JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – House Speaker Todd Richardson, R-Poplar Bluff, inducted Edward “Ted” D. Jones, son of the founder of the Des Peres-based investment firm, into the Hall of Famous Missourians today.
Jones’ wife, Pat, was in attendance at the ceremony, as were Rep. Kevin Engler, R-Farmington; James D. Weddle, the managing partner of Edward Jones, and, of course, the Speaker.
Jones was a managing partner at his father’s firm from 1968-1980 during a huge expansion period for Edward Jones. He later bought abandoned sections of the Missouri-Kansas-Texas Railroad and converted them into the Katy Trail State Park.
“I knew Ted before he died,” Engler, a financial advisor for Edward Jones, said. “He was a funny guy, a history buff, he would drive all around the country and would always stop at historical markers to see what had happened in that area. He was a hard-driving salesman. He was not tall of stature, but he was a powerful force in both the firm and the industry.
“It’s a great company, it’s been ranked in the top 10 of places to work in America. Ted was a big part of that.”
