Two Baird Investment Bankers Named to Investment Dealers' Digest '40 Under 40'

 

CHICAGO, Nov. 19, 2008 Baird, an employee-owned, international wealth management, capital markets, private equity and asset management firm, today announced that two of the firm’s investment bankers have been named to Investment Dealers' Digest's annual “40 Under 40” list. Described by the publication as “folks who are recognized by their clients, colleagues and superiors as serious up-and-comers,” Joel Cohen, Managing Director in the Industrial Investment Banking Group, and Frank Stokes, Managing Director in the Healthcare Investment Banking Group, have been selected for the recognition.

“Baird is proud to have two of our own recognized on this prestigious list,” said Steve Booth, Director of Investment Banking. “Joel pioneered the Test & Measurement sector on behalf of our investment banking team and established a strong presence for Baird. Frank has helped grow our Healthcare banking practice by strengthening and expanding our client base and track record in the sector. Both are invaluable parts of our global banking team.”

About Joel Cohen and Frank Stokes

Joel Cohen has demonstrated tremendous leadership in his 15 years at Baird. One of his major initiatives was establishing the firm’s Test and Measurement (T&M) banking group in 2000. This group is extremely successful, having completed 26 M&A and financing transactions worth over $3.5 billion. His long-term partnership approach to relationships is evidenced by the large number of repeat clients, such as Avery Weigh-Tronix, Emerson Electric, FARO and ITW. In addition, Cohen has helped originate and execute some of the firm’s highest profile and most complex transactions in a variety of other industries. Recently, he was one of two senior bankers who led Baird’s strategic alternatives assignment for Marmon Holdings, a company comprised of 125 businesses, generating $7 billion in revenue. Baird’s comprehensive review led to a co-advisory role with Goldman Sachs on the sale of a majority stake in Marmon to Berkshire Hathaway for $4.5 billion in early 2008.

Frank Stokes joined Baird in 2007 to help build out the firm’s Healthcare Investment Banking Group, focusing on the Life Sciences segment. During his time at Baird, the team has built a strong track record. Under Stokes’ leadership, Baird advised Obagi Medical Products, Inc. with a successful $145 million follow-on offering in 2007, creating many new shareholders in the company. In addition, he led a team to advise the BloodCenter of Wisconsin Research Foundation on the sale of Waukesha, Wis.-based GTI Diagnostics to The Riverside Company, a Cleveland, Ohio-based private equity firm. Stokes overcame several challenges in this complex transaction involving a for-profit arm of a non-profit organization and achieved tremendous value for the client.

About Baird’s Investment Banking group

Recognized as the 2008 “Middle Market Investment Bank of the Year” by Buyouts magazine, Baird is a leading international investment bank focused on the middle market. More than 150 investment banking professionals in the U.S., Europe and Asia provide corporations with in-depth market knowledge and extensive experience in merger and acquisition and equity financing transactions. Over the past 10 years, Baird has advised on over 615 M&A and financing transactions with a total value of more than $94 billion. Over the past five years, European and transatlantic assignments have accounted for approximately one-third of our M&A transactions. Baird was named “Middle Market Bank of the Year” for 2006 by Investment Dealers’ Digest. The firm has received “Deal of the Year” recognitions from The M&A Advisor in 2005, 2006 and 2007, and was named 2008 “Manufacturing Sector Adviser of the Year” by Acquisitions Monthly in the UK.

About Baird

Baird is an employee-owned, international wealth management, capital markets, private equity and asset management firm with offices in the United States, Europe and Asia. Established in 1919, Baird has more than 2,300 associates serving the needs of individual, corporate, institutional and municipal clients. Baird oversees and manages client assets of more than $73 billion. Committed to being a great place to work, Baird is one of FORTUNE’s “100 Best Companies to Work For” in 2008 -- its fifth consecutive year on the list. Baird’s principal operating subsidiaries are Robert W. Baird & Co. in the United States and Robert W. Baird Group Ltd. in Europe. Baird also has operating subsidiaries in Asia supporting Baird’s private equity and investment banking operations. For more information, please visit Baird’s Web site at www.rwbaird.com.