Chicago Booth Honors Purcell with 2009 Distinguished Corporate Alumni Award

The University of Chicago Booth School of Business has announced that Paul E. Purcell, Chairman, President & CEO of Baird has been selected to receive the school’s 2009 Distinguished Corporate Alumni Award. This highly prestigious recognition is awarded annually to a Chicago Booth alumnus who has demonstrated extraordinary leadership in a corporate setting. Purcell was chosen for this honor by a committee of about 60 Chicago Booth alumni from across the globe. He will receive the award at the school’s annual alumni celebration dinner Nov. 6.

Ted Snyder, Dean of Chicago Booth, congratulated Purcell, saying, “Throughout his career, Paul has consistently demonstrated the leadership, intellectual curiosity, analytical rigor, passion and commitment to community service that are hallmarks of a first-class businessperson. With the 2009 Distinguished Alumni Award, he has been confirmed by his peers to represent Chicago Booth’s approach to leadership and the creation of durable value for his organization. We, along with his colleagues at Baird, are proud to claim him as our own.”

Purcell was nominated for the honor by Baird associates, including fellow Chicago Booth alumni. The nomination outlined Baird’s growth across each of its five businesses – Private Wealth Management, Equity Capital Markets, Fixed Income Capital Markets, Private Equity and Asset Management – with a focus on executing on the firm’s strengths and leveraging its shared values. It also noted that under Purcell’s leadership, Baird became independent in 2004 with a buyout from Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company. More than half of all Baird associates are shareholders of the privately held firm.

“This award is an honor to receive, but I really have to thank Baird associates for it,” said Purcell, who earned his MBA at the school in 1971. “I’m just fortunate enough to work with such a great team of people who make me look good.”

Baird has developed strong ties with Chicago Booth in recent years as part of the firm’s strategy to recruit top talent. In 2005, Baird established the Robert W. Baird & Co. Fellowship at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business with the objective of inspiring women to pursue leadership careers in the financial services industry. Baird was the first firm to partner with Chicago Booth in this effort, and several other leading financial services firms have followed suit. In addition, a considerable number of Baird associates are Chicago Booth alumni. Purcell is also a member of the Advisory Council for Chicago Booth.

Learn more about the Chicago Booth Distinguished Alumni Awards selection criteria and past winners on the Chicago Booth Web site.

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 $62 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.