Benjamin F. Edwards ices deal with ex-NHL star

Benjamin F. Edwards & Co. has hired former hockey star Blake Dunlop to run its newly opened St. Louis branch. The firm also said it's moving its St. Louis headquarters to the larger facility that also houses Mr. Dunlop's branch. The firm was created in 2008 by Benjamin F. “Tad” Edwards IV, the son of the former chief executive of A.G. Edwards, and the great-great-grandson of A.G. Edwards founder Albert Gallatin Edwards. The new St. Louis office is the firm's 11th branch. Mr. Dunlop, who spent 22 years as a branch manager for A.G. Edwards Inc. and 11 years as a professional hockey player, most notably as a forward with the St. Louis Blues, said there isn't much difference between playing hockey and managing a brokerage branch. “The skills that translate are certainly things that you need to be successful in sports: leadership, hard work, being prepared and doing whatever is necessary to get the job done for yourself and your teammates,” Mr. Dunlop said. “In our business, be it running a branch or working with clients, the goal is to go above and beyond.” Mr. Dunlop said he expects to bring on plenty of recruits. “It's going to be interesting and intriguing for many other people at other firms to hear the story of how this firm is growing and what it has to offer — and that goes for large brokerage firms,” Mr. Dunlop said. “We're hoping to talk to high-quality people from any of the major brokerage firms out there in town.” For now, the ex-hockey player has a hurdle to overcome before attracting all that new talent: “The focus right now is to get the assets and accounts transferred properly. After that, the goal is to continue building this branch with high-integrity people who share the same client-first mentality we have here.” Mr. Dunlop will be joined by financial consultant Connor P. Dunlop, his son, and Christine J. Boxdorfer, senior registered financial associate. Both the younger Mr. Dunlop and Ms. Boxdorfer are also veterans of A.G. Edwards.