ST. LOUIS, MO--(Marketwire - Jan 11, 2012) - Six senior-level financial consultants and four financial associates signed on with the new O'Fallon, Ill., branch of Benjamin F. Edwards & Co., the St. Louis-based brokerage firm, company officials announced today.
The office is the firm's seventh in Illinois, and is its second location in the metro-St. Louis area. All of the new employees are transferring from Wells Fargo Advisors, and the additions represent the most advisor hires on a single day since the firm started opening branches in 2009.
"We are excited to be opening a new office with such a seasoned group of professionals," said Benjamin F. (Tad) Edwards IV, chairman and CEO of Benjamin F. Edwards & Co. "Not only does the firm offer an appealing, client-first corporate culture and a broad assortment of products and services, but we also have the operational infrastructure to help ensure that the transfer process for our financial consultants -- and, more importantly, their clients -- is smooth and efficient."
Coming aboard at the new O'Fallon location are the following financial advisors who combined represent more than 100 years of securities industry experience:
Quinten E. (Bret) Spivey, Branch Manager and Vice President - Investments: Spivey has 18 years of financial services experience. He began his financial services career in 1994 at the Belleville, Ill., office of A.G. Edwards. Spivey worked in banking for five years in Southern Illinois prior to moving into the brokerage business.
Janet M. Bone, CFP®, Senior Vice President - Investments: After working for three years at a downtown St. Louis bank, in 1986, Bone continued her financial services career by becoming a registered investment representative at the Belleville, Ill., branch of A.G. Edwards, where she continued to serve clients for more than 25 years. She obtained her CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ designation in 1990. At Benjamin F. Edwards & Co., she will continue to assist her clients with personalized investment planning services.
Troy D. Cox, CFP® and R. Todd Stone, CFP®; Vice Presidents - Investments: Partners since combining their investment management practices in 2007, Cox joined A.G. Edwards in 2004 after working as a tax preparer and financial advisor at a local firm. Stone joined the firm in 2000 after working as a director of internal audit in the gaming industry. They both received their CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ designations in 2008. Cox received his bachelor's degree in finance from Southern Illinois University - Carbondale, while Stone earned his finance degree from Arkansas State University.
Jeffrey J. Luechtefeld, Vice President - Investments: With more than 20 years of experience in the financial services industry, Luechtefeld advises his clients on their financial affairs, particularly on matters pertaining to retirement. He began his financial services career at A.G. Edwards in 1991, and is a graduate of St. Louis University with a degree in business.
Brent A. Wilhelm, Vice President - Investments: Initially a CPA who worked for a "Big Three" accounting firm out of college, Wilhelm moved into sales before joining A.G. Edwards in 1998. Since then, he has developed a strong presence in the Monroe County/Waterloo area and served as manager of the Waterloo office of both A.G. Edwards and Wells Fargo Advisors.
Assisting the O'Fallon financial consultants with their client responsibilities are Sally D. Davis, Patricia L. Jenks, and Peggy A. Rakers, who all join as senior registered financial associates. Joining the office as a senior financial associate is Joyce M. Kniepmann.
"Benjamin F. Edwards & Co. is an outstanding firm that offers the depth of expertise and resources typically found in a large firm," said Branch Manager Bret Spivey. "But it's the firm's client-centric, high-touch service model that sets it apart and enables us to focus on what really matters -- our clients and their financial well-being."
Spivey also mentioned the firm's progressive technology platform as a contributing factor in his decision to join the company. "They have really done a nice job assembling a formidable set of technology tools we need to work with our clients in the office and on the go."
About Benjamin F. Edwards & Co.
With a tagline of "Investments for Generations" and a company logo anchored by the Edwards crest, Benjamin F. Edwards & Co. is headquartered in St. Louis, Mo. The firm was founded in 2008 by Benjamin F. (Tad) Edwards IV, the great-great-grandson of Albert Gallatin Edwards, the founder of brokerage firm A.G. Edwards.
With the new location in O'Fallon, Ill., the firm has 22 offices in 14 states and employs more than 200 nationwide.
A subsidiary of Benjamin Edwards, Inc., Benjamin F. Edwards & Co. is a full-service brokerage and a Registered Investment Adviser, which offers a wide array of financial products and advisory services to its clients and financial consultants. For more information about Benjamin F. Edwards & Co., please visit www.benjaminfedwards.com.
Contact Information:
For more information, contact:
Margaret Welch
314-703-1215