ST. LOUIS, MO--(Marketwired - December 15, 2016) - Business owners are increasingly turning to their financial advisors at Benjamin F. Edwards & Co. for guidance on matters pertaining to their businesses, which include leadership and succession planning, valuations, retirement plans, and business acquisitions and sales. As a result, the St. Louis-based financial services firm is enhancing and its services in these specialized areas, company officials announced today.
"Growing a successful financial services company requires that we maximize all opportunities," said Benjamin F. (Tad) Edwards IV, founder, CEO and president of Benjamin F. Edwards & Co. "Many of our financial advisors have deep relationships with business leaders and entrepreneurs in their communities, and we want to be in a position to provide the comprehensive advice and services these business owners need and expect. Our investment in business owner services reflects this commitment."
Investment Banking
To meet increasing demands for strategic advice and counsel to business executives, the firm's investment banking group, recently added three individuals to its ranks:
Kevin Sullivan, Managing Director: With 25-years of investment banking experience, Sullivan joins Shelby Schagrin as co-head of investment banking. Prior to joining the firm, he was a managing director in the Middle Market Group of Wells Fargo Securities, and in the Mergers and Acquisitions Group at A.G. Edwards & Sons. In addition, he spent 13 years in leveraged lending at various St. Louis and Chicago banks.
Gregory J. Simpson, CFA, Managing Director: After a successful 25-year career as a medical device financial analyst at A.G. Edwards & Sons, Simpson moved into investment banking at Wunderlich Securities in 2013. More recently, he led the healthcare merger and acquisition practice at Dawson James Securities.
Philip Metzger, CFA, Vice President: Metzger has more than 11-years of investment banking experience, including experience in mergers and acquisitions and equity and debt financing transactions for companies across a wide range of industries. Previously, he was with Wells Fargo Securities where he worked on mergers and acquisitions transactions and capital raises, and Piper Jaffray where he originated tax-exempt bond issuances for government clients.
Established in 2013, the investment banking team at Benjamin F. Edwards & Co., continues to focus on providing strategic advice and counsel to middle market companies on all aspects of their business operations -- including leadership transitions, targeted acquisitions, and the sale of the company.
"We believe the current economic climate and the robust merger and acquisition market make investment banking an attractive business line for us," said Doug Rubenstein, chief operating officer for the firm and director of Capital Markets. "Our advisors and their business-owning clients continue to seek out our strategic and experienced thinking, so the addition of Kevin, Greg, and Philip gives us added resources and depth."
Comprehensive Suite of Business Owner Services Also Available
Complementing the company's investment banking and business strategy efforts, is the firm's suite of business owner advisory services, which include the following:
Affluent Investor Services -- Providing strategic planning advice to business owners and executives, which draw upon a broad assortment of investment products and services. These include wealth transition, estate- and charitable- planning strategies, non-purpose loans, alternative investments, executive- and trust services.
Retirement Plans -- Edwards is prepared to help business owners with company retirement plans, ranging from the large and complex to the small and personalized. These offerings can include SEP-IRAs, SIMPLE IRAs, and individual 401(k)s, as well as full-featured retirement plans, profit sharing plans, and money purchase plans.
Insurance -- Benjamin F. Edwards & Co. is also able to provide insurance services, such as buy/sell, key person, and loss purchase insurance.
"We are committed to growing our capabilities in the business advisory arena," Rubenstein said. "At Benjamin F. Edwards, we have the talent, services, and experience to assist our business clients -- whether they are the owner or are a C-Suite executive -- with all aspects of their finances."
About Benjamin F. Edwards & Co.
With a tagline of "Investments for Generations", Benjamin F. Edwards & Co. is headquartered in St. Louis, Mo. Benjamin F. (Tad) Edwards IV founded the firm in 2008, which currently has 59 branch offices in 25 states and more than 450 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.
Contact Information:
For more information, contact:
Margaret Welch
314-703-1215