Baird

Baird is an employee-owned, privately held financial services firm founded in 1919 and headquartered in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The firm operates five service lines: wealth management, investment banking, asset management, capital markets and private equity. Its wealth management arm provides financial planning and advisory work for individuals and families, with an emphasis on long-term outcomes; the investment banking division covers advisory and capital raising, while asset management handles investment management of client assets. Capital markets and private equity round out the offering, supporting client financing needs and direct investing respectively.

Ownership is held by employees rather than external shareholders, a structure the firm links to an orientation toward clients' long-term interests rather than quarterly targets. Staff have a personal stake in client outcomes, and the firm describes its approach as values-driven, focused on doing right by clients who entrust it with their financial futures. Baird states an emphasis on resilience, sticking to fundamentals, and offering practical, tailored advice rather than attempting to cover every market.

With more than a century of operating history since 1919, the firm has operated through multiple market cycles, economic shifts and global events. Its stated industry focus spans financial services broadly, including wealth management, investment banking, asset management, capital markets and private equity.