At Raymond James we are:
People-driven. We’re in the business of helping people achieve their dreams, support their families, grow their businesses and improve their communities. That’s true for clients, as well as our wealth managers and associates.
Values-based. Our culture is rooted in the values that were part of the foundation of the firm and have continued for over six decades. They are both characteristics that define Raymond James as a company and the shared attitudes of the people who make up the firm.
Future-focused. Complacency is the enemy of long-term success. As our business changes, as technology changes how we communicate, as people and their expectations change, we are committed to evolving our services, innovating our approach and growing our business while staying true to the core of who we are.
We are committed to helping individuals, corporations and institutions achieve their unique goals, while also developing and supporting successful professionals, and helping our communities prosper.
Our culture is the foundation of our success and what differentiates us from the competition. It is how we provide solutions and services to our clients and to each other.
Our vision is to be a financial services firm as unique as the people we serve, transforming lives, businesses and communities through the power of personal relationships and professional advice.
They are more than the characteristics that define Raymond James as a company or even the shared attitudes of the people who make up the firm.
They are our pledge and our promise to clients, to wealth managers and to each other.
If we do what’s right for our clients, the firm will do well and we’ll all benefit.
We put others above self, and what’s right above what’s easy. We believe doing well and doing good aren’t mutually exclusive.
We act responsibly, taking a conservative approach that translates into a strong, stable firm for clients, wealth managers, associates and shareholders.
We respect autonomy, celebrate individuality and welcome diverse perspectives, while encouraging collaboration and innovation.
Black MondayOn 19 October 1987, the stock markets experienced a dramatic plunge that prompted many firms to shut down their trading desks and turn off their phones to minimize internal losses. Raymond James refused to do the same. Our desks stayed open to help meet clients’ needs, resulting in our first and only unprofitable quarter since the firm went public in 1983. |
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Who was Raymond James?The Raymond in our name is actually from Edward Raymond, owner of a 15-employee mutual fund sales group, Raymond and Associates, along Florida’s west coast. He sold his company to Bob James on 15 July 1964, on condition that the surviving firm be called Raymond, James & Associates. Three days after the sale, Ed Raymond was involved in a near-fatal automobile accident and never joined the firm. Nonetheless, even after Raymond had passed away, Bob James insisted that his name remain on the door – ahead of James’ own. That was a promise he made to Ed Raymond three days before the accident, and Bob James was a man who kept his promises. |
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Bear Market of 1974The severe bear market of 1974 threatened the existence of Raymond James, which was bleeding capital by the day. Tom James, his father and other leaders took extreme measures to keep the firm afloat, slashing costs, foregoing paychecks and even attempting to sell the firm for just enough capital to protect client assets and retain as many associates as possible. The story could have ended very differently if not for a sharp upturn and continued rebound in the stock markets late in the year. |
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Taking Raymond James PublicWhen consideration was being given to taking Raymond James public, Tom James penned a letter to shareholders (largely employees at the time). ” … the public offering should be considered as a statement of our independence. While this is a psychological rather than an economic rationale, it is nonetheless very important. We have asserted for some time that we are not interested in becoming a small part of a very large corporation. That assertion results mainly from the inclinations of management rather than the economic benefits associated with either alternative. The public stock offering affords us the opportunity to enjoy a little bit of the best of both worlds. While shareholders will be given liquidity at fair market value, we will still have the ability to control our own destiny.” After 40+ years of Tom’s leadership, upon becoming CEO, Paul Reilly was often questioned about whether the company might ultimately surrender its cherished independence and be acquired by some larger entity. His response: “Not while I’m around.” It’s a theme that continues today. |
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