Morgan Stanley Financial Advisor Named a Tampa Bay “40 Under 40”

Ameen Amin ’13 made the prestigious “40 Under 40” listing in the Tampa Bay Business Journal in Tampa Bay, FL, in August. The Morgan Stanley financial advisor worked as a sole practitioner with Morgan Stanley in Tampa Bay for three years before becoming one of four equity partners with the company’s MCS Group in March.

Amin’s wealth management practice at Morgan Stanley oversees $700 million in assets. He is ranked first tier among his colleagues nationwide, the Business Journal says.

With a figurative shrug of his shoulders, Amin remains humble and jokes about leaving his financial career to become a comedian. The Iraqi native gives credit to his parents and various Westminster faculty and staff members for helping him find the power in his purpose.

 How do you feel about receiving the “40 Under 40” designation? While it is certainly an award that I am proud of, it is important for me to keep in mind that it celebrates the up-and-comers and not those who are established. What that means to me is that my efforts thus far have been noticed but also that there is plenty of work left for me to do.  

Where was the awards assembly, and did you attend? Ironically, it was held at the hospitality center of Pepin Distributors which is the main distributor of St. Louis’s own Anheuser-Busch. I attended the event with colleagues and of course, my parents, who have played the biggest role in shaping who I am as a person.  

Online, you were quoted as saying, “We only know how strong we are when our backs are against the wall.” Can you explain how this quote applies to your life? I believe that is from an interview where I talked about the importance of being comfortable with the uncomfortable. Social media has a lot of benefits, but it also portrays everyone’s life as perfect, which can at times make you doubt your own. In reality, we are all fighting our own battles, and we only see how strong we are as people when being strong is our only option. I guess it was my way of saying that we shouldn’t be ashamed of the times we are struggling because that is when we grow the most. 

Do you enjoy what you do at Morgan Stanley? I really do. There is a big taboo in talking about personal finances, and most would prefer to avoid it, even though it makes things worse in the long run, so I cherish the fact that my clients trust me to be their person. I genuinely want what is best for them.  

If you could do something just for fun, what career would you choose? I figured out that if I were to do something just for fun, the career I would choose would be as a stand-up comedian. Now I just have to figure out how to be funny. 

I see you are from Iraq and attended schools in the United Kingdom and Jordan. Can you tell a little bit about your international background and how you ended up choosing to attend Westminster College? I had the privilege of living in a handful of countries before starting the United World Colleges program in Bosnia and Hercegovina. The experience was priceless. My colleagues were from all over the world, and it taught me that even though we come from different races, genders, backgrounds, etc., at the end of the day we all want the same things in life. I knew I wanted to go to the U.S. but had no idea to which school. But then Pat Kirby walked in. 

What was your major at Westminster? I majored in International Business and had minors in Entrepreneurship and Marketing.

What do you consider your greatest success? I do not feel I am at a stage where I can pat myself on the back, but one thing I am proud of is sharing my recent wins with people who believed in me before I believed in myself. Hearing someone like Pat Kirby, who I owe so much to, tell me that he is proud of me means the world to me. If Pat Kirby didn’t love Westminster College as much as he did and convinced me to go there, my life would be completely different.  

Based on your experience with the College, would you recommend Westminster to prospective college students? I appreciated Westminster even more after graduation after talking to others about their college experience. I would argue that joining a college smaller in size amplifies the experience, because you are not a number in the eyes of not only faculty, but students. It allows you to create more meaningful relationships that can weather the test of time.   

Who were your favorite Westminster faculty members? There are plenty, but Dr. Sue Serota and Pat Kirby played a huge role in making Westminster feel like home. They are two of the kindest-spirited individuals I have ever met, and I’m sure I’m one of many that feel that way about them. I owe them the world for their warmth and genuine care for our well-being; it is something that I will never forget. 

What book would you would recommend to others? Man’s Search for Meaning by Viktor Frankl. 

Do you have a favorite quote? “Life is tough, my dear, but so are you.” 

What is your favorite TV show? The Office.  

What do you do in your free time? Try to figure out what to do with all this free time.