Office address: 12555 Manchester Road, Saint Louis, MO 63131
Website: edwardjones.com
Year established: 1922
Company type: financial services
Employees: 55,000+
Expertise: investment advice, retirement planning, wealth management, stocks, bonds, mutual funds, exchange-traded funds, unit investment trusts, charitable gift funds, fixed-income investments
Parent company: The Jones Financial Companies, L.L.L.P.
Key people: Penny Pennington (managing partner); Ken Cella, David Chubak, Keir Gumbs, David Gunn, Tina Hrevus, and Kristin Johnson (principals)
Financing status: corporation
Edward Jones is a private financial firm headquartered in St. Louis, operating over 15,000 branches throughout North America. The company focuses on helping individual investors with services like investment advice, retirement planning, and wealth management. It is known for its partnership structure, strong community presence, and a workforce of about 55,000 employees.
Edward D. Jones Sr. set up Edward D. Jones & Co. in 1922 in downtown St. Louis. The first office was just a single room with a desk, three chairs, and a hat rack. From the start, he wanted the firm to treat both associates and clients with fairness and respect.
Ted Jones, the founder’s son, joined the company after working in New York. He became the 18th broker and soon took the business beyond St. Louis, driving hundreds of miles to reach small towns.
In 1957, the firm opened its first branch office in Mexico, Missouri. By 1968, Ted Jones became the second managing partner, pushing for employee ownership and a focus on service.
By 1980, Ted Jones saw his goal of 300 offices realized and named John Bachmann as managing partner. John brought in Peter Drucker, who encouraged the company to expand into cities. This advice helped Edward Jones triple in size in five years, and the firm celebrated its 1,000th office in Stoughton, Wisconsin.
Edward Jones moved into Canada in 1990, and by 2008, the firm had opened its 10,000th branch. Leadership changed hands several times, with Doug Hill and Jim Weddle guiding the company through new milestones. In 2017, the company joined the CEO Action for Diversity and Inclusion to show a commitment to a more inclusive workplace.
The firm named Penny Pennington as managing partner in 2019, making her the only woman leading a major US brokerage. As of 2024, it managed $2.2 trillion in client assets and continues to grow its presence in the US and Canada.
In 2025, Edward Jones announced several leadership changes as part of its shift toward comprehensive planning. The firm also launched Edward Jones Generations, a private client service for high-net-worth clients.
Edward Jones offers personalized wealth strategies and advanced planning, especially for high-net-worth clients:
Edward Jones is also known for business owner solutions and workplace financial planning. The firm is recognized for its advisor network, personalized service, and focus on innovation in wealth management.
According to Edward Jones, collaboration shapes its culture and is rooted in its partnership structure. It also reports that its culture motivates associates to help each other succeed, not compete, and that success is shared across the company.
The company highlights several benefits for associates:
Edward Jones encourages associates to shape their own career paths and reach their highest ambitions. The firm supports growth through mentorship, skill-building, and opportunities to make a difference for clients and communities. Associates are stated to be valued for their drive and are given tools to maximize their impact and career success.
Penny Pennington is the managing partner and leads Edward Jones as it moves away from its traditional one-advisor, one-office model. She joined the firm in 2000 as a financial advisor, became a principal in 2006, and held several leadership roles before taking her current position in 2019. Pennington has a bachelor’s degree from the University of Virginia and an MBA from Northwestern.
The Edward Jones leadership team brings experience and unique skills to guide the firm’s direction:
The leadership team includes people with a range of backgrounds and responsibilities. Their combined expertise helps Edward Jones adapt and grow in a changing industry.
By 2026, Edward Jones will have opened Generations hubs in Scottsdale, St. Louis, West Palm Beach, and Dallas for high-net-worth clients. It seeks to expand advisor training and add investment options like exchange funds and alternative investments. These steps will help the firm better serve wealthy clients and compete with larger firms.
These new Generations hubs are part of a broader effort to deliver more for high-net-worth clients. In a sit-down interview with Investment News, Edward Jones’ Tom Lewandowski said that Generations provides tailored planning and access to private credit, real estate, and alternatives. By combining personal advice with advanced technology, the firm helps families manage wealth transfer and make confident financial decisions for the future.
Meanwhile, LPL and Ameriprise each welcomed experienced advisors from Edward Jones in Tennessee and South Carolina.
Merrill has also extended its ranks in California with a $450 million team from Morgan Stanley, while Raymond James adds a seasoned Edward Jones advisor to its independent channel.
Financial advice firms continue to shed employees, often a way to reduce costs.
“Having an independent platform underneath us was incredibly important,” said Scott Gilliam of Align Private Wealth.
Les Smith, who once played alongside future MLB stars Eugenio Suárez and Nick Castellanos, says lessons from professional baseball helped fuel his transition to independent wealth management after 11 years at Edward Jones.
Firms continue to attract talent from larger entities to fuel rapid expansion.
New Edward Jones-Gallup research also reaffirms the value that working with an advisor brings.
Two firms land teams managing more than $1.1 billion in combined assets from Kestra and Edward Jones.
A private partnership, Edward Jones is a giant in the retail brokerage industry with more than 20,000 financial advisors.
Meanwhile, Raymond James and Tritonpoint Partners separately welcomed father-son teams, including a breakaway from UBS in Missouri.
Firms continue their quest to attract and retain the best advisor teams.
Meanwhile, Raymond James snags Edward Jones advisor in Arizona.
John S. Winslow, 57, was indicted just over a year ago for his scheme to steal from an elderly client.
Survey highlights widespread lack of awareness as families struggle to save for future education costs.
Wealth firms expand through recruitment and acquisition as advisor teams and assets shift to growing platforms.
