BOSTON – When Chris Griffith was a student at Norwich High School in the late 90s, he was left an inheritance of about $1,000.

Unlike most teens, he enjoyed statistics and had developed a habit of causally following the stock market for fun. So instead of spending the cash, he decided to take a chance at investing it to see if his hobby would pay off.

“I think the $1,000 turned into $4,000 and I was hooked,” said Chris.

He is now the Executive Director and Senior Portfolio Management Director for The Griffith Wheelwright Group at Morgan Stanley, managing $500 million in client assets. At the start of summer, Griffith was listed on Forbes Magazine’s “2019 List of America’s Best-in-State Wealth Advisors.”

Being named on the competitive list is a notable career accomplishment. Only financial advisors with at least seven years of professional working experience and $150 million in client assets are considered.

The rankings are based on research, interviews, industry records, revenue trends and a lot of data analysis. The ratings in Forbes represents thousands of wealth advisors being weighed on a variety of factors, and only the best rated ones make the list.

Though he works for one of the most successful financial firms in the world at their Boston wealth management offices, Chris has stayed in-touch with his roots. He still works with many in the area and said without them, it never would've been possible to succeed.

“First thing I would say is, we have been incredibly blessed a lot by the national recognition from what we have built. There is no way to build it without a ton of support of the people I grew up with in Norwich and the community,” said Chris.

He said the small town connections and the trust it created were key in getting him started.

“Oh yes, the people willing to trust me at 22-years-old, right out of college,” he said. “I was a green kid 18 years ago and if I didn't have that opportunity, it never would have happened. So thank you.”

About 10 days after graduating college in 2001, Chris started his career at AG Edwards. Shortly after he and his business partner and college roommate Henry Wheelwright created The Griffith Wheelwright Group.

They are now affiliated with Morgan Stanley.

Morgan Stanley issued a press release earlier this year recognizing Chris for the distinction of being named by Forbes.

“Chris is a Norwich native, having grown up in town and a 1997 graduate of Norwich High School. Along with longtime friend and business partner Henry Wheelwright, Chris leads a boutique wealth management group of six people that cater to high net worth families and small business owners. The group currently manages around $500 million in client assets, and works with many families throughout Chenango County and Upstate New York,” stated the firm.

“I am pleased that Chris is representing Morgan Stanley,” commented Kathleen Ferraro, Branch Manager of Morgan Stanley’s Boston office. “To be named to this list recognizes Chris’ professionalism and dedication to the needs of his valued clients.”

While working with businesses and families in Chenango County, Chris has encouraged financial literacy.

“People don't always have access to specialists,” said Chris. He said financial arrangements, especially for investors or businesses involving large or life-long sums, could be complicated and costly. Learning the hard way is not always a good option.

He said if people needed help and were able to get it, they would hire a lawyer, a doctor or a specialist to address complicated needs correctly. He encouraged people to educate themselves and seek experienced advice before making a decision.

“Get interested and read. The internet is out there for everybody. Get some help, build a basic plan, read-up,” advised Chris. He added that people should start by building a “simple, passive strategy and work toward it.”

Chris said the financial part of the world can be difficult to understand and everyone should try to learn more. Managing larger sums once you've worked for them, to make sure you don't have to work harder in the future, can be difficult. This is where working with a specialist, like Chris, can be most impactful.

Chris said a large part of his job is “bringing something complex to understand to something easy to understand.”

“The discipline to do what I do, the 'needing to work hard to be successful,' 'nothing is given to you.' There are a lot of hard working people in Chenango County,” said Chris.

He said being a part of the Norwich sports community had especially stayed with him.

“They fostered but taught you nothing comes to you without hard work. This all had an impact on me and the values I live with every day.”