By J.R. Tidwell/Editor

Edward Jones investments in Clanton hosted a grand opening for its new location on April 18.

According to financial advisor Jim Edwards, the new location offers the group more space to interact with its clients.

The new location is located at 610 Second Avenue North.

“The first 17 and a half years our office was down in a building with Hull and Russell CPAs,” Edwards said. “This January we purchased and moved to this building for our new office.

“We had a great location in the past. We were right around CPAs and law offices. We just needed more space. This new office allows us to have a superior conference room to meet with clients.

“It allows us to upgrade and hopefully make clients feel more comfortable. It is a nicer space. We have more rooms to have events here. We just didn’t have the space to do that at our old office. We like being downtown. We have a lot of good neighbors here. It is very convenient for us.”

Edwards has been a financial advisor with Edward Jones for the past 18 years.

“Edward Jones is a full service investment firm serving the needs of individual long-term investors,” he said. “We help people prepare and live in retirement. We help them prepare for the unexpected. We help do college planning for people’s children and grandchildren.

“The investments we use include stocks, bonds, mutual funds and annuities depending on needs of the individual or family. We consider ourselves to be a conservative firm. We live in the communities where we work, so face-to-face customer service is what we thrive on.

“As a financial advisor my job is to work with customers and identify their needs, set goals, make sure we have a plan in place to meet those goals and follow up on those goals. That’s what we do every day.”

Edwards was on hand during the grand opening to meet visitors along with branch office administrator Renee Hall.

“Her job is to manage the office and provide great customer service for all of our clients. She does a wonderful job,” Edwards said.

Edwards said he has been in Clanton since 1999.

“This community has really accepted me and Edward Jones as a firm,” he said. “The hospitality of the people in Chilton County has been a blessing to me and my family.”