Benjamin F. Edwards & Company, Incorporated

Benjamin F. Edwards IV serves as Chairman and CEO, overseeing the firm's strategy. Robert J. G. Greaney is Chief Investment Officer, leading the investment committee that sets asset allocation and portfolio construction for client accounts. Day-to-day investment decisions are made by individual financial advisors within the firm's guidelines.

The firm operates as both an RIA and a broker-dealer, a common dual-registered structure in the wealth management industry. It also owns a trust company, allowing it to offer custody and estate-planning services. This structure gives advisors flexibility to serve clients under a fee-based or commission model, depending on client needs.

The investment committee manages a portion of client assets internally through proprietary model portfolios and individually managed accounts. For specialized strategies, the firm also selects and monitors third-party asset managers, ETFs, and mutual funds. The overall approach is open-architecture, giving advisors discretion to choose the best vehicles for clients.

The firm has over 90 branch offices spread across 25 states, concentrated in the Midwest and South. St. Louis serves as corporate headquarters. Unlike wirehouses with dense urban coverage, Benjamin F. Edwards focuses on mid-sized markets and suburban communities where independent advisors can maintain deep local relationships.

Benjamin F. Edwards IV is the great-great-grandson of Albert G. Edwards, who founded A.G. Edwards & Sons in 1857. The original firm was sold in 1992 and later absorbed by Wachovia (now Wells Fargo). After the 2007 acquisition, Edwards IV founded Benjamin F. Edwards & Company in 2008 as a new independent firm with no corporate ties to the original A.G. Edwards, though it shares the same family legacy.

The firm does not publicly disclose a minimum account size. Based on industry norms for mid-market RIAs serving high-net-worth clients, the effective minimum likely ranges from $500,000 to $1 million, though the firm may accommodate smaller accounts depending on the advisor relationship and local office practices.

In 2023, the firm acquired the RIA business of Baird, adding approximately $1.5 billion in client assets (per InvestmentNews, 2023). This acquisition was part of a broader strategy to grow organically while selectively taking on advisory teams that fit the firm's culture. The firm has not disclosed plans for further M&A.