The financial services firm Edward Jones recently was named the No. 3 company in the “Best Companies to Work for in Texas” ranking by Texas Monthly magazine, according to Bud Malcik, a Financial Advisor in Kingsville.

Texas Monthly teamed up to rank the state’s best employers with the Best Companies Group of Harrisburg, Pa., and local partners the Texas Association of Business and the Texas State Council of the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM).

The ranking was based on an employer inventory of practices and an anonymous survey of associates, who were asked to agree or disagree with dozens of statements about the firm, teamwork and their individual experience at the firm.

Edward Jones has 1,100 branch offices all over Texas. The firm is growing, adding branches and seeking new financial advisors who are interested in operating an entrepreneurial office with the support and benefits of one of the oldest and largest firms in the industry.

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 12,000-plus financial advisors work directly with nearly 7 million clients to understand their personal goals -- from college savings to retirement -- and create long-term investment solutions that 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, which ranked No. 2 on FORTUNE magazine’s “100 Best Companies to Work For” in 2010, is headquartered in St. Louis. The Edward Jones Web site is: www. edwardjones.com, and its recruiting Web site is: www. careers.edwardjones.com. Member SIPC.