Kestra CIO Reflects on How 9/11 Shaped Her Life and Career
Twenty-five years after the September 11 attacks, Kara Murphy, chief investment officer of Kestra Investment Management, reflects on how that day shaped her life. At the time, she was an equity analyst at Morgan Stanley in 2 World Trade Center when the second plane struck just above her office floor. Though initially confused and uncertain whether to leave the building, Murphy eventually made it out safely as the towers collapsed around them. The trauma of the event has had a lasting impact on Murphy's life and career decisions. She later founded an organization called Welcome Home that supports resettled refugees in New Jersey. Professionally, she rose through the ranks at AIG Funds before joining Kestra Investment Management, where she now oversees significant assets under management. The 9/11 attacks also had a broader impact on Wall Street and financial institutions such as Morgan Stanley, Cantor Fitzgerald, Bank of America, Marsh & McLennan, and Aon. The U.S. financial system demonstrated resilience in the aftermath, with operations largely continuing despite the devastation.
Topics: 9/11 anniversary investment management survivor story