A Letter from the Chairman, Warren A. Stephens
The mission of Stephens Inc. is to become a trusted advisor to our clients in all aspects of their business and personal investments. We assist our clients as they interact with the financial markets, consider capital formation and preservation, and analyze strategic alternatives.
Relationships
Our clients come first. It is this philosophy that ultimately enhances our reputation and profits. On the other side of every revenue-generating transaction there is a customer who must be dealt with fairly and with the highest of ethical standards. On the other side of every investment are partners, fellow shareholders and a management team who deserve the most candid reflection of our thoughts, opinions and advice. In dealing with these varied interests honestly and fairly, we will build trust in our judgment and integrity. This will forge relationships, the likes of which have been, and will continue to be, the cornerstone of our success.
Extraordinary people create extraordinary companies, and we will make it our business to maintain relationships with as many extraordinary business people as is possible all over the world. From these relationships and from our commitment to minimization of missed opportunities will come the future revenue flow of Stephens Inc. This is our corporate definition of "rain making" -- extensive relationships and no missed opportunities.
Strong Capital Position & Principal Mentality
Our long-term relationships, our strong capital position, our principal mentality, and the level of professionalism with which we approach decisions set us apart in the financial services industry.
With full awareness that many firms around us are in the process of developing massive scale, we define our future in terms of quality and profitability. This trend toward massive scale will make Stephens increasingly unique in our industry, and we will meet our competition with creativity, agility, integrity, intelligence and a commitment to exceptional execution.
We understand and appreciate that the most innovative and distinguished financiers in the history of the world have not always operated from the largest scale platforms. As Stephens Inc. continues its tradition of producing some of the most exceptional financial minds in the country, our vision for ourselves will be realized.
Creating Distinctive Opportunities
Our investment banking and principal investing businesses operate in close organizational proximity. This is by design. We think and act like owners whether we are acting as principal or agent. We feel that this gives us a unique perspective in our business and creates distinctive opportunities for us and for our clients.
This approach has paid substantial dividends beyond return on investment. Many of our investments have become clients of our investment banking services and many investments started out as investment banking clients. We will continue this course that differentiates Stephens Inc. within the securities industry. We are unique.
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