AGE Edwards AG

ST. LOUIS, Feb. 28 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- A.G. Edwards (NYSE:AGE) has once again made the list of the top corporate education programs in the country, according to Training magazine. Ranked 69th on the 2007 edition of the "Training Top 125," the St. Louis-based financial services company has been included in all seven issues of the annual list. "We take great pride in the knowledge our employees are able to provide, and we feel that is the true measure of the value we add for our clients," said Robert L. Bagby, chairman and chief executive officer of A.G. Edwards. "To make sure our employees have the best educational resources available, we have made substantial investments in our training programs through the years, and we're pleased to see these efforts recognized consistently by Training magazine." Previous editions of the Training ranking have recognized A.G. Edwards for the strength of its New Financial Consultant Training program, which prepares new hires for the complex and challenging arena of investment services. The firm recently expanded the program, which now provides new hires with a full 36 weeks of specialized instruction and branch office experience as well as the nationally recognized Chartered Retirement Planning Counselor designation. "We serve a large and diverse client base, ranging from first-time investors to high net worth individuals and businesses," said Michael Zuccarello, vice president and director of Training and Development. "As a result, our financial consultants have to be able to offer investment strategies suited to a broad range of financial needs and goals. Our training programs are essential to help our financial consultants and Home Office employees adapt to the changing needs of our clients." To help its financial consultants distinguish themselves from extensive competition in their field, A.G. Edwards launched a unique training program last year aimed at helping financial consultants earn the prestigious Certified Financial Planner(TM) designation, a financial services industry standard. The firm partnered with Dearborn/Kaplan to develop an accelerated CFP(R) Preparation program, shortening the time it takes to earn this designation from two years to seven months. For qualifying financial consultants, A.G. Edwards even offers 100% tuition reimbursement for the program. Currently more than 12 percent of the firm's financial consultants carry the CFP(R) designation, and the firm expects to add another 300 certificate holders this year. Financial consultants at A.G. Edwards benefit from approximately 97 hours of training per year, and Home Office employees receive an average of 55 hours of training each year. The in-house training program, known as A.G. Edwards University, offers courses available through various channels to all employees including: on-site classes at the St. Louis Home Office, online classes via the firm's intranet, or classes over satellite through the firm's internal television network. Training magazine surveys and ranks companies based on both quantitative and qualitative traits of their training departments. Training budget, percentage of employees participating in training programs, training goals and flexibility are just some of the criteria used to determine the best training programs. Industries represented in the survey include financial services, insurance, manufacturing, government, educational services and more. In addition to making the Training Top 125, A.G. Edwards was recently named one of the "100 Best Companies to Work For" by FORTUNE magazine for 2007, marking the firm's 10th consecutive appearance on this distinguished list. Past performance cannot guarantee future results. Training and FORTUNE magazines are not associated with A.G. Edwards, and do not endorse any products or services A.G. Edwards offers. About A.G. Edwards Drawn to the firm's client-first philosophy, individuals and businesses have turned to A.G. Edwards & Sons, Inc. for sound advice and access to a wide array of investment products and services that can help them meet their financial goals and objectives. Founded in 1887, A.G. Edwards and its affiliates employ more than 6,600 financial consultants in more than 700 offices nationwide and two European locations in London and Geneva. More information can be found on http://www.agedwards.com/. DATASOURCE: A.G. Edwards & Sons, Inc. CONTACT: Byron Goodrich of A.G. Edwards, +1-314-955-3235, Web site: http://www.agedwards.com/

Copyright