Financial Advisor Joshua M. Bledsoe Joins Stifel as Senior Vice President/Investments in St. Louis, Missouri

ST. LOUIS, MO--(Marketwired - Dec 16, 2013) - Stifel is pleased to announce that financial advisor Joshua M. Bledsoe, MBA, CFP^®, CRPC^®, has joined the firm as Senior Vice President/Investments of its broker-dealer subsidiary, Stifel, Nicolaus & Company, Incorporated.

Based in the firm's Private Client Group office in St. Louis, Mr. Bledsoe will be responsible for providing wealth management and investment advisory services to high net worth investors. He comes to Stifel after spending 11 years at Merrill Lynch, where he was a Senior Vice President and past Chairman of the firm's Advisory Council to Management.

"As we continue to invest in our Private Client Group, we're excited to attract an advisor of Josh's caliber," said Ron Kruszewski, Chairman, President, and CEO of Stifel Financial Corp. "As the former Chairman of Merrill Lynch's Advisory Council to Management, Josh served as an advocate for his fellow advisors and their clients and was involved in high-level strategic planning. He brings a unique understanding of our business and shares Stifel's commitment to providing outstanding client service."

"Josh is an accomplished, highly respected professional who represents a significant hire for Stifel, both in St. Louis and nationally," added Michael Sullivan, Managing Director - Private Client Group and Eastern Region Director. "Having worked closely with him on the Advisory Council to Management team at Merrill Lynch, I can attest to his ability and his integrity. He will play an important role in our efforts to serve today's high net worth investor."

"As a financial advisor, Stifel was particularly attractive to me because of its unique culture," said Mr. Bledsoe. "With its holistic approach to service, Stifel is a firm that takes care of both its clients and its advisors. The firm has truly evolved in recent years, continually enhancing its resources and its platform, and I am certain my clients and I will benefit from my move here."

Mr. Bledsoe holds the Certified Financial Planner™ Professional and Chartered Retirement Planning Counselor certifications. He earned a bachelor's degree from Westminster College and an MBA from the Olin School of Business at Washington University. Active in the community, Mr. Bledsoe currently serves on the Development Board for St. Louis Children's Hospital and previously served on the Board of Directors for Gateway to Hope. 

Stifel Company Information
Stifel Financial Corp. (NYSE: SF) is a financial services holding company headquartered in St. Louis, Missouri that conducts its banking, securities, and financial services business through several wholly owned subsidiaries. Stifel's broker-dealer clients are served in the United States through Stifel, Nicolaus & Company, Incorporated; Keefe, Bruyette & Woods, Inc.; Miller Buckfire & Co., LLC; and Century Securities Associates, Inc. and through Stifel Nicolaus Europe Limited and Keefe, Bruyette & Woods Limited in the United Kingdom and Europe. The Company's broker-dealer affiliates provide securities brokerage, investment banking, trading, investment advisory, and related financial services to individual investors, professional money managers, businesses, and municipalities. Stifel Bank & Trust offers a full range of consumer and commercial lending solutions. Stifel Trust Company, N.A. offers trust and related services. To learn more about Stifel, please visit the Company's web site at www.stifel.com.