Baird Expands Technology Capabilities, Opens Second San Francisco Bay Area Office

Firm Adds Senior Talent and Extends Its Brand on the West Coast

Baird, an employee-owned international financial services firm, announced today it has expanded its Technology Investment Banking team and is opening its second San Francisco Bay Area office. These new resources expand Baird’s Technology sector capabilities and expertise and illustrate the firm’s continued commitment to serving companies and investors on the West Coast.

Located in the center of Silicon Valley, Baird’s new investment banking office at 1001 Page Mill Road, Building 1, Suite 210, Palo Alto, Calif. enables the firm to better facilitate relationships with key technology clients, as well as important West Coast private equity and venture capital firms. John Moriarty, Managing Director and a veteran investment banker with nearly 20 years experience in financial advisory services, is head of the firm’s new Palo Alto office.

“Baird’s success in growing a meaningful Technology Investment Banking practice over the last several years encouraged us to be proactive in seeking new senior talent and a physical presence on the West Coast, said Steve Booth, Director of Baird’s Investment Banking group. “This additional expertise, based in the Bay Area, will allow the firm to widen its network of contacts and deepen relationships with current and prospective clients in Silicon Valley.”

Moriarty, with considerable background and expertise in the semiconductor and hardware sectors, has executed 185 transactions during his tenure as an investment banker, representing nearly $25 billion of aggregate value. He also participates as a regular guest speaker at numerous industry events. Moriarty earned a MBA at the Kellogg Graduate School of Business and a BS at Georgetown University.

Joining Moriarty as a senior member of the Palo Alto team is Michael Avila, Vice President. Avila brings more than 10 years experience in the financial services arena, including 34 transactions as an investment banker. Avila’s expertise in the software and Internet sectors is underscored by his strong transaction background – over 30 transactions to date, including buy and sell-side acquisitions, IPOs, follow-on offerings, convertible debt offerings and private placements. Avila received a MBA from the Kellogg Graduate School of Business and a BA from Princeton University.

“Both John and Michael bring great additional knowledge, experience and savvy to our Technology Investment Banking group,” said Michael Bruns, a Director in Baird’s Investment Banking Technology group. “Baird is excited to leverage our new senior talent and Bay area presence as we continue to build our practice.”

Over the years, Baird has established a strong reputation in the Technology sector. The firm has seven equity research analysts covering over 100 technology companies and has advised on more than $5.7 billion of capital raising and M&A transactions in the past five years.

“Baird’s reputation as a leading global middle-market investment bank and its strong Technology research and banking capabilities made the decision to join the firm easy,” said John Moriarty, Managing Director. “Our team is excited about joining Baird and contributing to the firm’s growing technology offering.”

The addition of the new investment banking office is just the latest development in the continued West Coast expansion of Baird’s Equity Capital Markets group, which includes investment banking, institutional sales & trading and equity research. Earlier this year, Baird expanded its equity trading platform to include a new trading desk and veteran traders in San Francisco.

About Baird’s Investment Banking group
Recognized as the “Middle Market Bank of the Year” for 2006 by Investment Dealers’ Digest, Baird is a leading international investment bank focused on the middle market. More than 115 investment banking professionals in the U.S. and Europe 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 630 M&A and financing transactions with a total value of more than $84 billion. Over the past five years, European and transatlantic assignments have accounted for approximately one-third of our M&A transactions. Baird was recognized as the advisor on the middle-market “Equity Financing Deal of the Year” in 2006 by The M&A Advisor, which also honored Baird with two 2005 M&A awards: “U.S. Middle Market Deal of the Year” and “Manufacturing-Industrial Deal of the Year.”

About Baird
Baird is an employee-owned international investment banking, private equity, wealth and asset management firm with offices in the United States, Europe and Asia. Established in 1919, Baird has nearly 2,200 associates serving the needs of individual, corporate, institutional and municipal clients. Baird oversees and manages client assets of nearly $78 billion. Committed to being a great place to work, Baird was recognized as one of the FORTUNE 100 Best Companies to Work For® in 2004, 2005, 2006 and 2007. 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 an operating subsidiary in Asia supporting Baird’s private equity operations. For more information, please visit About Baird.