Ansley opens Edward Jones office in downtown Bonners Ferry

BONNERS FERRY — An investment in the future of Boundary County has moved downtown. Merle Ansley, financial advisor for Edward Jones, opened his office July 31, in the prior Art Groove Studio building across from the Mi Pueblo restaurant in downtown Bonners Ferry.

Previously, Ansley shared an office with Kevin Callos on Eisenhower Street. Callos is still operating from the Eisenhower office. The Edward Jones business model prefers each financial advisor to have their own office to more deeply serve clients.

Ansley started working for Edward Jones in 2017 after working as the mortgage and commercial lender at Mountain West Bank for five-and-a-half years. Callos volunteered to mentor Ansley through Edward Jones’ Good Knight program.

“We’re not competing against each other,” said Ansley. “Kevin and I have a great relationship and communicate really well.”

Ansley is now branching out to his own office with branch office administrator, Samantha Shutts.

“What we do is help clients do achieve financial goals in different aspects of their life,” said Ansley. “We look at their total financial picture and regularly meet with our clients to monitor progress and adjust as need to help them achieve their financial goals.”

Through Edward Jones, Ansley can help clients plan for retirement, education, goal-oriented savings and preparing for the unexpected.

Ansley emphasized that he isn’t just selling a product but taking in what is important the overall financial picture. If you’re planning for retirement, Ansley asks questions to help determine how much risk you’re willing to take, how hands-on you want to be in choosing the investment types and how to maximize your investments. Working together Ansley helps his clients develop strategies to reach their goals, tracks their progress and helps make adjustments when needed.

“We try to look at everything a client wants to do from a long-term perspective,” said Ansley. “It comes down to how well a financial advisor knows his clients. The better we know the family, the better he can help them achieve their goals.”

Family is important for both Ansley and Shutts, who both were born and raised in Boundary County. Ansley’s parents, Jim and Sally Ansley, moved here in the 1960s and raised four boys. Ansley married Jenny Foust and together are raising three children — Emily, Holly and Jackson.

Shutts moved to Coeur d’Alene for 10 years but was drawn back to Boundary County to be closer to her parents, Teresa and Ed Atkins Jr., and to raise her two daughters.

“The single biggest advantage is that we (Edward Jones) are locally-based,” said Ansley. “I live and work here and I have a deep vested interest in my client’s interest. I’m very interested in Boundary County being successful.”

Edward Jones started in 1922 and began growing in rural America in small towns just like Bonners Ferry, noted Ansley. The company understands the mentality of small towns and has been through the ups and downs of the market. The new office downtown expands the options for residents of Boundary County to plan for their future.

For help in financial planning, stop by the new office, 7169 Main St., or call 208-295-2606 Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Edward Jones, a Fortune 500 company headquartered in St. Louis, provides financial services in the U.S. and, through its affiliate, in Canada. Every aspect of the firm’s business, from the investments its financial advisors offer to the location of its branch offices, caters to individual investors. The firm’s 18,000-plus financial advisors serve more than 7 million clients and care for $1.3 trillion in assets under management.

Information: edwardjones.com and recruiting website at careers.edwardjones.com.