Welcome

Unlikely as it may sound, many of our clients found it easier to create wealth than to lead truly wealthy lives. Creating financial wealth involved excelling in their careers or building a successful family business. It took a lot of hard work, but the challenges were familiar. Once they earned a certain level of financial wealth, however, new challenges felt like different territory. We meet most of our clients at that crossroads. Our goal is then to help clients identify and understand the true sources of wealth in their lives.

Combining our experience with the ultra-high-net-worth resources of Morgan Stanley, we operate as our clients’ virtual family office. We do so for a limited number of affluent families so that we may serve as true advisors and advocates. While that usually involves investment strategies, we also offer a far broader range of services. We believe this creates a wealth infrastructure that serves our clients far better than focusing solely on their financial needs.

We look forward to learning more about you and your family, and to discussing how we can help you live your version of a successful life. To begin that conversation, please call (312) 453-9456.
Capabilities
  • Comprehensive Wealth Planning
  • Lifestyle Advisory ServicesFootnote1
  • Family Governance & Wealth Education
  • Philanthropy Management
  • Sustainable & Responsible InvestingFootnote2
  • Cash Management & LendingFootnote3
  • Sudden Wealth Financial Planning
  • Tailored LendingFootnote4
  • Tax, Trust & Estate AdvisoryFootnote5
  • Hedging Strategies
  • Pre-Liquidity Planning
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About PWM

Founded in 1977, Private Wealth Management is the division of Morgan Stanley Wealth Management that is dedicated to serving the firm’s most affluent clients, including some of the world’s most accomplished entrepreneurs, executives and stewards of multigenerational wealth. Functioning as an exclusive investment boutique within a global financial firm, we deliver sophisticated solutions that leverage the intellectual capital and insight of Morgan Stanley’s substantial global resources. Drawing on a deep understanding of your financial life, our goal is to help you:
  • Manage investments with an unwavering focus on your financial strategy and personal goals
  • Create comprehensive, multigenerational wealth management plans based on your needs, challenges and the values that guide your life and legacy
  • Simplify financial complexity to help you achieve clarity and control
Private Wealth Management Highlights
  • Approximately 350 teams1 specialized in assisting individuals and families with $20MM+ in investable assets
  • Over $980 billion in AUM1
  • Comprising 23% of the Barron’s Top 250 Private Wealth Management Teams for 2024
  • Direct access to ultra high net worth experts in philanthropy, family dynamics, wealth transfer, lifestyle advisory and other areas of interest to ultra high net worth families
1 Morgan Stanley Wealth Management, December, 2024

Source: Barron's.com (May 2024) 2024 Barron's Top 250 Private Wealth Management Teams awarded in 2024. The teams are ranked on a variety of factors, including their size and shape, their regulatory records and credentials of their members, and the resources they have at their disposal to serve their client bases. The rankings are meant as a starting point for clients looking for an advisor—a first-pass vetting that can help investors narrow a search. Every advisor will have his or her own approach to investing, financial planning, and other services. Clients are encouraged to approach a search for an advisor the way they would a search for a doctor—interviewing multiple professionals and getting opinions from multiple third parties. Rankings are based on the opinions of Barron's and this ranking may not be representative of any one client’s experience. This ranking is not indicative of the Financial Advisor’s future performance. Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC is not affiliated with Barron's. Barron’s is a registered trademark of Dow Jones & Company, L.P. All rights reserved.

Transaction Planning

Many of our clients come to us following a significant liquidity event. In advising them, we separate our advice into three distinct phases:
Pre-Liquidity
We think of our clients’ personal balance sheets in the same way many of them approach their businesses’ balance sheets. Before undertaking a sale or monetization, we help clients think through various estate planning and tax sensitive strategies to maximize after-sale proceeds as well as optimize generational wealth transfer.
At-Liquidity
Often the time leading up to the sale of a business is stressful. There are endless tasks and managing the process is all-encompassing. Our advice is our clients should leave long-term investment decisions for another day. Instead, we engage our Morgan Stanley colleagues specializing in Strategic Liquidity Management. Together, we build clients customized cash management portfolios that tailor fixed income maturities with our clients’ specific liabilities and risk tolerance. You can find their biographies under “Strategic Partners.”
Post-Liquidity
Once we have an effective cash management strategy in place, and our clients are ready, we begin the long-term investment and family office planning process. You can find more information about this phase under the “Investment Process” and “Five Sources of Wealth” tabs.

OUR PROCESS

Working with a select group of fewer than 50 affluent clients, we deliver a highly personalized experience. To do so, we guide clients through a five-step process designed to build and then help them manage their virtual family office.
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    Create the Family Wealth Enterprise
    The first step in our investment process is to create a family wealth enterprise. We do so by first segmenting a large single pool of capital into goal-specific accounts groupings. Some examples include:
    • Near-Term Liabilities
    • Lifestyle and Consumption
    • Portfolio Construction
    • Entrepreneurial Investments
    • Legacy Funding
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    Goals-Based Asset Allocation
    Once a family’s wealth enterprise has been constructed, we create a goals-specific asset allocation and investment strategy for each account group. For near-term liquidity needs, we may invest in highly liquid and short-term fixed income instruments. For longer-term portfolio construction, we may invest in longer-duration assets to increase return. We then develop a liability hierarchy and risk analysis to project the likelihood of success for each account group as well as the client’s family wealth enterprise as a whole.
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    Cycle Positioning
    A client-specific asset allocation is crucial to our process. But we must also account for where we are in the economic market cycle at the time we invest. As such, our baseline output from the Goals-Based Asset Allocation is continually adjusted against the current economic backdrop using Morgan Stanley research. Our clients’ portfolio risk ultimately becomes a real-time reflection of the risk-return relationship offered by the markets.
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    Market-Based Strategy Selection
    All investment solutions do not target the same objective. Our team customizes your allocation using tools that fit your specific needs. Whether a client seeks after-tax alpha or wishes to implement our best tactical ideas across country, sector, or asset class, we have a solution.
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    Dynamic Rules-Based Deployment
    For new cash liquidity, we also employ a fifth step we call Dynamic Rules-Based Deployment. Using a proprietary approach, we create flexible investment timelines that offer both different investment entry points and opportunities to capitalize on volatility.

Five Sources of Wealth

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To understand and meet the needs of our family clients more fully, we focus on the following Five Sources of Wealth to deliver multi-family office services and drive better outcomes:
Financial Wealth
Your family’s assets are more than just numbers on a financial statement. They are the economic engine that enables you to meet your goals. We create family-specific liquidity and investment plans to help you meet your liabilities and create a vision for your future. We also help to coordinate an integrated team of advisors, fostering a collaborative, team-based approach to both problem-solving and new opportunities.
Social Wealth
Our clients have traditionally valued being important members of their communities. This impact often comes from making personal connections with like-minded peers, thinkers, and creators. We can help your family make those connections to enhance your ability to open doors and pursue your passions.
Wealth of Time
A well-run family enterprise will optimize your time and enable you to focus on the things that matter most. We can help you think through how you are currently managing your family’s affairs and provide ideas for best practices and improving efficiency.
Psychological Wealth
We want to understand what keeps you up at night and what gets you up in the morning. This may involve helping you discover a new sense of purpose after selling your business or discussing how family members’ challenges are impacting your decisions.
Physical Wealth
Health is paramount to achieving goals. It is also often the most overlooked aspect of an advisory relationship. We want to understand your family’s health and plan for well-being so that we can better plan for your future.

Location

233 S Wacker Drive
Suite 9200
Chicago, IL 60606
US
Direct:
(312) 453-9456(312) 453-9456
2211 York Rd
Suite 100
Oak Brook, IL 60523
US

Meet The Renner Team

About Brock Renner

Drawing on over two decades of diverse financial markets experience, Brock Renner leads the team’s advice across investments, lending and family office resources. Taking a holistic approach to wealth management, Brock and his team work to create and implement comprehensive solutions that touch on many aspect of their clients’ lives.

Brock began his wealth management career at Goldman Sachs in 2004. In 2009, he moved to J.P. Morgan Securities to build his practice and ultimately serve as National Chairman of the Family Office Council as well Managing Director of J.P. Morgan. Brock also served as National Co-lead of the J.P. Morgan Securities Technology and Innovation Counsel. Previously, Brock practiced law at two Chicago law firms, specializing in securities and financial instruments. He and his team joined Morgan Stanley Private Wealth Management in 2021.

Brock graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, where he received a B.A. in philosophy and political science, and went on to earn a J.D., magna cum laude, from the University of Illinois School of Law. He is the founder of KIPPster Connections, a mentoring and fundraising program connecting area professionals with students at Chicago charter schools, and has served as Vice Chairman of the KIPP Ascend Board, on the Board of Trustees of Old St. Patrick’s Church, on the Investment Committee of the Chicago Bar Foundation, and on the Board of Directors of Dialogue Multimedia, Inc.

Brock Renner was named a 2024 Forbes Best-In-State Wealth Advisor for Illinois.

Forbes America's Top Wealth Advisors & Best-In-State Wealth Advisors
Source: Forbes.com (Awarded April 2024) Data compiled by SHOOK Research LLC for the period 6/30/22 - 6/30/23.


The term “Family Office Resources” is being used as a term of art and not to imply that Morgan Stanley and/or its employees are acting as a family office pursuant to Investment Advisers Act of 1940
Securities Agent: NM, NJ, NH, NE, ND, NC, MT, AZ, AR, AL, AK, MS, DE, LA, DC, CT, CO, CA, KY, MO, KS, IN, IL, ID, IA, HI, GA, FL, MN, MI, ME, MD, MA, WY, WV, WI, WA, VT, VI, VA, UT, TX, TN, SD, SC, RI, PR, PA, OR, OK, OH, NY, NV; General Securities Representative; Investment Advisor Representative
NMLS#: 530328

About John Dudek

John Dudek brings over a decade of private banking and wealth management experience to the service of The Renner Group’s ultra-high-net-worth clients. John coordinates many of the team’s new client initiatives and advises on lending and cash management issues.

Prior to joining Morgan Stanley in 2021, John spent ten years at J.P. Morgan as a Financial Advisor and, earlier, as a member of their national banking team. Before joining J.P. Morgan, he was a Financial Representative for New England Financial, providing financial advice to clients of the firm.

John earned a B.A. in economics from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, minoring in Spanish. Following graduation, he spent a volunteer year in Ecuador teaching English with WorldTeach, a nonprofit run through Harvard University.
Securities Agent: WY, AK, AL, AR, AZ, CA, CO, CT, DC, DE, FL, GA, HI, IA, ID, IL, IN, KS, KY, LA, MA, MD, ME, MI, MN, MO, MS, MT, NC, ND, NE, NH, NJ, NM, NV, NY, OH, OK, OR, PA, PR, RI, SC, SD, TN, TX, UT, VA, VI, VT, WA, WI, WV; General Securities Representative; Investment Advisor Representative
NMLS#: 2177898

About William Ahmann

In charge of operations for The Renner Group, Bill Ahmann’s responsibilities include managing the onboarding process, working with clients on day-to-day account issues and helping formulate the team’s strategic planning efforts.

Bill joined the Renner Group at J.P. Morgan in 2014, having previously worked as a business banker at Chase Bank. In that role, he helped well-established companies transfer their banking, lending and investment relationships to the bank. Bill moved with the team to Morgan Stanley in 2021.

Bill earned a B.S. in finance and economics from DePaul University, and began his professional career working as a litigation paralegal at a Chicago law firm. In his spare time, he enjoys golf and relaxing with any book he can find.

About Jill Merritt

Responsible for an extensive range of operational and administrative functions, Jill Merritt contributes to an overall service experience for clients of the Renner Team. Jill serves as a primary point of contact for service requests and excels at troubleshooting and problem solving. She is also called on to curate internal reports, coordinate new business initiatives and handle client-level performance operations.

After earning her B.A. in communications and marketing from DePaul University, Jill entered the workforce as a merchandiser for Donna Karan. Several years later, she became a preschool teacher at Christopher House in Chicago. While taking time off to raise her three children, she became a NASM-certified fitness instructor and worked part time as a trainer and project manager.

Jill was born and raised in the western Chicago suburbs and now lives in Oak Brook. Outside the office, she enjoys getting out for early morning runs and cheering her kids on at their many sports activities.

The Power of Partnerships

By partnering with experienced individuals across wealth disciplines, Morgan Stanley Financial Advisors can align specialized resources with your custom needs and deliver strategic guidance through the familiarity and trust of existing relationships

About Mike Manson

Mike Manson is a Private Banker serving Morgan Stanley Private Wealth Management and Wealth Management offices in Illinois.

Private Bankers partner with Financial Advisors to develop a specialized approach for managing clients’ cash flow, liquidity and financing needs, leveraging our comprehensive suite of cash management and lending solutions.

Mike began his career in financial services in 2010 and joined Morgan Stanley in 2019 as an Associate Private Banker. Prior to joining the firm, he was a Senior Wealth Strategist and Banking Consultant at UBS. He also was a Bank Manager at BMO Harris Bank.

Mike is a graduate of Roosevelt University, where he received a Bachelor of Business Administration in Accounting. He also received a Post-Baccalaureate Certificate in Finance from Northwestern University.
Mike and his family reside in Glenview, Illinois. Outside of the office, Mike enjoys early morning workouts, golf, and playing 12-inch softball.
NMLS#: 728335
Morgan Stanley Wealth Management Financial Advisers can conduct their business in several ways: individually, as a member of a team of Financial Advisors, or through the formation of a Strategic Partnership with another Financial Advisor or team of Financial Advisors. A Strategic Partnership is an arrangement between a Financial Advisor or a team of Financial Advisors with another Financial Advisor or team of Financial 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 Financial Advisor, that Financial Advisor services all facets of your account. If your account is with a Financial Advisor who is a member of a team, any Financial Advisor on the team can service your account. If your Financial 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.

Managing Significant Wealth

  • Investment Management
  • Wealth Transfer & Philanthropy
  • Cash Management & Lending
  • Family Governance & Wealth Education
  • Lifestyle Advisory
  • Business Services
Funding Climate Action: Pathways for PhilanthropyLink Opens in New Tab
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Funding Climate Action: Pathways for Philanthropy

Share a new report in collaboration with the Aspen Institute. The report aims to help climate-oriented philanthropists explore critical issues and align their wealth management strategies with their environmental impact ambitions.

Insights and Outcomes

Thought Leadership for our ultra high net worth clients, which contains thought-provoking articles, authored by leading experts from Morgan Stanley Family Office Resources.
Larry Fitzgerald Jr.'s Playbook on Leadership and ValuesLink Opens in New Tab
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Larry Fitzgerald Jr.'s Playbook on Leadership and Values

The renowned NFL wide receiver shares insights on aligning your investments with your values.
We look forward to discussing your needs and goals, and the exceptional resources we can place at your disposal.
1Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC (the “Firm”) and its affiliates do not currently offer the services provided by this Service Provider(s). The Service Provider(s) is not an affiliate of the Firm. Any review of the Service Provider(s) performed by the Firm was based on information from sources that we believe are reliable but we cannot guarantee its accuracy or completeness. This referral should in no way be considered to be a solicitation by the Firm for business on behalf of the Service Provider(s). The Firm makes no representations regarding the appropriate or otherwise of the products or services provided by the Service Provider(s). There may be additional service providers for comparative purposes. If you choose to contact the Service Provider(s), do thorough due diligence, and make your own independent decision.

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2Investing in the market entails the risk of market volatility. The value of all types of investments may increase or decrease over varying time periods. The returns on a portfolio consisting primarily of sustainable or impact investments may be lower or higher than a portfolio that is more diversified or where decisions are based solely on investment considerations. Because sustainability and impact criteria exclude some investments, investors may not be able to take advantage of the same opportunities or market trends as investors that do not use such criteria.

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3Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC is a registered Broker/Dealer, Member SIPC, and not a bank. Where appropriate, Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC has entered into arrangements with banks and other third parties to assist in offering certain banking related products and services.

Investment, insurance and annuity products offered through Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC are: NOT FDIC INSURED | MAY LOSE VALUE | NOT BANK GUARANTEED | NOT A BANK DEPOSIT | NOT INSURED BY ANY FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AGENCY

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4Tailored Lending is a loan/line of credit product offered by Morgan Stanley Private Bank, National Association, an affiliate of Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC. A Tailored Lending credit facility may be a committed or demand loan/line of credit. All Tailored Lending loans/lines of credit are subject to the underwriting standards and independent approval of Morgan Stanley Private Bank, National Association. Tailored Lending loans/lines of credit may not be available in all locations. Rates, terms, and programs are subject to change without notice. Other restrictions may apply. The information contained herein should not be construed as a commitment to lend. Morgan Stanley Private Bank, National Association is a Member FDIC that is primarily regulated by the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency. The proceeds from a Tailored Lending loan/line of credit (including draws and other advances) may not be used to purchase, trade, or carry margin stock; repay margin debt that was used to purchase, trade, or carry margin stock; and cannot be deposited into a Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC or other brokerage account.

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5Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC and its affiliates and their employees (including Financial Advisors and Private Wealth Advisors) are not in the business of providing tax or legal advice. These materials and any statements contained herein should not be construed as tax or legal advice. Individuals should consult their personal tax advisor or attorney for matters involving taxation and tax planning and their attorney for matters involving personal trusts and estate planning.

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Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards, Inc. (CFP Board) owns the certification marks CFP®, CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™, and CFP® (with plaque design) in the United States, which it authorizes use of by individuals who successfully complete CFP Board’s initial and ongoing certification requirements.

Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC does not accept appointments nor will it act as a trustee but it will provide access to trust services through an appropriate third-party corporate trustee.

Asset Allocation does not assure a profit or protect against loss in declining financial markets.

The securities/instruments, investments and investment strategies discussed on this website may not be suitable for all investors. The appropriateness of a particular investment or investment strategy will depend on an investor's individual circumstances and objectives. The views and opinions expressed on this website may not necessarily reflect those of Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC (“Morgan Stanley”). This website and its associated content are intended for U.S. residents only.

Morgan Stanley and its Private Wealth Advisors do not provide tax or legal advice. Visitors to this website should consult their tax advisor for matters involving taxation and tax planning and their attorney for matters involving trust and estate planning and other legal matters.

Morgan Stanley Private Wealth Advisers may only transact business in states where they are registered or excluded or exempted from registration. Transacting business, follow-up and individualized responses involving either effecting or attempting to effect transactions in securities, or the rendering of personalized investment advice for compensation, will not be made to persons in states where Morgan Stanley Private Wealth Advisers are not registered or excluded or exempt from registration.

For more information, please see the Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC Client Relationship Summary.

See the Financial Advisors Biographies for Registration and Licensing information.

Certified Financial Planner™ Board of Standards Inc. owns the certification marks CFP®, CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ and CFP® (with flame logo)® in the U.S., which it awards to individuals who successfully complete CFP® Board's initial and ongoing certification requirements.

Investment Management Consultants Association, Inc. owns the marks CIMA®, Certified Investment Management Analyst® (with graph element)®, and Certified Investment Management Analyst® .

Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC offers insurance products in conjunction with its licensed insurance agency affiliates.

Life insurance, disability income insurance, and long-term care insurance are offered through Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC's licensed insurance agency affiliates.

Lifestyle Advisory Services: Products and services are provided by third party service providers, not Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC (“Morgan Stanley”). Morgan Stanley may not receive a referral fee or have any input concerning such products or services. There may be additional service providers for comparative purposes. Please perform a thorough due diligence and make your own independent decision.

Private Bankers are employees of Morgan Stanley Private Bank, National Association.

Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC is a registered Broker/Dealer, Member SIPC, and not a bank. Where appropriate, Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC has entered into arrangements with banks and other third parties to assist in offering certain banking related products and services.

Investment, insurance and annuity products offered through Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC are: NOT FDIC INSURED | MAY LOSE VALUE | NOT BANK GUARANTEED | NOT A BANK DEPOSIT | NOT INSURED BY ANY FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AGENCY

Awards DisclosuresLink Opens in New Tab
CRC 4237142 (02/2025), 3582895 (6/2024)