Refsnes, Joseph Elmer.

Joseph E. Refsnes (1897-1991), one of Arizona's most prolific and influential securities brokers, was born Nov. 27, 1897, in Anaconda, Montana, to Norwegian immigrant parents. He grew up playing sandlot baseball and fly fishing. Refsnes launched his business career in his teens hawking newspapers to copper miners and businessmen and assisting backstage at the Margaret Theater. While working, he supplemented his eighth-grade education with three years at the Johnson Business College. He applied for a job at the Anaconda Copper smelter in 1913 and was rejected because he was considered too smart. Angry, he got a job at one of the mine dormitories. There he met and started a life-long friendship with Charlie Kuzell who would eventually become president of Phelps-Dodge Corporation.

Refsnes soon left the dormitories to work in the office of the metallurgical manager at the smelter. There he took notes, filled in wherever needed in other departments gaining valuable business experience and conducted tours for visitors because he was good at explaining the smelting process to laypeople. Refsnes became acquainted with metallurgical expert Dr. Louis D. "Doc" Ricketts when he was assigned to run errands and write notes for Ricketts during his visit to the mine in 1916. With Ricketts' encouragement and the promise of a job in Arizona, Refsnes moved in November 1916 to Arizona to work at the Inspiration Copper Mine where he distinguished himself as warehouse bookkeeper.

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