John W. Bachmann

Treasurer U.S. Chamber of Commerce

Senior Partner, Edward Jones

John W. Bachmann, senior partner at Edward Jones, grew up in Salem, Illinois. He received a bachelor’s degree in economics from Wabash College in Crawfordsville, Indiana, and an M.B.A. in finance from Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois. Bachmann is the recipient of an honorary Doctor of Laws from Wabash College and an honorary Doctor of Arts from the University of Missouri-St. Louis.

Bachmann began his career at Edward Jones as a part-time college intern in 1959. Upon completion of his formal education, he joined the firm full time.

Beginning in 1963, Bachmann spent seven years as a retail investment representative in Columbia, Missouri. In 1970, he returned to St. Louis as a partner with responsibility for fixed-income product marketing and later gained experience in strategic planning, corporate finance, and technology.

In 1980, Bachmann succeeded Edward D. “Ted” Jones Jr. as managing partner of Edward Jones. Bachmann built on Jones’ philosophy of serving the needs of individual investors from one-investment-representative offices. This included using technology in a way that directly benefited, yet was transparent to, individual investors. During Bachmann’s tenure, Edward Jones grew from 200 offices in 28 states to more than 9,000 offices throughout the United States, as well as its affiliates in Canada and the United Kingdom.

Bachmann stepped down as managing partner and became senior partner in December 2003. He served two terms as chairman of the Securities Industry Association in 1987 and 1988, a time of great turbulence because of the October 1987 stock market crash.

Bachmann’s past outside activities include chairman, U.S. Chamber of Commerce (2004–2005); chairman, Executive Committee of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce (2005–2006); campaign chairman of the United Way of Greater St. Louis (2002); chairman of the St. Louis Regional Chamber and Growth Association (2000–2002); chairman of the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra; commissioner of the St. Louis Science Center; and director of The Monsanto Company.

His current outside activities include Canadian Honorary Consul in Missouri; emeritus trustee of Wabash College; chairman of the board of visitors of the Peter F. Drucker Center and trustee of Claremont Graduate University; trustee of Washington University in St. Louis; director of AMR Corporation, American Airlines, Inc.; director of the Missouri Baptist Medical Center; and treasurer of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.