ST. LOUIS, MO--(Marketwired - Jul 15, 2014) - Clemson, S.C., Sherman, Texas, and Harrison, Ark. are the latest office additions for the St. Louis-based investment firm Benjamin F. Edwards & Co., company officials announced today. In addition, the firm also added a pair of advisors to its office in the Denver suburb of Greenwood Village, and another advisor joined its existing Red Bank, N.J. location.

"Advisors continue to be impressed by our business model and our product and service depth," said Benjamin F. (Tad) Edwards IV, founder, chairman and CEO of Benjamin F. Edwards & Co. "More importantly, they want to work for a firm that empowers them to do what's right for their clients, and one that offers the freedom, independence, and support often found at a larger firm -- we offer all of this at Benjamin F. Edwards & Co."

Clemson, S.C.
Working from the firm's new Clemson location -- its first in South Carolina -- is the Wright Wealth Management Group, which is comprised of the following:

Ernie Wright, CFP^®, Branch Manager, Senior Vice President Investments: Wright brings with him more than 33 years of experience in the financial services industry, and concentrates on executive and business planning; and retirement, estate and trust services. He earned his CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ certification in 2006.

Margaret (Kate) Wright, Financial Consultant: A graduate of Clemson University, Wright started her career in 2008 working with annuities for John Hancock, and later Lincoln Financial. In 2010, she joined her father, Ernie, and together they formed the Wright Wealth Management Group.

Rounding out the team is Shelley Bond Holbrooks, who joins as a senior registered financial associate. She has worked with Ernie Wright throughout her 17-year career in financial services and will assist with the group's client service responsibilities.

Sherman, Texas
The firm also announced the opening of an office in Sherman, Texas. Anchoring that location is the Melton Financial Group, which is comprised of the following:

Bruce Melton, Managing Director - Investments: Melton is a 28-year veteran of the financial services industry and formed the Melton Financial Group 14 months ago when his daughter, Katiebeth Worrell joined his practice. He concentrates on fixed income, managed accounts, and individual stocks.

Katiebeth Worrell, CFP^®, CRPC^®, Financial Consultant: Katiebeth started her financial services career in 2009 after graduating from Texas A&M with degrees in finance and accounting. She earned her Chartered Retirement Planning Counselor certification in 2011 and her CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ certification in 2012.

Assisting both as a senior registered financial associate is Paula Judkins, who has worked in the securities industry since 1998.

Hunter Graham, CFP^®, Vice President - Investments: Also joining the new Sherman location is Hunter Graham who has worked in the industry for 13 years. He also earned his CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ certification in 2006. Tamra Booth, with whom he has worked for the past 12 year, joins as a senior financial associate.

Harrison, Ark.
Opening and working from the firm's new location in Harrison are the following:

John Weir, CFP^®, Vice President - Investments: Weir has been in the securities industry for 30 years and concentrates on helping his clients with retirement planning by incorporating an income strategy into their investment plan. He received his CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ certification approximately 20 years ago.

Joshua Willard, Financial Consultant: Following a career in the Air Force, Willard attended the University of Arkansas. While in college, he was one of 21 students selected to manage $5 million in the Arvest Fixed Income Class and also worked part time for a financial services firm. He graduated in 2008 with a degree in finance and continued pursuing his securities industry career on a full time basis.

Assisting Weir and Willard, is Cheryl Smith, who joins Benjamin F. Edwards as a senior financial associate.

Denver, Colo. (Greenwood Village)
The firm's Denver location, which opened in 2013, also added two more financial advisors, bringing total employment to eight.

Eric Bench, AAMS^®, Vice President - Investments: Bench started his financial services career in 2006 and earned his Accredited Asset Management Specialist™ certification that same year. His areas of concentration include retirement planning and investment management.

Jason Clouse, Financial Consultant: Clouse began his career as a bank officer where he specialized in retail banking, and managed three branch locations in the Denver metro area. He moved into the securities industry in 2010.

Bench and Clouse, along with their senior registered financial associate, Maria Lucido, are working temporarily from the firm's Greenwood Village location, until construction on their South West Littleton office is completed.

Red Bank, N.J.
Finally, Samuel A. Annitto joins the firm's Red Bank office as a senior vice president - investments. He's been in the securities industry since 1976. With his addition, the firm's Red Bank location, which opened three years ago, now employs a total of eight.

All of the individuals have transferred from Wells Fargo Advisors.

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 and currently has 47 branches in 24 states and nearly 400 employees.

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, advisory and investment banking services to its clients and financial advisors. For more information about Benjamin F. Edwards & Co., please visit the firm's corporate website, benjaminfedwards.com, GetInAtBenEdwards.com for advisors, or follow the company on Twitter.com/GrowWithBFEC.