourth Avenue Group and brings over 30 years of wealth management experience to working with high net worth families. With most of his career in asset management and as a portfolio manager, he has primary responsibility for the team’s overall asset allocation and oversees the due diligence and selection process for third party money managers. 

Prior to joining the team, he founded and was co-manager of the Citigroup Large Cap Growth Fund and was head of customized private client business which managed more than $7 Billion in assets. He was also the former Chief Market Strategist for Private Portfolio Groups (PPG) at Morgan Stanley. He presently makes his home in Spring Lake, NJ with his wife Kathleen of 28 years. They are the proud parents of four children (one of whom is also on the team).

As a Senior Vice President, I have been a Financial Advisor for 28 years, helping clients with their planning and investments. I strive for attention to detail and great customer service. My clients have referred to it as the "Phil Benefit".

I have been ranked in Forbes Best-In-State Wealth Adviser for 2021, 2022, 2023.

I have extensive experience in Portfolio Management, Stocks, Municipal Bonds, Corporate Bonds, Cash and Cash Equivalents, Alternative Investments, and Financial Planning.

Along with my team, the New York Fourth Ave group, I have considerable experience in hedge funds, private equity, and private credit. I was named a Director of Alternative Investments in 2022.

I started my career in 1987 at Northwestern Mutual Life and then in 1995 moved to Merrill Lynch and in 2001 moved to Smith Barney which later became Morgan Stanley.

A Manhattan native, I grew up in Washington Heights. I received a BA from State University of New York at Albany in 1987. I live in Hastings on the Hudson as well as Westerly, Rhode Island. I have two daughters Grace and Eve and my wife of 25 years, Kristen.

Disclosure: 2021-2023 Forbes Best-In-State Wealth Advisors Source: Forbes.com (Awarded 2021, 2022, 2023) Data compiled by SHOOK Research LLC based 12-month time period concluding in June of year prior to the issuance of the award. Neither Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC nor its Financial Advisors or Private Wealth Advisors paid a fee to SHOOK Research LLC for placement on its rankings. This ranking is based on in-person and telephone due diligence meetings to evaluate each Financial Advisor qualitatively, a major component of a ranking algorithm that includes client retention, industry experience, review of compliance records, firm nominations, and quantitative criteria, including assets under management and revenue generated for their firms. Investment performance is not a criterion. Rankings are based on the opinions of SHOOK Research LLC and may not be representative of any one client’s experience; investors must carefully choose the right Financial Advisor or team for their own situation and perform their own due diligence. This ranking is not indicative of the Financial Advisor’s future performance. Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC is not affiliated with SHOOK Research LLC, or Forbes. For more information, see www.SHOOKresearch.com.
© 2024 Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC. Member SIPC

As a Financial Advisor at Morgan Stanley, I provide investment advice to high net worth individuals, and families. My decades in Investment Management, including many years as the Head Trader at multi-billion dollar hedge funds, provides my clients with distinctive guidance in managing risk and helping grow wealth.

Along with my team, The New York Fourth Avenue Group, we deliver a broad range of Morgan Stanley Wealth management services including creating customized asset allocation strategies. I have been named a Portfolio Management Director and a Lending Specialist for the firm. Other services include financial, tax-efficient and estate planning strategies, and alternative investments. Based on my extensive experience in Hedge Funds and Private Equity transactions, I have been named an Alternatives Investment Director.

I received a BS in Finance from Lehigh University in 1988, and an MBA from Babson College in 1992. My career began in 1992 as a clerk on the American Stock Exchange for the Specialist firm Spear Leeds & Kellogg. After that, I spent the next 15 years as the Head Trader at Och Ziff Capital management and Aurelius Capital Management.

I live on the Upper East Side in Manhattan, where I raised three kids, Johnny, Davis, and Clint. I usually get a few Western ski trips in each winter, and enjoy plenty of golf rounds in the summer. My wife and I practice Yoga actively.

John Sorensen is a senior partner, founder, and has served as lead Financial Advisor on The New York Fourth Avenue Group for over 25 years. His experience in working with clients helping them meet their income needs in the both the taxable and municipal bond markets make him the fixed income specialist in the group.

Because of his focus and experience in working with Ultra High Net Worth families, John is part of the firm’s Private Wealth Management Group (PWM). He has also been recognized among the top Financial Advisors in the firm consistently and is a member of the Chairman Council at Morgan Stanley. 

For more than 13 years John and his wife Lisa have made their home in East Patchogue, NY. In their spare time they enjoy bike rides and walks on the beach.

Mark McCooey has over 30 years of experience in the Financial Services industry, of which the past 5 years has been with Morgan Stanley Wealth Management. As a Financial Advisor, Mark helps manage assets for individuals, families and corporate retirement plans.

Mark started his career as a Member of The New York Stock Exchange and co-founded, with his siblings, the Griswold Company, the largest independent agency brokerage firm on the NYSE Floor.  Griswold pioneered the idea of “Direct Access” where buy-side institutions such as Hedge Funds, Pension Funds, Mutual Funds, and Investment Advisors could speak directly to brokers at the point-of-sale.  As the COO of Griswold, Mark spearheaded all sales & marketing efforts, client relations, the establishment of an OTC Desk, corporate investment and retirement plans, and new initiatives.

While at Griswold, Mark was the President of The Biltmore Hill Company, a small private equity firm with investments in Listerine, Honest Tea, Bonobos, 4Moms, and Happy Baby.

Mark is a graduate of The College of the Holy Cross and holds Series 7, 63, & 65 licenses and the Life & Health Insurance license. He is very active in Swim Across America (cancer research) and Part of the Solution (P.O.T.S.  Soup kitchen).  Mark lives in Harrison, NY with his wife Molly and two small children, Kaki & Jack.

Chip Wilkes is a Senior Vice President at The New York Fourth Avenue Group, a leading Wealth Management team at Morgan Stanley.

Chip began his career at Ayco Company, L.P., a Goldman Sachs Company. He held positions of increasing responsibility including being a partner with the firm until it was acquired by Goldman Sachs. After the acquisition, he held senior management positions in charge of the Goldman Sachs Partners Family Office and head of the Ayco Mid-Atlantic region.

The majority of his career with Ayco was spent as a Financial Advisor to Fortune 100 C-Suite executives. He joined Morgan Stanley as a Senior Vice President – Financial Advisor in 2017.

Chip is a Certified Financial Planner CFP^® and maintains licenses in securities, life insurance, and health insurance. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Economics from Syracuse University, and a MBA in Finance from Fairleigh Dickinson University.

A lifelong resident of New Jersey, he enjoys golf, travel and spending time with his family at the NJ shore.

Brian Rothman is a Senior Vice President at the New York Fourth Avenue Group, a leading Wealth Management team at Morgan Stanley.

Prior to joining Morgan Stanley, Brian was at Ayco/Goldman Sachs from September 1982 until January 2017. During that time, Brian worked with numerous Senior/ C-Suite Corporate Executives and entrepreneurs as a financial advisor (Senior Account Manager). Brian also was responsible for the management of the Eastern Regional Office in NJ for 10 years.  Brian joined Morgan Stanley as a Senior Vice President(financial advisor) in February 2017.  

He holds a BA from SUNY Albany and a JD from Rutgers School of Law. He enjoys travel, family and spectator and participant sports.

Jon Schaechter is a Senior Vice President at The Fourth Avenue Group, a leading Wealth Management team at Morgan Stanley.

Jon began his career in 1988, and worked as a Financial Advisor (Senior Vice President - Counseling) with The Ayco Company (a Goldman Sachs company) for over 29 years. At Ayco/Goldman Sachs, Jon provided financial counseling services to Fortune 1000 C-Suite and Senior Executives, along with entrepreneurs. Jon joined Morgan Stanley as a Senior Vice President – Financial Advisor in July 2017. 

He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Finance from the University of Maryland, and a MBA in Finance from Seton Hall University. Jon maintains his life and health insurance licenses, and is a Certified Financial Planner CFP^®.  After living his entire life in New Jersey, Jon and his wife, Michele, now reside most of the year in Lakewood Ranch, Florida. He has two adult children, and one grandchild.  In his spare time, Jon enjoys working out, playing pickleball and golf, and traveling with his family.

Jimmy began his career at Citigroup Smith Barney in 2006, where he had the opportunity to work in both a large corporate setting and small business environment. He returned to Morgan Stanley in 2016 with the understanding of how to integrate the robust, global services and solutions offered by a global firm with the intensely personal client focus of a boutique firm. Those experiences have uniquely shaped his perspective and skill set into a profound desire to positively impact his clients’ lives and net worth with each interaction.

Jimmy received a Bachelor of Science degree from New York University, where he was also a member of the basketball team. He currently lives in Manhattan with his wife, Alexandra. In his free time, he enjoys playing sports and is an avid outdoor enthusiast. Other interests include architecture and American history.

Scott Steinberg, CFP ^® is Senior Vice President and Financial Advisor in the New York Fourth Avenue Group. Scott brings over two decades of investment and wealth management experience, serving as the team’s resident financial planning specialist. As a Certified Financial Planner ^®, Scott has developed a deep expertise in retirement analysis, providing holistic, impactful solutions to families and individuals from all walks of life.

Before joining Morgan Stanley, Scott spent 10 years at Equity Services Incorporated, leveraging his keen knowledge of the global equity markets to build custom portfolios for a variety of clients and institutions. Scott graduated from the University of Rhode Island with a degree in Accounting. He lives in his hometown of Stauket, Long Island, with his family and two teenagers. He is a sports enthusiast, and enjoys spending his free time outdoors with family and friends.

Delivering unique solutions in the private and public markets to founders, C-Suite executives, and families.

With many decades of experience at Morgan Stanley, Pam McGinley provides personalized strategies to wealthy families, founders of privately held companies, and shareholders. Pam is a long-time team member of the New York Fourth Avenue Group at Morgan Stanley. The New York Fourth Avenue Group was named as one of the 2024 Forbes America's Top High Net Worth Wealth Management Teams.

Pam works to leverage the Firms resources and has access to a premier trading and execution platform and a full spectrum of investment choices. She focuses on equity compensation, IPO planning, employee stock option plans, and liquidity planning strategies.

As a seasoned Alternative Investments Director, Pam is among a group of advisors who have demonstrated a high level of knowledge in the alternative investment landscape. She has worked with many top-level executives in the healthcare and technology sector, as well as venture capital and private equity.

Pam has consistently been named a Forbes Top Women Wealth Advisors from 2020-2024*

Pam is a proud mother of three daughters and currently resides in Greenwich, CT. In her free time, she enjoys opportunities to play competitive golf all over the United States of America.

*2020-2024 Forbes America's Top Women Wealth Advisors & Forbes Top Women Wealth Advisors Best-In- State (formerly referred to as Forbes Top Women Wealth Advisors, Forbes America's Top Women Wealth Advisors)
Source: Forbes.com (Awarded 2020-2024). Data compiled by SHOOK Research LLC based on 12-month time period concluding in Sept of year prior to the issuance of the award.

2024 Forbes America's Top High Net Worth Wealth Management Teams
Source: Forbes (Awarded Nov. 2024) Data compiled by SHOOK Research LLC for the period 3/31/23–3/31/24

Awards Disclaimers: https://www.morganstanley.com/disclosures/awards-disclosure/

With over 20 years of experience in the financial services industry, I help families and business owners make informed decisions about planning for their future. I like to start each relationship with a comprehensive financial plan. We then work together with this plan as a roadmap to achieving your goals.

As a partner of a large group within Morgan Stanley, I have vast resources to provide customized wealth management experience to my clients. Morgan Stanley’s open architecture and depth of platform allow me to deliver excellence in asset allocation, asset management, lending, and insurance to implement this customized plan with an emphasis on risk, return, and tax efficiency.

Coming from a family of business owners, I have a keen understanding of the needs and challenges facing business owners including retirement planning, insurance, real estate financing, and estate planning. My practice provides personalized client service and long term planning. By working with me, my clients receive the benefits of a large team and the personalized service and timely responsiveness of one individual.

Jeff Valente is an Vice President and Financial Advisor. He has over 20 years of experience in finance and has been with Morgan Stanley since 2014.

Before joining the firm, Jeff worked in asset management assisting portfolio managers market their funds. Financial Advisors were his first clients, and Jeff developed an understanding of how they worked with retail accounts which helped him create his own financial planning process.

Jeff became a Financial Advisor to help people achieve financial independence. Education and communication are cornerstones of his practice, and he believes his ability to provide personal care and teaching differentiates his service.

Jeff treats his clients like his own family. He creates individual financial plans based upon client’s goals. Investments are dictated around the process to understand how much risk is needed to achieve the goal. Before any investment strategies are pursued, Jeff has to have a thorough understanding of his client’s financial position, risk tolerance, and objectives.

Jeff is a graduate of St. John’s University and a fraternity alumni of Alpha Phi Delta. He holds series 7, 6, 63, 66, and Life and Health Insurance licenses. Jeff currently resides in Long Island NY, with his wife and their son and daughter. He loves spending time watching his children grow up and making memories with them. Jeff is a car enthusiast and belongs to the Porsche Club of America. He also has a passion for sports. Jeff dedicates time to giving back to the community through Autism Speaks, Travis Manion Foundation, and Multiple Sclerosis events.

Rick Goldenberg CFP^®, has provided financial advice since 1982. He is a Certified Financial Planner (CFP^®), awarded in 1989. His experience as a bank trust officer provides him with a unique and valuable understanding of “wealth transfer strategies” His experience as a parent and grandparent he believes, provides him a greater sense of client’s values and priorities.

Rick has a master’s degree in administration with emphases in finance from the University of California, Riverside (1985) and a BA in Economics from the University of Redlands (1982).

Rick and his wife, Susie, have been married since 1983 and have resided in Laguna Niguel, California since 1984. They are blessed with 3 adult sons and a granddaughter. Over the years, Rick has been awarded Five Star Wealth Manager awards and takes pride in sharing his financial wisdom. He was the YMCA Indian Guides Nation Chief and was very active in youth athletics. He enjoys being with his family and has a passion for snow skiing and golf. Rick realizes that he is fortunate to get to work with his son Joe also a CFP^®.



Securities Agent: IA, DE, ME, NH, NV, WV, WY, VA, TX, RI, WI, SD, SC, MI, UT, WA, VT, MT, ND, VI, NE, TN, MS, NM, NY, PR, PA, OR, OH, OK, NJ, NC, AR, MN, CA, MO, MA, MD, GA, ID, HI, KY, FL, IL, DC, CT, CO, LA, AZ, AK, AL, KS; General Securities Representative; Investment Advisor Representative; Transactional Futures/Commodities; Managed Futures

NMLS#: 1428688 Ca Insurance License # 0A45119

Joe is a Financial Advisor and CFP ^® professional with the New York 4th Avenue Group at Morgan Stanley based out of the Irvine, CA office. He has been a financial advisor with Morgan Stanley since 2013, is a Certified Financial Planner ™ and holds his Series 7 & 66 securities licenses.

Joe focuses starts and ends with his clients while striving to provide them with a concierge-like, comprehensive financial planning experience. Using a collaborative process and the vast resources of Morgan Stanley, he creates customized financial plans and investment portfolios for successful families and individuals that seek to preserve, grow, and effectively manage not just their wealth but their life and legacy.

Joe was born and raised in Orange County, CA and currently resides in Newport Beach, CA. He is a big sports fan and received both an academic and athletic scholarships to play both baseball and water polo at university. In his free time, you can find him surfing, biking, playing pickle ball and golf, and rooting on the Anaheim Angels.

NMLS#: 1297939, and CA Insurance # 0K82297.

Carmen B. Torruella has worked in finance for more than 30 years. She has been in Private Wealth Management since 2012, currently at Morgan Stanley and prior to that at J.P. Morgan.

Carmen’s clients are varied. They range from financial executives in the U.S. to family offices in Puerto Rico. In the marital area, Carmen consults on financial strategy for individuals going through divorce or planning to marry. Carmen also helps her clients with trust accounts, philanthropic management, and alternative investments.

Prior to her time in Private Wealth, Carmen covered Latin American infrastructure stocks and was top-ranked for five years by Institutional Investor Magazine, including as the No. 1 Team. Carmen also covered U.S. Healthcare Services and U.S. Strategy & Quantitative Research and earlier worked in Emerging Markets Fixed Income and Municipal Interest Rate Swaps.

A graduate of Harvard University, Carmen earned an A.B. in Philosophy in 1987 and an M.B.A. from Harvard Business School in 1991. She was awarded a Harvard College Scholarship and an Elizabeth Agassiz Certificate of Merit for academic achievement. She also served as a member of the Student Advisory Committee of the Institute of Politics at the Harvard John F. Kennedy School of Government. Carmen was a 1983 Presidential Scholar.

Born and raised in Puerto Rico, Carmen is fully bilingual in English and Spanish, as well as conversant in French. She currently lives in New York City with her husband and two daughters.

In his past five years with the team, Michael Scotto has grown in responsibility to oversee all of operational and administrative processes for The New York Fourth Avenue Group. Those responsibilities include account opening, money movement activities, trading, and the execution and implementation of investment strategies.

Michael also oversees the implantation of lending strategies for the team’s clients. He is focused and committed to providing premier service to match the needs of each and every client and has been recognized for his dedication, loyalty and work ethic. Michael is a graduate of Catholic University and makes his home in Manhattan. He is an avid movie fan and enjoys going to the beach.

Kevin Canning is a Wealth Management Associate at The New York Fourth Avenue Group, a leading Wealth Management team at Morgan Stanley. 

Kevin joined the Team in 2015 after successfully completing the internship program at the firm. He provides a broad range of essential support services to advisors and clients of the group. He handles new account opening, assists clients with trade execution, and supports team with research. 

Kevin graduated from University of Scranton with a degree in Business Administration. He currently resides in Hoboken, in his free time he enjoys playing soccer and golf.

Jake Schaechter is a Registered Client Service Associate at The New York Fourth Avenue Group, a leading Wealth Management team at Morgan Stanley.

Jake joined the team in 2021. He provides a broad range of essential support services to advisors and clients of the group. He handles new account opening and maintenance, assists clients with trade execution, and supports team with research.

Jake graduated from University of Maryland in 2020 with a degree in Finance. He currently resides in New York City and in his free time enjoys traveling with his family, exploring the city with friends, and watching New York sports.

John Scotto is a Client Service Associate at The New York Fourth Avenue Group, a leading Wealth Management team at Morgan Stanley.

John joined the team in 2020. He provides a broad range of essential support services to advisors and clients of the group. He handles new account opening, money movement activities, and supports team with risk reports.

John graduated from The Catholic University of America with a degree in Finance. He currently resides in Manhattan and likes to draw in his free time.

Joe Crowley is a Wealth Management Analyst for the New York Fourth Avenue Group. He has been working at Morgan Stanley since September 2019. He takes great pride in providing exceptional service for his advisors and their clients. He was awarded the 2022 Field Service Champion for his branch. He specializes in account openings, trade executions and other detailed administrative matters.

He grew up and currently resides in Staten Island, New York. He graduated from Wagner College with a Degree in Finance. In his free time, he enjoys going to the gym, playing sports, and spending quality time with family and friends.

Nicholas Mink started his career in the Financial Services Industry in 2012 and joined Morgan Stanley in 2015. Nicholas is a Financial Planning Specialist and Portfolio Associate for the New York 4th Ave group out of the Irvine, CA office. He holds the Series 7 & 66 licenses and also has his Insurance license. His goal is to provide outstanding customer service while building deep relationships with clients while making sure they have the best possible experience.

Nicholas resides in Irvine, CA with his wife Alicia, and their 10-year-old daughter. On the weekends you can find him cheering on the Anaheim Angels, or on the softball field watching his daughter’s travel softball games.