Baird Associates Lend Helping Hands in First Annual “Baird Gives Back Day”

Event Extends Active Community Involvement of Firm, Associates

Milwaukee-area Baird associates and family members donated their time and talents to help a variety of local non-profit organizations Saturday, June 27, for the firm’s 1st annual “Baird Gives Back Day.” Participants provided help with outdoor maintenance projects such as gardening, trail work, park clean up, and painting for organizations including the Urban Ecology Center, Washington Park, The Endometriosis Association’s “Garden of Hope,” and a battered women’s shelter.

Organized by associates, “Baird Gives Back Day” is an extension of Baird’s commitment to the communities in which its associates live and work, which is core to the firm’s culture. This caring commitment is a tradition built through the efforts of the firm, the Baird Foundation and the community involvement of Baird associates.

“‘Baird Gives Back Day’ is a direct result of associates’ desire to identify additional hands-on ways to make a further difference in our communities,” said Dana Ernst, Corporate Recruiter and event co-chair. “Response has been very positive, and we look forward to this being an annual event during which associates can pitch in and show their support.”

Said Casey Foltz, PC Support Team Lead and event co-chair, “With non-profit resources stretched especially thin these days due to the economic downturn, the need for volunteers has never been greater. Baird associates have generously responded to that need, and we expect that this event will continue to grow.”

Strong community involvement on the part of Baird and its associates is evident in other local efforts. Baird associates achieved a record-setting level of contribution in the 2008 United Way of Greater Milwaukee campaign, with more than 96 percent of associates in the metro Milwaukee area contributing.

Additionally, 97 percent of Baird’s area associates also donated to the United Performing Arts Fund in 2008 for the third consecutive year. To recognize the generosity and commitment of Baird associates, the United Performing Arts Fund created the Robert W. Baird Outstanding Achievement in Employee Giving Award in 2005.

Baird’s firmwide Charitable Gift Matching Program provides a match for associates’ financial contributions to eligible nonprofit organizations. Associates also receive an additional paid day off each year to perform volunteer service through the “Baird Cares” program.
 
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 2,400 associates serving the needs of individual, corporate, institutional and municipal clients. Baird oversees and manages client assets of more than $66 billion. Committed to being a great place to work, Baird ranked number 14 on FORTUNE’s “100 Best Companies to Work For” in 2009 – its sixth 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 an operating subsidiary in Asia supporting Baird’s private equity operations. For more information, please visit Baird’s Web site at www.rwbaird.com.