ST. LOUIS, Feb. 19, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- The financial services firm Edward Jones once again has been named a top firm for training, ranking No. 12 on Training magazine's 2013 Training Top 125 list and winning special recognition for an innovative branch-training program.

Edward Jones has been honored as a top training company for 13 years in a row, dating back to the debut of the Training Top 50 in 2001.

For 2013, it was the top-ranked national brokerage on the list and won special recognition for its Branch Office Administrator Trimester Challenge for branch office administrators, key members of the financial advisor-BOA teams serving clients in branches. This new program – combining training, rewards and high-impact, client-related challenges – won one of five Outstanding Training Initiative awards.

The 2013 rankings were announced at a Feb. 18 awards dinner during the magazine's Training 2012 Conference & Expo in Orlando, Fla.

"We offer industry-leading client service through our unique model: putting one financial advisor and one branch office administrator in individual branches located in neighborhoods across America. Developing these branch teams effectively is a challenge and one that we take very seriously," said Jim Weddle, managing partner of Edward Jones.  "It's great to be recognized for innovative training that works. Our clients benefit, and that's what matters most to us."

The firm has consistently earned high marks as an employer of choice in other national rankings. For the 14th year, Edward Jones was named one of FORTUNE magazine's "100 Best Companies to Work For 2013." The firm took the No. 8 overall spot on the prestigious list, also was named to the No. 3 spot for large companies and was the highest ranking financial-services firm. For the fourth straight year, Edward Jones financial advisors ranked the firm Highest in Employee Advisor Satisfaction among Financial Investment Firms, according to the 2012 study by J.D. Power and Associates. For the second year, Edward Jones was named to the National Top Workplaces list, ranking No. 16 in 2013.

Edward Jones provides financial services for individual investors in the United States, and, through its affiliate, in Canada. Every aspect of the firm's business, from the types of investment options offered to the location of branch offices, is designed to cater to individual investors in the communities in which they live and work. The firm's 12,500 financial advisors work directly with nearly 7 million clients to understand their personal goals – from college savings to retirement – and create long-term investment strategies which emphasize a well-balanced portfolio and a buy-and-hold strategy. Edward Jones embraces the importance of building long-term, face-to-face relationships with clients, helping them to understand and make sense of the investment options available today.

Edward Jones is headquartered in St. Louis, Mo. The firm's web site is located at www.edwardjones.com and its recruiting web site is www.careers.edwardjones.com.

SOURCE Edward Jones