MILWAUKEE, Oct. 16, 2008
Baird, an employee-owned, international wealth management, capital markets, private equity and asset management firm, announced today it ranked eighth in the American Society for Training & Development’s 2008
ASTD BEST Awards Program. The awards recognize organizations that demonstrate enterprise-wide success through employee learning and development.
“It is wonderful to be recognized for our training efforts by a global organization like ASTD,” said Beth Kavelaris, Director of Baird University, the firm’s in-house training and development organization. “This award really honors Baird’s commitment to education and development as a firm. Baird University couldn’t exist and thrive as it does today without that kind of support.”
Baird is among 40 organizations from the United States, Hong Kong and India to receive an ASTD BEST Award. The winners were recognized in a special section of the October 2008 issue of
Training + Development (T+D), ASTD’s monthly magazine. Members of the Baird University team were recognized during a reception held in Washington, D.C. on Oct. 2.
According to Tony Bingham, ASTD’s president and CEO, “The BEST Award winners set the standard for exceptional learning and performance. They excel at aligning learning with business needs, demonstrating business impact, and providing a broad range of learning opportunities for employees. And, senior leaders in BEST organizations provide deep support for learning and model leaders as teachers.”
“Commitment to personal and professional development is a key part of who we are at Baird,” said Leslie Dixon, Baird’s Chief Human Resources Officer. “We couldn’t be prouder of the way Baird University has embraced that commitment and helped it evolve into a fundamental facet of our culture.”
Each year, Baird University meets with business unit leaders, conducting formal needs analyses and informal interviews to ensure programs are aligned with associate needs and strategic businesses needs. The comprehensive training curriculum that grows from these discussions is offered through instructor-led classes, Web-based eLearning, and recorded sessions. Delivery methods and course offerings are reviewed annually based on feedback from associate participants to determine effectiveness.
The 2008 BEST Awards received entries from 95 organizations in seven countries. These organizations submitted quantitative and qualitative information to ASTD about their learning and development practices and programs. Their applications were assessed by members of the BEST Awards advisory committee, a group of experts in the learning and performance field. More information about the 2008 ASTD BEST Award winners may be found in the October 2008 issue of T+D magazine and online:
www.astd.org/best.
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.
About ASTD
ASTD (American Society for Training & Development) is the world’s largest association dedicated to workplace learning and performance professionals. ASTD’s members come from more than 100 countries and connect locally in 134 U.S. chapters, 26 Global Networks, and 12 Global Partners. For more information, visit
www.astd.org/best.