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Debbie Wilson wants to help people plan for the future. And she wants people to know that she is there for them, even if they decide not to work with her. The Thompson Falls resident recently opened her Edward Jones office on Main Street.

"I'm always an educational resource," Wilson said. "I'm local an I'm open. If you have questions, come see me."

Wilson's father was a CPA and the youngest of 13 children. Her mother emigrated from East Germany when she was 17. An only child, Wilson saw how hard her father worked for his family. "He always impressed upon me the need to save and plan for the future," she said. "If you don't prepare for your future, there won't be one." That inspired Wilson to become a financial advisor in July 2015. Prior to that, she worked for a print company in Colorado as a data analyst in the marketing department.

"When this opportunity came up (in Montana), it was too good to pass up," Wilson said. She and her husband Eric, a native of Libby, knew they wanted to retire to Montana, but the opportunity to open an office in Thompson Falls helped get them here sooner.

Wilson said her main goal is to help people plan for the future. She said essentially, she sells insurance. "If something were to happen, you have to have a plan to protect what you have saved." She noted that going to a financial advisor is like going to the dentist. "Nobody wants to go to the dentist, but you gotta do it. No one really wants to see their financial advisor, but you gotta do it. I want to make it as seamless and painless as possible. It should be a joyful interaction."

Wilson chose to work with Edward Jones after having a positive experience with the company. "Every time I started a new job and rolled over my 401k, no one called to follow up. It started to irritate me," she stated. "I had a friend who worked for Edward Jones and she thought I would be a good fit." Wilson was impressed with the company. She said she moved her accounts to Edward Jones, the company followed through with her and followed up. A year later, she went through the hiring process.

"Edward Jones is phenomenal," Wilson said. "They truly live by the mantra that it's about building relationships. I don't want anyone to feel intimidated. If you have questions, drop in and see me." She added that the company is the largest corporate sponsor of the Alzheimer's Association and for 20 years they have been on Fortune's list of the 100 best companies to work for.

Before opening her Main Street location, Wilson worked from home. "Everything that this branch becomes is because I initiated it. That's an uphill battle," she said, adding that Eric has been her rock. "He's the most dedicated, supportive partner. He's my biggest cheerleader."

Wilson said she loves living in a small town, with no traffic lights and no box stores. "There's a real sense of community here," she added. Having lived in Thompson Falls since March of 2018, Wilson has embraced that sense of community. She is a member of the Chamber of Commerce and has been involved with the Thompson Falls Main Street Committee. She is an officer with the Clark Fork Valley Elks Lodge, a volunteer for the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, a board member for Sanders County Coalition for Families and the secretary for the Rex Theatre Working Group in Thompson Falls.

Living in a small town, Wilson said client confidentiality is her number one priority. "I understand the demographic of a small town. You could be married to one of my clients and unless they told you, no one would know. The line between friendship and professionalism is crystal clear to me."

Wilson was born and raised in New Jersey. Wilson has two sons, the oldest is in New Jersey and the youngest is in the Navy and stationed at Pearl Harbor. Her oldest son has Asperger's and Wilson said that makes her sensitive and aware to certain situations. Eric, who works at Thompson River Lumber, also has a daughter who lives in Thompson Falls.

Wilson is looking forward to the next step in her career. "I want to be the first person you come to with life situations. I will direct you to the best resources for you," she said, "but really I just want people to make educated decisions.

The Edward Jones office is located at 601 Main Street in Thompson Falls, next to the Sanders County Ledger. The office is open Monday-Wednesday 9 a.m.-5 p.m., Thursday 8 a.m. – 8 p.m., Friday 8 a.m. – 3 p.m. and Saturdays by appointment only. Wilson said that if she is out for an appointment, people are welcome to call the office at 827-2300 and Brittany Hayward can assist them. Wilson also will host an open house 3-6 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 12. She encourages people to stop in for refreshments and to learn more about the business.