Edwards visits Troy

By BETH LAKEY

Staff Writer

April 11, 2000 11 PM

One of Wall Street’s prominent men was in Troy last week to visit with employees of the company he oversees.

Benjamin F. Edwards III, chairman and chief executive officer of A.G. Edwards and Sons, Inc., got a glimpse of Troy through the national brokerage firm’s office here.

Edwards is the great-grandson of the company’s founder and makes it a point to visit up branch offices each year.

These trips are to find out how the firm can improve service for clients and employees.

His stop in Troy was his 15th in three days.

"I’ve never been to Troy," Edwards said of the branch office that started as a satellite of the office in Montgomery.

Edwards said being able to visit the different offices across the nation allows him to leave "fantasy land," which he calls headquarters that houses 4,500-plus employees.

"I like to get out and try to see 100 offices per year so I can keep in touch with the ‘real world,’" Edwards said. "The fun in the business is the people."

Edwards likes visiting the smaller cities because they seem to be where society is moving.

"We find the soul of our company is in smaller towns," he said.

And Troy was a pleasant surprise.

"I was impressed," he said of his drive through the Troy State University campus and the area.

A.G. Edwards and Sons was founded in 1887 and has more than 670 offices in 49 states and the District of Columbia. Affiliation offices are also in London, making it one of the nation’s largest brokerage firms.