The Vise Group at Morgan Stanley

Stephen Starling Vise
Senior Vice President
Financial Advisor

Stephen (Steve) S. Vise is a Financial Advisor and Senior Vice President of the Vise Group. He has fifty-three years of experience in Finance and has been with Morgan Stanley since 2012.

Bringing nearly six decades of industry experience, Steve holds a true understanding of the necessary components needed to produce efficient returns for his clients and the tailored customer service experience they deserve. His personable attitude coupled with his decades of industry experience allows clients to find him easy to talk with. Steve’s approach is unique in that he strives to communicate with clients in a way which is simple, yet directly addresses their concerns and needs. Within the Vise Group, Steve’s primary responsibilities include meeting with clients to understand their bottom line needs, then creating and executing investment strategies to help address those needs.

Steve derives his passion for the business from his ability to lead clients down a path towards financial success so that they may retire with greater confidence. His process is centered on an in-depth review of the client’s financial and life goals in order to gain a proper understanding of their risk tolerance and investment time frame. However, it was at an early age when Steve realized he had a passion for the advising profession through a friend who was currently working in the business. This friendship gave Steve a clear understanding of the ins and outs of the job and is what eventually led to Steve becoming enamored with the idea of going into financial advising for himself. In Steve’s words, “it has been a love affair ever since”.

Outside of his duties as a financial advisor, Steve works to be an active member within his community as well. He volunteers with the Central Alabama Food Bank, Boy Scouts, Birmingham Jaycees Civic Organization, and also helps to build new homes for underprivileged families. Regardless of Steve’s various professional and civic commitments, he is a committed father. He raised two children who have gone on to receive various graduate degrees and professional designations. In his free time, Steve enjoys playing tennis, hunting, reading up on history, cooking and supporting University of Alabama’s college football team.

Steve attended the University of Alabama and is a holder of the Series 1, 63, and 65 FINRA licenses, as well as the Portfolio Manager professional designation.

Richard Alan Vise
Vice President
Financial Advisor

Richard (Rick) Alan Vise is a Vice President and Financial Advisor of the Vise Group. He has fourteen years of experience in finance, and has been with Morgan Stanley since 2012.

Rick began his investment career in 2008 upon his father’s suggestions to go into business together as a father-son financial advising team. Rick’s unique positioning of operating a father-son practice has allowed him to perfect the approach and level of service he is able to provide his clients. Rick’s process incorporates the client and their family in all aspects of the planning process, assesses their long-term plans along with the family’s entire financial picture, and most importantly, strives to make them feel a part of his own family. Within the Vise Group, Rick’s primary role is to manage clients’ investment and financial planning needs and to lead client meetings.

At the age of 18, Richard began investing in the stock market under his father’s guidance. This early exposure to the markets coupled with a start-up lawn mowing business he created in his teenage years fostered Richard’s entrepreneurial mindset and paved his path forward to eventually enter the Financial Services industry. However, before starting his finance career, Rick worked in the Manufacturing and Real Estate sectors. These jobs built the base to jumpstart his advising career and helped him to realize that he not only had a passion for working with people of all backgrounds, but that he excelled at it as well. Rick’s prior experiences when combined with his strong family ties produced a culture within the group which represents his passion for consistent communication, a necessity to provide unparalleled investment advice, and to always have face-to-face meetings, when possible, in order to make his client’s feel like family.

Outside of his professional work, Rick is an active member of his community. He volunteers his time in a variety of different community activities such as a sound technician for church choir and theater, helping with the Boys Scouts, the Central Alabama Food Bank, and working with patients at the Children’s Hospital. Despite Rick’s many commitments, he still manages to be a committed husband and father. Rick is married to his wife of 28 years, Elizabeth, and together are parents to three boys. In his free time, Rick enjoys hiking, hunting, sports, history, supporting Auburn’s college football team, and spending time with his friends and family.

Rick received a Bachelor of Arts from Birmingham Southern University before going on to receive his Masters from Auburn University. He holds the Series 7 and 66 FINRA licenses, as well as the Portfolio Manager and Family Wealth Advisor.

Saundra Jones is a Senior Client Service Associate and is in her 27th year with Morgan Stanley Wealth Management.

Initially working in New York City at Morgan Stanley’s World Trade Center offices, Saundra moved back to Birmingham in 1999. She now is responsible for providing smooth, efficient, and timely service for clients, often working behind the scenes to enhance their experiences.

Saundra attended Alabama State University. She enjoys spending time with her family including her three children, Donovan, Gailaya, and Kenadie, her Daughter-In-Law, Diamond, and her grand boys Xavier & Bryson. She lives in CenterPoint.