Bio

Jim grew up in Cocoa Beach, Florida. He attended The Florida Institute of Technology, where he received a B.S. in finance in 1992, and was a member of the basketball team.

After graduation, Jim started his career at what was then called The Community Educators’ Credit Union. Following a 3 year stint at C.E.C.U., he moved to Atlanta to get into the financial service business. Jim started at Merrill Lynch in 1996 where he built a successful wealth management business over the course of 21 years. While easygoing by nature, his leadership and ability to optimize performance and growth, led him to become one of the top producers at one of Merrill Lynch’s top offices. Recently Jim founded The Avalon Group at Morgan Stanley and is a Senior Vice President. With a genuine passion for financial planning and investment strategy, he always focuses on the big picture in helping clients achieve their goals.

Jim enjoys the beach and returns often. Additionally, he is an avid skier and a frequent visitor to Park City, Utah. He has two children, Brady and Kendall, 13 year old twins. On the weekends, you can find Jim coaching his kids' basketball teams or playing golf and tennis. Previously, Jim was on the board of directors at Brookfield Country Club and is looking forward to giving back to Florida Tech.