Senior Vice President, Wealth Management, Financial Advisor, Senior Portfolio Manager
Phone:
(713) 658-2749(713) 658-2749
Wulf Group at Morgan Stanley
Direct:
(713) 658-2700(713) 658-2700
Our Mission Statement
Experience, intellectual capital and dedicated personal service to help you meet your life goals
Our Story and Services
As your Financial Advisors, we can help you define and strive to meet your goals by delivering a vast array of resources to you in the way that is most appropriate for how you invest and what you want to achieve. Working together we can help you to preserve and grow your wealth. You’ll have access to some of the world’s most seasoned and respected investment professionals, a premier trading and execution platform and a full spectrum of investment choices.
Check the background of Our Firm and Investment Professionals on FINRA's BrokerCheck.*
Our Approach
Our four-step investment process is a disciplined approach that begins and ends with you. It is a method designed to help you reach your investment objectives, maintain a diversified protfolio and manage your exposure to risk. We will help you:
1. Set Your Financial Objectives
Help you develop an investment strategy based on your specific goals, time horizon, tolerance for risk and/or appetite for market volatility.
2. Define an Investment Strategy
Recommend an asset allocation to help produce optimal portfolio performance for your level of risk as part of a diversified investment strategy.
3. Evaluate and Select Investments
Leverage the global resources of Morgan Stanley to select investments to implement your asset allocation strategy.
4. Ongoing Review Process
Monitor your portfolio to track its performance relative to your stated objectives - and to modify the portfolio on a discretionary basis as your needs and circumstances change over time.
Our Services
As your wealth grows, so does its complexities and the resources needed to manage it effectively. We leverage our experience and relationships to deliver innovative strategies that are tailored to your needs. We look forward to speaking with you to understand your challenges, so we may map out a strategy to help achieve your particular priorities and goals.
Asset Allocation
The role of asset allocation as an investment plan cannot be overstated. While asset allocation cannot ensure a profit or protect against loss, it represents a way to help you manage risk and seeks to achieve your long-term goals. Our team draws on the guidance of the GIC to create strategic and tactical asset allocation models. These models are designed to suit your financial needs and objectives and are adjusted, as needed, in response to changes in the capital markets over time.
Investment Selection
Both experience and resources count when selecting complementary investment products for your portfolio. Our portfolio construction team uses a disciplined risk management framework to evaluate and recommend investment products fro our discretionary advisory programs, including Custom Solutions and Firm Discretionary UMA.
Tax Management
Select UMA clients can seek to mitigate their tax liability for no incremental fee. We seek to enhance clients' after-tax returns through tax-efficient trading, automatic tax-loss harvesting, and certain IRS wash sale adherences. Also available is client-specific customization, such as tax mandates, which are specific to limits on capital gains, to help manage tax liablilites, tax-focused portfolio transactions, and security overlap assistance. This optional service is available for existing UMA accounts with $500,000 or more in assets.
Investment Manager Analysis
Choosing an asset manager is one of the most important decisions you will make. The Global Investment Manager Analysis team consists of over 50 professionals experienced in evaluating approximately 1,900 traditional and alternative strategy investment products, including SMAs, mutual funds, ETFs, and liquid alternatives.
Disciplined Portfolio Management (PM)
Effectively coordinating an account structure that incorporates multiple investment products requires a high degree of integration and may be challenging without professional expertise. For Firm Discretionary accounts, within our Select UMA program, our overlay manager will manage adherence to your investment strategies through 24/7 oversights, ongoing portfolio reviews, risk monitoring, and optional tax harvesting.
Holistic Advice
Effective investment advice is not limited to an individual account. Wulf Group continually seeks to expand the ways in which we can help define, pursue, and meet your financial objectives. Investment advice should consider not only individual investment and retirement accounts, but also insurance and annuities, trusts and charitable giving, for example. Our focus is providing a high level of service and appropriate advice that keeps these priorities in mind.
A Financial Plan Made For You
Our wealth management process begins with you, your investment objectives and your financial goals. Holistic in its approach, it may encompass all the elements of your financial life - your investments and your cash management needs - making sure they align with your goals and wealth management plan.
At Morgan Stanley, we understand that the goals you set today will evolve over time. Your plan will evolve with them - and with the changing circumstances of your life.
Leveraging a sophisticated suite of analytic tools, as well as the extensive resources of Morgan Stanley, we can help you take charge of your financial future an achieve your goals. Below, we have provided some links that will introduce you to a few of the tools that we use, please click to learn more about them. We hope that you will return often to learn more about topics impacting your wealth.
LifeView - Intelligent Planning
LifeView is a suite of planning tools that includes goal-specific analysis that we can use with our clients to create a realistic, integrated strategy that incorporates the various aspects of an individual's financial life, including investments and cash management needs. Fill out the questionnaire to get started talking with us about creating a personalized strategy for your long-term goals.
Goals Planning System
Goals Planning System (GPS) is Morgan Stanley's own integrated planning tool. Built on the Firm's intellectual capital and capabilities, GPS is an intuitive and efficient platform used to quickly assess whether a client is "On Track" to achieving their financial goals.
Morgan Stanley Goals Planning System (GPS) is a focus on goals-based planning. Within this framework, we have a goals-based platform that includes a brokerage investment analysis tool (GPS Platform). While securities held in your investment advisory accounts may be included in the analysis, the reports generated from the GPS Platform are not financial plans nor constitute a financial planning service. A financial plan generally seeks to address a wide spectrum of your long-term financial needs, and can include recommendations about insurance, savings, tax and estate planning, and investments, taking into consideration your goals and situation, including anticipated retirement or other employee benefits. Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC ("Morgan Stanley") will only prepare a financial plan at your specific request using Morgan Stanley approved financial planning software. If you would like to have a financial plan prepared for you, please consult with a Morgan Stanley Financial Advisor.
To understand the differences between brokerage and advisory relationships, clients should consult their Financial Advisor, or review our Understanding Your Brokerage and Investment Advisory Relationships brochure available at http://www.morganstanley.com/ourcommitment/
Portfolio Risk Platform
There's a chance your portfolio may be at risk, but how you manage that risk is what matters. Portfolio Risk Platform – Powered by Aladdin is a risk management platform that provides comprehensive risk estimation and reporting across a broad range of asset classes and security types. This platform provides both an overview and a detailed view to better enable risk to be effectively monitored and managed.
The Portfolio Analysis report ("Report") is generated by Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC's ("Morgan Stanley") Portfolio Risk Platform. The assumptions used in a Report incorporate portfolio risk and scenario analysis employed by BlackRock Solutions ("BRS"), a financial technology and risk analytics provider that is independent of Morgan Stanley. BRS' role is limited to providing risk analytics to Morgan Stanley, and BRS is not acting as a broker-dealer or investment adviser nor does it provide investment advice with respect to the Report. Morgan Stanley has validated and adopted the analytical conclusions of these risk models.
Strategy - Intelligent Withdrawals
Building wealth is a means to an end. Taxes can eat up a significant portion of your assets upon withdrawal. This is why it's vital to look at your entire portfolio and coordinate liquidation to help reduce the impact of taxes and potentially improve investment results. The decisions your make today can help you save for years to come.
Location
717 Texas Avenue
Suite 3050
Houston, TX 77002
US
Direct:
(713) 658-2700(713) 658-2700
Meet Wulf Group
Phone:
(713) 658-2710(713) 658-2710
About Gary Wulf
With many years of experience helping individuals and families preserve and grow their wealth, Gary focuses his practice on guiding clients and their attorneys toward good financial decision making before, during and after divorce.
Gary believes that every client deserves the best financial, legal, and emotional support during divorce for the best possible outcome.
As a Certified Divorce Financial Analyst (CDFA®), he provides analysis that illustrates the financial impact of settlement proposals to help his clients choose the best option. Post-divorce, he helps them become financially independent through financial education, comprehensive financial planning, investment strategies, budgeting and cash management.
Along with his CDFA®, Gary also earned the Certified Investment Management Analyst (CIMA®) designation after successful completion of coursework at the Wharton School of Business at The University of Pennsylvania.
A graduate of the University of Texas, Arlington, with a Bachelor of Arts in Communications, Gary was Ernst & Young's Southwest Regional Director for Investment Advisory Services, serving high-net-worth individuals, family businesses and institutions. He was also a member of their National Investment Committee.
Gary began his career as a financial advisor at Fidelity Investments, where he was a Retirement Specialist and Senior Financial Advisor. he joining Morgan Stanley in 2008 from Merrill Lynch.
Active in many professional and community organizations, Gary is a member of the Investment Management Consultants Association and Collaborate Divorce, Houston. He volunteers with Interfaith of The Woodlands and the Montgomery Country Food Bank. He is also a lifetime member of The Greater Houston Partnership.
A naturalized Texan, Gary has resided here for over 30 years. Before wising up, he participated in many marathons and Ironman-sponsored events. He now enjoys a more balanced approach to fitness through biking, strength and yoga training, He actively promotes the idea of additional grandchildren to his two sons and is likely planning his next domestic or international trip, preferably to a region where the food is excellent!
The use of the CDFA® designation does not permit the rendering of legal advice by Morgan Stanley or its Financial Advisors which may only be done by a licensed attorney.
Gary believes that every client deserves the best financial, legal, and emotional support during divorce for the best possible outcome.
As a Certified Divorce Financial Analyst (CDFA®), he provides analysis that illustrates the financial impact of settlement proposals to help his clients choose the best option. Post-divorce, he helps them become financially independent through financial education, comprehensive financial planning, investment strategies, budgeting and cash management.
Along with his CDFA®, Gary also earned the Certified Investment Management Analyst (CIMA®) designation after successful completion of coursework at the Wharton School of Business at The University of Pennsylvania.
A graduate of the University of Texas, Arlington, with a Bachelor of Arts in Communications, Gary was Ernst & Young's Southwest Regional Director for Investment Advisory Services, serving high-net-worth individuals, family businesses and institutions. He was also a member of their National Investment Committee.
Gary began his career as a financial advisor at Fidelity Investments, where he was a Retirement Specialist and Senior Financial Advisor. he joining Morgan Stanley in 2008 from Merrill Lynch.
Active in many professional and community organizations, Gary is a member of the Investment Management Consultants Association and Collaborate Divorce, Houston. He volunteers with Interfaith of The Woodlands and the Montgomery Country Food Bank. He is also a lifetime member of The Greater Houston Partnership.
A naturalized Texan, Gary has resided here for over 30 years. Before wising up, he participated in many marathons and Ironman-sponsored events. He now enjoys a more balanced approach to fitness through biking, strength and yoga training, He actively promotes the idea of additional grandchildren to his two sons and is likely planning his next domestic or international trip, preferably to a region where the food is excellent!
The use of the CDFA® designation does not permit the rendering of legal advice by Morgan Stanley or its Financial Advisors which may only be done by a licensed attorney.
Securities Agent: MO, VA, OK, NY, SC, CO, LA, TX, FL, WI, NM, UT, OR, CA, MT, IL, WA; General Securities Representative; Investment Advisor Representative; Managed Futures
NMLS#: 1288110
NMLS#: 1288110
About Lona McManus, MBA
Raised in the Chicago suburbs, Lona grew up playing violin and piano. She attended Boston University School of Theater Arts, graduating Magna Cum Laude. She spent eleven years in New York City producing, directing, and acting in off-Broadway productions, as well as a relatively short but formative experience working in Broadway production for National Artists Management Company. It was then that she realized her potential for raising capital and working behind the scenes with funders and teams to bring quality performances to life.
After September 11, Lona had a change of heart about her career trajectory and what she wanted out of life. She transitioned to become a full-time professional fundraiser, initially in the arts, and joined her family in Houston, Texas. She has raised philanthropic capital for Houston Grand Opera, and the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, and most recently, she spent eleven years in the Texas Medical Center with Baylor College of Medicine and UTHealth Science Center working with generous donors to commit over $50 Million for capital projects, scientific research, and public interest projects.
Realizing how important that financial planning is to the giving equation, Lona decided to pursue an MBA and a career in finance in 2020. Now she works with individuals, families, closely held businesses, non-profits, and charitable foundations to help them secure the future and realize their philanthropic goals. She is a proud member of Wulf Group at Morgan Stanley.
Lona volunteers in leadership positions at local non-profit organizations, including Houston Community College Foundation, ROCO, Westcott Cemetery Association and 4th Wall Theater Company.
After September 11, Lona had a change of heart about her career trajectory and what she wanted out of life. She transitioned to become a full-time professional fundraiser, initially in the arts, and joined her family in Houston, Texas. She has raised philanthropic capital for Houston Grand Opera, and the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, and most recently, she spent eleven years in the Texas Medical Center with Baylor College of Medicine and UTHealth Science Center working with generous donors to commit over $50 Million for capital projects, scientific research, and public interest projects.
Realizing how important that financial planning is to the giving equation, Lona decided to pursue an MBA and a career in finance in 2020. Now she works with individuals, families, closely held businesses, non-profits, and charitable foundations to help them secure the future and realize their philanthropic goals. She is a proud member of Wulf Group at Morgan Stanley.
Lona volunteers in leadership positions at local non-profit organizations, including Houston Community College Foundation, ROCO, Westcott Cemetery Association and 4th Wall Theater Company.
Securities Agent: VA, LA, IL, UT, CA, MT, NM, MO, CO, OR, OK, WA, TX, FL; General Securities Representative; Investment Advisor Representative
NMLS#: 2370618
NMLS#: 2370618
Contact Gary Wulf
Contact Lona McManus, MBA
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
Ben Cucuzza
Private Banker
Joe Saadi
Trust Specialist
About Ben Cucuzza
Ben Cucuzza is a Private Banker serving Morgan Stanley Wealth Management offices in Texas.
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.
Ben began his career in financial services in 2005, and joined Morgan Stanley in 2022. Prior to joining the firm, he was an Affluent Segment Leader at Wells Fargo Bank, N.A.
Ben is a graduate of the University of Georgia, where he received a Bachelor of Business Administration in Marketing. He lives in Houston, Texas with his family. Outside of the office, Ben is involved in the Junior Achievement as well as the Big Brothers Big Sisters program. He also enjoys fishing, sports, and watching the Georgia Bulldogs.
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.
Ben began his career in financial services in 2005, and joined Morgan Stanley in 2022. Prior to joining the firm, he was an Affluent Segment Leader at Wells Fargo Bank, N.A.
Ben is a graduate of the University of Georgia, where he received a Bachelor of Business Administration in Marketing. He lives in Houston, Texas with his family. Outside of the office, Ben is involved in the Junior Achievement as well as the Big Brothers Big Sisters program. He also enjoys fishing, sports, and watching the Georgia Bulldogs.
NMLS#: 703137
About Joe Saadi
Joseph Saadi is the Regional Trust Specialist for Morgan Stanley’s Central Region. Within the Trust Services Group, Joe is responsible for delivering the “Open Architecture” trustee platform, which consists of several unaffiliated third-party trust companies who serve in a fiduciary, agency or custodial role for high-net-worth and ultra-high-net-worth families. Joe and the Trust Services Group help Morgan Stanley Financial Advisors, clients, prospects and the professional community understand the corporate trustee services available through Morgan Stanley and how their corporate trustee partners provide fiduciary services to clients. The process involves reviewing trust documents and statements as well as analyzing family dynamics. Joe then uses this information to help clients select one or more of the Firm’s corporate trustee partners to possibly serve as trustee, co-trustee or administrative agent for client trust accounts.
Prior to joining the firm, Joe’s 30 years of legal and comprehensive wealth planning experience include positions as Managing Director at TIAA Trust Company, Market Trust Director at JP Morgan Trust Company, Trust & Estate Specialist at Merrill Lynch Trust Company, and District Attorney General at the Ohio Attorney General’s Office.
Joe obtained his Bachelor of Science in Business Administration degree from John Carroll University and his Juris Doctor from Cleveland-Marshall College of Law. Joe is a member of the State Bar of Ohio and holds his Series 7 and 66 licenses.
Prior to joining the firm, Joe’s 30 years of legal and comprehensive wealth planning experience include positions as Managing Director at TIAA Trust Company, Market Trust Director at JP Morgan Trust Company, Trust & Estate Specialist at Merrill Lynch Trust Company, and District Attorney General at the Ohio Attorney General’s Office.
Joe obtained his Bachelor of Science in Business Administration degree from John Carroll University and his Juris Doctor from Cleveland-Marshall College of Law. Joe is a member of the State Bar of Ohio and holds his Series 7 and 66 licenses.
Wealth Management
Global Investment Office
Portfolio Insights
Retirement
Working with you to understand your life goals and develop a personalized wealth strategy. Today and for the years to come.
- 401(k) Rollovers
- IRA Plans
- Retirement income strategies
- Retirement plan participants
- Annuities
A Simple Six-Step Retirement Checkup
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Investing
Working closely with you to guide your wealth and investments through the most challenging market cycles.
- Asset Management
- Wealth Planning
- Traditional Investments
- Alternative Investments
- Impact Investing
Tax-Smart Ways to Sell Securities
How investors can tap their portfolios in tax-savvy ways.
Family
Creating customized financial strategies for the challenges that today’s families face.
- Estate Planning Strategies
- 529 Plans / Education Savings Planning
- Long Term Care Insurance
- Special Needs Planning
- Trust Services
529 Plans: A Powerful Tool to Save for Education
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Business Planning
Helping you on key aspects of your business such as ownership, liquidity and developing opportunities.
- Succession Planning
- Business Planning
- Qualified Retirement Plans
Financial Planning for Life After Selling a Business
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Philanthropy
Making sure your philanthropic dollars are managed with the same high quality service as the rest of your wealth.
- Endowments
- Foundations
- Donor Advised Funds
- Impact Investing
Ready to start a conversation? Contact Wulf Group today.
Check the background of our Firm and Investment Professionals on FINRA's BrokerCheck*.
The information, products and services described here are intended only for individuals residing in states where this Financial Advisor is properly registered as described in this site.
Morgan Stanley reserves the right, to the extent permitted under applicable law, to retain and monitor all electronic communications. Morgan Stanley will not accept purchase or sale orders via any Internet site, social media site and/or its messaging systems. Morgan Stanley does not endorse and is not responsible and assumes no liability for content, products or services posted by third-parties on any Internet site, social media site and/or its messaging systems. All electronic communications are subject to terms available at the following link:
https://www.morganstanley.com/disclaimers/mswm-email.html. Any profiles and associated content are for U.S. residents only.
The securities/instruments, services, investments and investment strategies discussed in this material may not be appropriate for all investors. The appropriateness of a particular investment, investment strategy or service will depend on an investor's individual circumstances and objectives. Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC recommends that investors independently evaluate particular investments, strategies and services, and encourages investors to seek the advice of a Financial Advisor or Private Wealth Advisor. This material does not provide individually tailored investment advice. It has been prepared without regard to the individual financial circumstances and objectives of persons who receive it.
Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC (“Morgan Stanley”), its affiliates and Morgan Stanley Financial Advisors or Private Wealth Advisors do not provide tax or legal advice. Individuals should consult their tax advisor for matters involving taxation and tax planning and their attorney for legal matters.
Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC (“Morgan Stanley”) is not implying an affiliation, sponsorship, endorsement with/of the third party or that any monitoring is being done by Morgan Stanley of any information contained within the website. Morgan Stanley is not responsible for the information contained on the third-party website or the use of or inability to use such site. Nor do we guarantee their accuracy or completeness.
The views, opinions or advice contained within third party websites or materials are solely those of the author, who is not a Morgan Stanley employee, and do not necessarily reflect those of Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC, or its affiliates. The strategies and/or investments referenced may not be appropriate for all investors as the appropriateness of a particular investment or strategy will depend on an investor's individual circumstances and objectives.
*References to length of service at Morgan Stanley include years at Morgan Stanley and predecessor firms.
Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards Inc. owns the certification marks CFP®, CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ and federally registered CFP (with flame design) in the U.S, which it awards to individuals who successfully complete CFP Board’s initial and ongoing certification requirements.
The use of the CDFA designation does not permit the rendering of legal advice by Morgan Stanley or its Financial Advisors which may only be done by a licensed attorney. The CDFA designation is not intended to imply that either Morgan Stanley or its Financial Advisors are acting as experts in this field.
Awards Disclosures
The information, products and services described here are intended only for individuals residing in states where this Financial Advisor is properly registered as described in this site.
Morgan Stanley reserves the right, to the extent permitted under applicable law, to retain and monitor all electronic communications. Morgan Stanley will not accept purchase or sale orders via any Internet site, social media site and/or its messaging systems. Morgan Stanley does not endorse and is not responsible and assumes no liability for content, products or services posted by third-parties on any Internet site, social media site and/or its messaging systems. All electronic communications are subject to terms available at the following link:
https://www.morganstanley.com/disclaimers/mswm-email.html. Any profiles and associated content are for U.S. residents only.
The securities/instruments, services, investments and investment strategies discussed in this material may not be appropriate for all investors. The appropriateness of a particular investment, investment strategy or service will depend on an investor's individual circumstances and objectives. Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC recommends that investors independently evaluate particular investments, strategies and services, and encourages investors to seek the advice of a Financial Advisor or Private Wealth Advisor. This material does not provide individually tailored investment advice. It has been prepared without regard to the individual financial circumstances and objectives of persons who receive it.
Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC (“Morgan Stanley”), its affiliates and Morgan Stanley Financial Advisors or Private Wealth Advisors do not provide tax or legal advice. Individuals should consult their tax advisor for matters involving taxation and tax planning and their attorney for legal matters.
Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC (“Morgan Stanley”) is not implying an affiliation, sponsorship, endorsement with/of the third party or that any monitoring is being done by Morgan Stanley of any information contained within the website. Morgan Stanley is not responsible for the information contained on the third-party website or the use of or inability to use such site. Nor do we guarantee their accuracy or completeness.
The views, opinions or advice contained within third party websites or materials are solely those of the author, who is not a Morgan Stanley employee, and do not necessarily reflect those of Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC, or its affiliates. The strategies and/or investments referenced may not be appropriate for all investors as the appropriateness of a particular investment or strategy will depend on an investor's individual circumstances and objectives.
*References to length of service at Morgan Stanley include years at Morgan Stanley and predecessor firms.
Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards Inc. owns the certification marks CFP®, CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ and federally registered CFP (with flame design) in the U.S, which it awards to individuals who successfully complete CFP Board’s initial and ongoing certification requirements.
The use of the CDFA designation does not permit the rendering of legal advice by Morgan Stanley or its Financial Advisors which may only be done by a licensed attorney. The CDFA designation is not intended to imply that either Morgan Stanley or its Financial Advisors are acting as experts in this field.
Awards Disclosures
CRC 6491812 (04/2024)