Ryan DeMarco of the financial services firm Edward Jones in Bluffton, OH recently received the firm's Ted Jones Entrepreneurial Award for his exceptional achievement in building client relationships.

DeMarco was one of 1,099 financial advisors to receive the Ted Jones Entrepreneurial Achievement Award.

The award is named after Ted Jones, the son of the firm's founder. He became the firm's 18th financial advisor in 1948 and served as managing partner from 1960 to 1980. Ted Jones saw the opportunity to serve individual investors in communities across the country and designed the one-financial advisor branch business model. He valued the concept of partnership so much so that he provided ownership opportunities for associates to share in the firm's success, a practice still alive today.

"It's truly an honor to be recognized for building relationships with those clients we serve," said DeMarco. "And it is also quite inspirational to receive an award named after a firm legend such as Ted Jones who was so innovative and recognized the need for quality financial advice for long-term individual investors."