Investment Banking Team

Managing Director
Director of Investment Banking

Steve is Director of Investment Banking overseeing Baird’s global corporate finance and M&A activities. Steve also co-manages Baird’s Equity Capital Markets Group and is a member of the Board of Directors and Executive Committee of Robert W. Baird & Co. Steve has extensive experience originating and directing M&A and equity financing transactions in a wide variety of industries.

Before heading Baird’s Investment Banking Group, Steve had previously led its Global M&A business and prior to that, its Industrials Group. Prior to joining Baird in 1994, Steve was at Kidder, Peabody & Co. in its Chicago Corporate Finance Office. Steve received his MBA degree, with distinction, from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University and holds a BBA in Finance and a BA in Economics, magna cum laude, from Southern Methodist University.

Managing Director
Chief Operating Officer – Investment Banking

Nick joined Baird in 1995 and currently serves as Managing Director and Chief Operating Officer of Baird’s Investment Banking Department. Previously, he was responsible for the department’s activities in the Services and Technology sectors, and his client activities are primarily focused on providing advisory and financing services to growth-oriented companies in the Business Services industry.

Nick is a member of the Investment Banking Management Committee and also serves on Baird’s Capital Commitment and Equity Capital Markets committees. Prior to joining Baird, he spent nine years in the Investment Banking Group at Kidder, Peabody & Co., where he focused on growth companies in service industries. Earlier, Nick spent five years with Beatrice Companies in various financial capacities, including Manager-Treasurer for the International Food Segment.

Nick received an MBA from the University of Chicago Graduate School of Business and a BS in Finance with highest honors from the University of Illinois.

Vice Chairman, Robert W. Baird & Co.

Dick joined Baird in 2002 as Vice Chairman. In that capacity, he supports Baird's Capital Markets businesses, particularly Investment Banking and Private Equity. With over 30 years of Wall Street corporate finance experience, Mr. Waid most recently served as a Managing Director in the Investment Banking Department of Robinson-Humphrey, now part of SunTrust in Atlanta.

He joined Robinson-Humphrey in 1992 and served as head of the firm's National Real Estate, Energy and Industrial practice groups within the Investment Banking Division. While there, he helped initiate and complete more than 75 public offerings and numerous M&A and private capital assignments.

Previously, Dick was with Kidder, Peabody in New York for more than 20 years, last serving as a Senior Vice President of Corporate Finance.

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Vice Chairman, Robert W. Baird & Co.

Randy is Vice Chairman of Baird. Before joining the company in 2006, he was a Managing Director and head of Chicago Investment Banking for Lehman Brothers. Previously, he was head of the Chicago offices of J.P. Morgan & Co. and the First Boston Corporation. Randy worked for First Boston in New York and London before moving to Chicago in 1982.

Randy has acted as financial advisor to companies in a broad range of industries. He has extensive M&A experience, and a wide range of debt and equity transactions for clients. He is a graduate of Princeton University and the Darden School at the University of Virginia

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Managing Director
Chairman, European Investment Banking

John joined Baird in September 2000 and has worked in the financial services industry for over 30 years. Prior to joining Baird, he was the London Corporate Finance Partner for William Blair. He was a Managing Director and head of European Investment Banking at Alex. Brown from 1993 to 1998, and was a Managing Director and head of M&A at Hill Samuel Bank, where he worked from 1981 to 1991.

Since the early 1980s, John’s principal focus has been cross-border acquisitions between the United States and Europe. In October 2001, John was appointed CEO of Baird’s European ECM business, which comprises Investment Banking, Equity Sales, Trading and Research. In January 2003, he relinquished the CEO position to focus actively on Baird’s transatlantic M&A effort, and was also appointed Chairman of Baird International.

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Managing Director
Director of Investment Banking

Steve is Director of Investment Banking overseeing Baird’s global corporate finance and M&A activities. Steve also co-manages Baird’s Equity Capital Markets Group and is a member of the Board of Directors and Executive Committee of Robert W. Baird & Co. Steve has extensive experience originating and directing M&A and equity financing transactions in a wide variety of industries.

Before heading Baird’s Investment Banking Group, Steve had previously led its Global M&A business and prior to that, its Industrials Group. Prior to joining Baird in 1994, Steve was at Kidder, Peabody & Co. in its Chicago Corporate Finance Office. Steve received his MBA degree, with distinction, from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University and holds a BBA in Finance and a BA in Economics, magna cum laude, from Southern Methodist University.

Managing Director
Head of Industrial and Consumer Group

Paul joined Baird in 1995 and is the head of the Industrial and Consumer Group. Paul has more than 20 years of Investment Banking experience and has been involved in a wide variety of financing and M&A transactions. Before joining Baird, he was a Partner at Vector Securities International. Earlier, he was a Senior Vice President in the Investment Banking group at Kidder, Peabody & Co. in Chicago.

He received an MBA with distinction from the Kellogg Graduate School of Management at Northwestern University and his JD cum laude from Northwestern’s School of Law. He earned his undergraduate degree with high honors from the University of Notre Dame.

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Managing Director
Co-Head of Mergers & Acquisitions

Brian is a Managing Director and Co-Head of Baird's overall M&A practice. In addition, he plays a senior banker role with many of Baird's key industrial clients and is a member of the firm's Fairness Opinion Committee. Brian has nearly 25 years of experience in the global M&A market, through which he has developed extensive experience in originating and executing a broad range of strategic transactions for publicly-traded, sponsor-owned and privately-owned middle market companies across a wide variety of industries.

Prior to joining Baird in 2008, Brian spent almost 13 years at Wachovia Securities in Charlotte, NC serving as Head of the Industrial Growth M&A Group and leading the firm's Fairness Opinion Committee. He also spent over a decade in New York in the Global Mergers & Acquisitions Group of a predecessor firm to JPMorgan Chase, ultimately leading the origination and execution of domestic and cross-border advisory transactions with the firm's key industrial clients in his role as Co-Head of the Global Industrial M&A effort.

Brian received his undergraduate degree from Haverford College.

Managing Director
Head of Distribution Group

Tom joined Baird in January 1996, and is the leader of the distribution and supply chain technology team within Baird’s investment banking group. Since 2000, Baird has completed over $7 billion in equity capital markets and advisory transactions on behalf of Baird distribution and supply chain clients.

Prior to joining Baird, Tom was a partner in the securities and mergers and acquisitions practice of the law firm of Foley & Lardner. He is a member of the State Bars of Florida and Wisconsin and the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants. Tom graduated, magna cum Laude, from Notre Dame Law School, and received a BBA degree with concentration in Accounting, cum laude, from the University of Notre Dame. He began his career in the Chicago office of Ernst & Whinney.

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Managing Director

Joel is a Managing Director in Baird’s Industrial and Consumer Group and is responsible for Baird’s Global Test & Measurement practice; he is also a member of Baird’s Fairness Opinion Committee. Joel provides mergers and acquisition and financial advisory services to clients in a variety of sectors, including Analytical Instrumentation, Process Technology, Automation and Testing services.

Before joining Baird in 1994, Joel was a member of the Kidder, Peabody & Co. Investment Banking Group. He received his MBA with high honors from the University of Chicago Graduate School of Business, and holds a BS in Applied Mathematics and Economics from Brown University.

Managing Director

Steve is a Managing Director in Baird’s Consumer & Industrial Investment Banking practice and has a particular emphasis on Process Treatment and Filtration companies. Before joining Baird in 2000, Steve was a Vice President at Tucker Anthony. Before returning to graduate business school, he provided corporate tax and other advisory services for Price Waterhouse (now PriceWaterhouseCoopers).

Steve earned an MBA with distinction from the University of Michigan Business School and graduated with a BA in English Language and Literature from the University of Virginia. He is also a Certified Public Accountant.

Managing Director

Tom is a Managing Director in Baird's Financial Sponsor Coverage and Industrial and Consumer Groups. Since joining Baird, he has participated in equity financing and mergers and acquisitions transactions totaling more than $10 billion and has led a variety of transactions in the commercial and specialty vehicle, heavy truck and automobile supply, and vehicle aftermarket and distribution sectors.

Prior to joining Baird in 1997, Tom received an MBA from the University of Virginia Darden School of Business Administration, was a financial analyst with Goldman Sachs & Co., and graduated with honors in English Literature from Boston College.

Managing Director

Nick joined Baird in 2000 after working for the Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom law firm. There, Nick represented private equity funds and companies in connection with leveraged acquisitions and private financings. Previously, he worked for Neal, Gerber & Eisenberg, where he also focused on corporate M&A and financing transactions.

Since 1999, Nick has completed more than 30 M&A and financing transactions with an aggregate value of more than $5 billion. He received his MBA and JD from the University of Chicago, and his BA from Haverford College.

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Managing Director

Joe joined Baird’s Charlotte Investment Banking office as Managing Director in 2008, and focuses on capital markets and M&A advisory services in the Consumer sector, with particular focus in retail, branded apparel, outdoor products and footwear segments.

Prior to joining Baird, he worked as Retail Group Head for Wachovia where, since 2003, he was responsible for the Retail and Soft Goods investment banking practice. From 2000 to 2003, Joe led the middle market Consumer and Retail practice for Lehman Brothers, and from 1991 to 2000 he was a member of the Consumer and Retail group at Robertson Stephens. Since 1991, Joe has executed numerous high-profile investment banking transactions in the branded apparel and retail sectors, including Under Armour, North Face, VF Corporation, Spyder Active Sports, SmartWool Corporation, Volcom, Bushnell, Pure Fishing, Easton, Oakley Inc., and Zumiez. Prior to entering the investment banking industry, he spent seven years in the NFL, playing for the New York Jets and the Atlanta Falcons. Joe received his MBA from Columbia University and his BA from Harvard.

Managing Director
Co-Head of International M&A

Nicholas qualified as a chartered accountant with Peat Marwick in South Africa. He spent 10 years at Barings in domestic and international corporate finance (North America and South Africa) and capital markets. Nicholas joined Baird in 1996, became a Director in 1998, a Managing Director in 2003 and co-head of European Investment Banking in 2004.

He has wide experience in company sales and acquisitions, public offers, bid defenses and capital raisings. Nicholas focuses on Industrial and Consumer mergers and acquisitions, working with clients in both North America and Europe.

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Director

Director

Chris joined Baird’s Industrial Investment Banking practice in 2004 and assists in public and private equity financings, merger and acquisition assignments, and other financial advisory services for clients in a number of industries.

Prior to joining Baird, Chris was in investment banking at A.G. Edwards & Sons, Inc., where he provided analytical support on transactions primarily in the Energy sector. He received his MBA, with honors, from the University of Chicago. Prior to attending graduate school, Chris worked in various capacities at ABN Amro and LaSalle Bank. He received his BBA from the University of Notre Dame

Director

Trish is a Director in Baird’s Industrial and Consumer Investment Banking practice. Since joining Baird in 2000, she has assisted in public and private equity financings, buy-side and sell-side mergers and acquisitions, and other advisory services for private equity-backed, public and privately owned companies in a variety of industries.

Before joining Baird, Trish spent six years with Arthur Andersen, where she provided business, tax advisory and consulting services. She received her MBA from the Kellogg Graduate School of Management at Northwestern University and graduated with a BBA in Accounting and Finance from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. She is also a Certified Public Accountant.

Director

Jason joined Baird in July 1998 and is a member of the distribution and supply chain technology team within Baird's investment banking group. He has extensive M&A and capital markets experience working with distribution clients on both sides of the Atlantic. Jason was a founder member of Baird's M&A team in Europe and was based in Baird's London office for five years.

Jason received an MBA from the University of Cambridge, where he was a Gates Cambridge Scholar, and graduated with a BS degree in Finance, with highest honors, from the University of Florida..

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Director

Andrew joined Baird’s Charlotte Investment Banking office as a Director in 2009, and focuses on capital markets and M&A advisory services in the Consumer sector, with particular focus in the branded consumer products, sports and leisure, footwear and apparel sectors.

Prior to joining Baird and since 2003, he worked as a Director in the Consumer Mergers and Acquisitions practice for Wachovia where he executed numerous high profile assignments involving VF Corporation, Oakley, Bushnell, Shimano, Timberland, Volcom and Jarden. Additionally, Andrew was intricately involved with many prominent financial sponsors as they evaluated and effected transactions in similar sectors. From 2000 to 2003, he was a member of the European Corporate Finance practice for Lehman Brothers in London. Andrew began his career at Merrill Lynch in their Global Capital Markets and Investment Banking program in New York. He received his MBA from the Fuqua School at Duke University and his BS from Wake Forest University.

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Director

Joe is a Director in Baird’s Consumer and Industrial Group. Since joining Baird in 1998, he has participated in nearly 50 completed equity financings and mergers and acquisitions transactions. Joe has deep experience in executing public and private company transactions within the general industrial, process controls, vehicle supply, capital equipment and consumer product sectors.

Prior to joining Baird, Joe was an accountant at Deloitte and Touche, LLP, where he provided audit and advisory services. He received a BS degree in Accounting from Marquette University and an MBA, with honors, from the J.L. Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University.

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Director

Chris has extensive experience advising corporate clients and executing public and private financing and M&A transactions. Chris focuses on the Consumer Products and Services marketplace, and has advised a number of branded consumer companies including those in the Leisure, Retail, Apparel, Food and Restaurant sectors.

Before joining Baird in 2005, Chris worked in the Investment Banking group at A.G. Edwards & Sons. Earlier, he worked in the Audit and Corporate Finance groups at KPMG. Chris received an MBA from Washington University in St. Louis and a BS in Accounting from Indiana University. He is a Certified Public Accountant.

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Managing Director
Head of Corporate Restructuring Group

Bill joined Baird in 2006 as head of the Corporate Restructuring group. His focus is primarily on leveraged finance, out-of-court debt restructurings, refinancings and distressed M&A transactions as well as in-court bankruptcy reorganizations and Section 363 sales. During his career, Bill has led numerous higher profile Middle Market Restructuring engagements throughout the United States.

He is the author of Price Allocations in Section 363 Sale Asset Purchase Agreements published in the October 2006 issue of The Journal of Corporate Renewal. Before joining Baird, he was a principal of Starshak Welnhofer & Co., a Chicago investment-banking boutique, which he founded in 1990.

Before that, he was a partner in the Chicago law firm of McBride, Baker & Coles (since merged into Holland & Knight). He received his JD, MBA and BA with distinction from Northwestern University.

Managing Director
Director of Equity Capital Markets

John is Director of Equity Capital Markets for Baird and a member of Baird's Capital Commitment Committee. John oversees the structuring, marketing, pricing and distribution of Baird's equity underwriting. He has completed more than 300 public offering transactions, including initial public offerings, follow-on financings and equity private placements.

Before joining Baird, John spent eight years in equity capital markets with Piper Jaffray, where he focused on the Consumer and Financial Institutions sectors. Earlier, he was a consultant with Coopers & Lybrand. John received a BBA from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and an MBA from the University of Minnesota's Carlson School of Management.

Managing Director
Co-Head of Equity Capital Markets

Managing Director

Director

Gary is head of Baird’s Syndicate Department, and has worked at Baird in this capacity since 1990. Before joining Baird, he was the head of Corporate Finance for the Milwaukee Company. Gary holds a BBA with a concentration in Accounting from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.

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Managing Director
Head of Financial Services Group

Mark joined Baird Investment Banking in 2005 as head of its Financial Services group to provide both equity and debt financing and M&A advisory services to banks and thrifts, specialty finance organizations, including business development and insurance companies, along with other companies in the financial services sector.

Before joining Baird, Mark was with Legg Mason for more than 21 years, including the last 10 years serving as head of Legg Mason’s Financial Services Investment Banking group. Mark graduated cum laude from Virginia Tech and received his MBA there.

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Managing Director
Head of Financial Sponsor Group

Chris is head of Baird’s Financial Sponsor Group, Co-head of the Chicago office and a member of the firm’s Investment Banking Management Committee and M&A Fairness Opinion Committee. He has 17 years of Investment Banking experience. Since joining Baird in 1994, Chris has provided financing and advisory services to companies in the Business Services, Telecommunications, Consumer and Industrial sectors.

He was previously a Vice President with the Kidder, Peabody & Co. Midwest investment banking group. Chris received his MBA from the Kellogg Graduate School of Management at Northwestern University and holds a Bachelor of Honors in Financial Management and Commerce from the University of Cape Town.

He is also a Chartered Accountant and a Certified Public Accountant, and has six years of experience in public accounting with Grant Thornton in the United States and Ernst & Whinney in South Africa.

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Managing Director

Leslie joined Baird in 2005 as a Managing Director to open Baird’s Boston office and to serve as a senior member of Baird’s Financial Sponsor Group. Before joining Baird, Les spent almost six years at SunTrust Robinson Humphrey, most recently as a Managing Director in its business and technology services group. Before his time at SunTrust, Les worked as an Investment Banker at Tucker Anthony (now part of RBC Securities) in Boston for seven years. He received a BA from Harvard College.

Managing Director

Tom is a Managing Director in Baird's Financial Sponsor Coverage and Industrial and Consumer Groups. Since joining Baird, he has participated in equity financing and mergers and acquisitions transactions totaling more than $10 billion and has led a variety of transactions in the commercial and specialty vehicle, heavy truck and automobile supply, and vehicle aftermarket and distribution sectors.

Prior to joining Baird in 1997, Tom received an MBA from the University of Virginia Darden School of Business Administration, was a financial analyst with Goldman Sachs & Co., and graduated with honors in English Literature from Boston College.

Managing Director

Jeff is a Managing Director in Baird’s Financial Sponsor Group. Prior to joining Baird in 2008, he served as Senior Managing Director in the Financial Sponsor Group at Bear Stearns & Co. Inc. Jeff also spent 15 years with Lehman Brothers Inc., serving in a variety of investment banking positions, most recently as Managing Director in the Global Financial Sponsor Group. He holds a M.M. in Finance from Northwestern’s Kellogg Graduate School of Management and a B.B.A. in Finance and a B.A. in Political Science from Southern Methodist University. Jeff is an active member of the Chicago community, serving on the Board of SGA Youth & Family Services.

Managing Director

David joined Baird in 1998 and leads Baird's Business Services effort in Europe. He is a founding member of Baird’s M&A team in Europe and has extensive experience advising private equity clients, corporations and entrepreneurs in the United States and Europe within the industrial and business services sectors. Before joining Baird, David practiced as a corporate and banking lawyer at Berwin Leighton. He earned an MBA with distinction from London Business School and a law degree from Leeds University.

Managing Director

David is a Managing Director in Baird’s Financial Sponsors Group. Since joining Baird in 1995, David has participated in a wide variety of advisory assignments representing both buyers and sellers of public and private companies. In addition, David has executed numerous public and private debt and equity financings.

Before joining Baird, he spent five years at Coopers & Lybrand (now PriceWaterhouseCoopers), primarily focused on Corporate Finance and mergers and acquisitions advisory assignments. David received a BS magna cum laude in Accounting from Valparaiso University. He is also a Certified Public Accountant.

Managing Director

Bill, who joined Baird in 2007 as a Managing Director, leads the Healthcare Services Investment Banking team. In his career, Bill has worked with a range of Healthcare clients in the Healthcare IT, Contract Research, Pharmaceutical Services and Facility-Based Services sectors, and he brings a diversity of merger and acquisitions as well as private and public capital markets experience.

Before joining Baird, Bill was a Managing Director in the Healthcare Investment Banking group at JMP Securities. Earlier, Bill worked as a Vice President at JP Morgan, where he managed the firm's Boston investment banking practice and co-managed its venture capital coverage effort. Before joining JP Morgan, he was a member of SunTrust Robinson-Humphrey's healthcare investment banking group, and began his career as an associate in the Healthcare Investment Banking group at Hambrecht & Quist. Bill graduated cum laude from Georgetown University.

Managing Director

Frank joined Baird in 2007 as a Managing Director in the Healthcare group, and leads the Biotechnology and Specialty Pharmaceuticals Investment Banking effort. Before joining Baird, Frank spent 12 years in the healthcare investment banking group at Wachovia Securities and predecessor firms, most recently as Managing Director leading the Specialty and Generic Pharmaceuticals Investment Banking effort.

During his tenure at Wachovia, Frank led his clients in a variety of transactions including public and private equity financings, buy- and sell-side assignments, hostile takeover defenses and leveraged finance activities. His achievements at Wachovia include the founding of the Biotechnology and Pharmaceutical banking practices in 1998.

Before 1998, his activities focused on clients in a variety of Healthcare services sectors. Frank received his BBA, MBA and JD from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Before graduate school, he founded, owned and managed his own business.

Managing Director

Managing Director
Head of Global Mergers & Acquisitions

Chris is a Managing Director focusing on the Industrial sector. He is Head of Baird's Global Mergers & Acquisitions activities, co-head of the Chicago office and a member of the firm's Investment Banking Management Committee and M&A Fairness Opinion Committee.

With 21 years of investment banking experience, Chris most recently served as a Managing Director in the Mergers & Acquisitions group at Credit Suisse First Boston, which he joined as part of CSFB's November 2000 acquisition of Donaldson, Lufkin & Jenrette. Previously, Chris served as a Managing Director and Head of the Industrial/Capital Goods Group at ABN Amro.

He received his MBA from the University of Chicago and his BS from Babson College.

Managing Director
Co-Head of Mergers & Acquisitions

Brian is a Managing Director and Co-Head of Baird's overall M&A practice. In addition, he plays a senior banker role with many of Baird's key industrial clients and is a member of the firm's Fairness Opinion Committee. Brian has nearly 25 years of experience in the global M&A market, through which he has developed extensive experience in originating and executing a broad range of strategic transactions for publicly-traded, sponsor-owned and privately-owned middle market companies across a wide variety of industries.

Prior to joining Baird in 2008, Brian spent almost 13 years at Wachovia Securities in Charlotte, NC serving as Head of the Industrial Growth M&A Group and leading the firm's Fairness Opinion Committee. He also spent over a decade in New York in the Global Mergers & Acquisitions Group of a predecessor firm to JPMorgan Chase, ultimately leading the origination and execution of domestic and cross-border advisory transactions with the firm's key industrial clients in his role as Co-Head of the Global Industrial M&A effort.

Brian received his undergraduate degree from Haverford College.

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Managing Director
Head of Corporate Restructuring Group

Bill joined Baird in 2006 as head of the Corporate Restructuring group. His focus is primarily on leveraged finance, out-of-court debt restructurings, refinancings and distressed M&A transactions as well as in-court bankruptcy reorganizations and Section 363 sales. During his career, Bill has led numerous higher profile Middle Market Restructuring engagements throughout the United States.

He is the author of Price Allocations in Section 363 Sale Asset Purchase Agreements published in the October 2006 issue of The Journal of Corporate Renewal. Before joining Baird, he was a principal of Starshak Welnhofer & Co., a Chicago investment-banking boutique, which he founded in 1990.

Before that, he was a partner in the Chicago law firm of McBride, Baker & Coles (since merged into Holland & Knight). He received his JD, MBA and BA with distinction from Northwestern University.

Director, Mergers & Acquisitions
Head of Business Development Group

Howard is a Director in Baird's Mergers & Acquisitions group, where he serves as a senior M&A execution specialist and heads the firm’s M&A business development group, which focuses on M&A idea generation and M&A market analysis.

Howard has extensive experience originating and executing financing and M&A advisory assignments in a diverse range of industry sectors including industrial, consumer products, for-profit education, corporate training, human capital services, and healthcare services. His clients have ranged from public multinational corporations to private, growth-oriented middle-market firms. Prior to Baird, Howard was an Associate in the investment banking departments of Credit Suisse First Boston and Merrill Lynch.

Howard received an MBA degree with honors from The University of Chicago Graduate School of Business. He also graduated Phi Beta Kappa and summa cum laude from the University of Notre Dame where he received a BA degree in history and German.

Managing Director
Head of Real Estate Group

Mark leads the Real Estate group at Baird. With two decades of service to the industry, he is a REIT and Commercial Real Estate Markets expert and advocate. Mark began his Investment Banking career in 1997 as Managing Director of Friedman, Billings, Ramsey & Co. From 1985 to 1997, he was President and principal spokesman of the REIT industry and its national trade association, the National Association of Real Estate Investment Trusts (NAREIT).

From 1985 to 1990, Mark concurrently served as Chief Executive Officer of Pension Real Estate Association. Before his career in Real Estate Capital Markets and Investment Banking, Mark served in the White House during the Nixon and Ford administrations. Mark is the 1997 recipient of the NAREIT REIT Industry Leadership Award.

Director

Mark is a Director in the Real Estate Group. He has spent the last 10 years in Corporate Finance, providing equity offering and mergers and acquisitions advisory services to clients in the real estate industry. Before joining Baird in 2004, he co-founded and was Vice President in the Real Estate Investment Banking group of Ferris, Baker Watts.

Before his four-year tenure there, Mark began his investment banking career as an analyst in the Financial Institutions group at Friedman, Billings, Ramsey & Co. He received a BA in History from the College of William & Mary.

Director

Brian is a Director in the Real Estate Investment Banking Group of Robert W. Baird & Co. Brian has extensive experience advising public and private real estate companies regarding strategic and capital markets transactions. Brian has worked on mergers and acquisitions transactions valued at more than $40 billion and completed more than $10 billion of public capital markets offerings.

Prior to Baird, Brian was an Executive Director in the real estate investment banking group at Morgan Stanley. Brian previously worked in the real estate investment banking teams RBC Capital Markets and PaineWebber. Brian began his career at PricewaterhouseCoopers, where he was a manager in the real estate tax advisory group focused on REIT and partnership tax structuring. Brian received a Bachelor of Science degree with honors in Agricultural and Managerial Economics from the University of California at Davis and a Masters of Science in Taxation from Golden Gate University.

Managing Director
Head of Services & Technology

Brian is a Managing Director and Head of Baird’s Services, Technology and Healthcare groups. In addition to serving as group head, Brian covers a wide range of services sectors, including BPO, Customer Care, Human Capital, Information and Professional Services, and is a member of Baird’s Investment Banking Management Committee.

Before joining Baird in 2004, Brian worked 14 years at Credit Suisse First Boston where he was co-head of the Global Services group. From 1992 to 1994, Brian worked for the Corporate Finance group of General Electric Capital Corporation, where he was responsible for making equity investments and loans to highly leveraged companies.

Brian received a BA in Economics from Northwestern University and an MBA in Finance from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania.

Managing Director

Peter is a Managing Director of Baird and a senior member of the Business Services group in Investment Banking. He is also a member of the Baird Foundation Board and chairs the Investment Banking recruiting committee. Over the past 15 years, he has led a variety of financing and advisory assignments, including public and private equity transactions, buy-side and sell-side transactions, and strategic financial advisory engagements.

Before joining Baird in 1992, Peter was a Director of Investments for The Equitable and was on the staff of former Wisconsin Gov. Tommy G. Thompson. He received a BBA and an MBA from the University of Wisconsin and is also a graduate of the Securities Industry Institute at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania.

Managing Director

John joined Baird in December 2007 as a Managing Director and Head of Baird’s Palo Alto Investment Banking office. Prior to joining Baird, He spent 13 years in the investment banking group at AG Edwards (now Wachovia Securities) and established AG Edwards’ West Coast Technology Investment Banking practice. During his tenure at AG Edwards, John led his clients in a variety of transactions including public and private equity financings, convertible securities offerings, buy- and sell-side merger and acquisition assignments and other financial advisory activities. From 1989 to 1992, He worked for KPMG Peat Marwick where he was a senior level auditor responsible for public and private company financial audits.

John received a B.S. degree in Accounting, cum laude, from Georgetown University, and a M.B.A. in Finance and Marketing from The Kellogg Graduate School of Management at Northwestern University. He is also a graduate from the Securities Industry Institute at The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania and is a Certified Public Accountant.

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Managing Director

Bret manages the Human Capital Services practice within the Business Services sector covered by Baird. Since joining Baird in 1992, he has been active in a variety of private and public financing, and buy- and sell-side strategic financial advisory assignments, primarily for clients in services industries.

Before joining Baird, Bret worked in the Commercial Banking Department at the American National Bank of Chicago. He received an MBA from the University of Chicago Graduate School of Business and a BA in Economics from DePauw University.

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Managing Director

Judith joined the Business Services Investment Banking team after a distinguished 20-plus-year career as a research analyst largely focused on covering Human Capital Services for Baird. Judith pioneered the coverage of the Staffing Industry with the first comprehensive industry report in 1986 and was voted a member of the First Team of the All-America Research Team in the Business Services/Staffing category of Institutional Investor Magazine in 1999.

Other honors included recognition by Reuters in its Mid-to-Smaller Company Research survey as the second-highest ranking analyst for Services (Commercial & Consumer) in 1998. Before joining Baird in 1980, Judith taught at Gallaudet University in Washington, D.C., and currently serves on the board of the Center for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing in Milwaukee.

She earned a BA from Stanford University, where she was elected to Phi Beta Kappa; an MS in Italian Literature from the Catholic University of America; and an MBA from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee with Beta Gamma Sigma honors.

Managing Director

David joined Baird in January 1998 and leads Baird's business services effort in Europe. He is a founding member of Baird’s M&A team in Europe, and has extensive experience advising private equity clients, corporations and entrepreneurs in the United States and Europe within the Industrial and Business Services sectors. Prior to Baird, David practiced as a corporate and banking lawyer at Berwin Leighton. He earned an MBA with distinction from London Business School and a law degree from Leeds University.

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Managing Director

Andrew is a Managing Director focusing on the Business Services sector, where he has coverage responsibility for both the Education and Marketing and Information Services industries. Before joining Baird in July 2004, Andrew spent nine years at Credit Suisse First Boston, in both New York and Chicago.

At CSFB, he was a senior member of its Business Services group, working with a variety of Marketing, Information and Education services companies. Andrew received a BA cum laude from Middlebury College and an MBA from the University of Chicago Graduate School of Business.

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Managing Director

Gary is a Managing Director and Head of Baird’s Clean Technology Investment Banking Group. He is a senior investment banking professional with 25 years of experience and leads Baird’s effort to establish relationships with and offer Baird’s advisory services to clean technology companies, private equity and venture capital firms that invest in the sector. Prior to joining Baird, Gary led Stanford Group Company’s Clean Technology Investment Banking practice. Previously, he was a Managing Director and Head of Technology Investment Banking at Pacific Growth Equities. Preceding Pacific Growth Equities, Gary was a co-founder of Prometheus Advisors, a boutique investment bank focused on providing merger and acquisition advisory services to technology companies. Prior to Prometheus, he served as a Managing Director with JPMorgan and, pre-merger, Hambrecht & Quist, where he started the energy technology investment banking effort in 1998. Earlier in his career, he led the San Francisco corporate finance practice for Sutro & Co.

Gary received an MBA from the Anderson School of Management at UCLA and a BS from the University of California, Berkeley.

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Director

Chris is a Director in Business Services Investment Banking at Baird, where he provides mergers and acquisition advisory and capital-raising services to corporate clients. Prior to joining Baird in 2005, he spent approximately five years in Business Services Investment Banking at Deutsche Bank Securities in New York, where he worked on a variety of financing and M&A transactions.

Before entering investment banking, he worked as a CPA for Ernst & Young in Indianapolis. Chris received a BS and MBA with distinction from the Kelley School of Business at Indiana University.

Director

John joined Baird in 2000. He spent his first year in Baird’s Investment Banking Group and then worked as a research analyst for two years in the Equity Research Department. He rejoined Investment Banking in 2003. Prior to joining Baird, John was an investment banking associate with Prudential Securities in New York.

John's experience also includes five years as an auditor with Deloitte & Touche where he ultimately reached the level of manager. He received an MBA degree from the University of Virginia Darden School of Business Administration. He earned his undergraduate degree from the University of Maryland College Park where he was an honors student. He is also a CPA.

Director

Melody Jones McDowell is a Director in Baird’s Clean Technology Investment Banking Group and brings over 16 years of finance and operational experience. Melody has spent the last nine years in the securities industry focused on investment banking for companies in the technology and cleantech space. She has held senior banking positions at several banking firms, and both public and private companies in the technology field. While leading the Telecom and Data Center advisory practice at a leading banking firm, she launched that firm’s cleantech practice and published two reports on M&A industry dynamics: "Earth, Wind and Fire: A Cleantech Perspective," an inaugural piece on the cleantech space. She also authored "Recover, Restore, Resume: Protecting the Company Jewels," which focused on next generation data protection technologies.

Melody received a BS in Mechanical Engineering from the University of California, San Diego, and an MBA and Master of Arts with honors from the Wharton School and The Lauder Institute at the University of Pennsylvania.

Director

Kiran joined Baird in 2004 and is a member of Baird's Business Services Group. He spends the majority of his time with companies in the Business Process Outsourcing / Outsourced Customer Care industries.

Prior to joining Baird, Kiran spent three years as an Associate at Salomon Smith Barney, where he provided financial and advisory services to corporate clients primarily in the energy industry. He received his MBA degree from The University of Chicago Graduate School of Business and graduated with a BS degree in Accounting from the University of Illinois. He is also a CPA.

Director

Ross joined Baird in 1998 and is a member of the Business Services group. Since joining the firm, he has participated in numerous equity offerings, mergers and acquisitions and other financial advisory services in roles of increasing responsibility. Recent transaction experience includes the sale of a school bus operator to Macquarie, the sale of Financial Dynamics to FTI Consulting and equity financings for RSC Equipment Rental and Williams Scotsman.

Ross received his MBA with distinction from the J.L. Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University and his BA with honors from the University of Wisconsin, where he graduated Phi Beta Kappa.

Vice Chairman

Dick joined Baird in 2002 as Vice Chairman, and in that capacity, he supports Baird's Capital Markets businesses, particularly Investment Banking and Private Equity. With more than 30 years of Wall Street corporate finance experience, Mr. Waid most recently served as a Managing Director in the Investment Banking Department of Robinson-Humphrey, now part of SunTrust in Atlanta.

He joined Robinson-Humphrey in 1992 and served as head of the firm's National Real Estate, Energy and Industrial practice groups within the Investment Banking Division. While there, he helped initiate and complete more than 75 public offerings and numerous M&A and private capital assignments.

Previously, Dick was with Kidder, Peabody in New York for more than 20 years, last serving as a Senior Vice President of Corporate Finance.

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Director

John joined Baird in 2000. He spent his first year in Baird’s Investment Banking Group and then worked as a research analyst for two years in the Equity Research Department. He rejoined Investment Banking in 2003. Prior to joining Baird, John was an investment banking associate with Prudential Securities in New York.

John's experience also includes five years as an auditor with Deloitte & Touche where he ultimately reached the level of manager. He received an MBA degree from the University of Virginia Darden School of Business Administration. He earned his undergraduate degree from the University of Maryland College Park where he was an honors student. He is also a CPA.

Managing Director

Prior to joining Baird, Anthony was a Director of Corporate Advisory at Standard Chartered Bank, responsible for cross-border M&A transactions in China. Before joining Standard Chartered, he was a Senior Vice President at Daiwa Securities SMBC. Anthony also previously worked at Dresdner Kleinwort Wasserstein and Schroders where he was involved in a variety of M&A and capital market transactions. Anthony received his Executive MBA degree from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University and Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST). He holds a B.A. degree from Pomona College and is a certified CPA in California.

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Managing Director

Before joining Baird in 2008, Joachim was managing partner at two Frankfurt-based investment banking firms, Drueker & Co. from 1997 to 2005 and at Doertenbach & Co. He has advised German and international clients on merger and acquisition transactions, initial public offerings and delistings. Joachim has lived and worked in the US for many years. As an executive for General Motors, he was responsible for acquisitions and divestitures, both in the US and internationally. From 1993 to 1997 he was Chief Financial Officer of Linde AG. Joachim graduated as an engineer from Darmstadt Technical University and holds an MBA from the Harvard Business School.

Managing Director

Before Michael joined Baird in 2003, he worked for Deutsche Bank in Frankfurt for nine years, primarily executing public and private merger and acquisition transactions. At Deutsche Bank, he focused on Chemicals, Automotive, Industrials and private equity transactions. Michael completed transactions involving German, European and U.S. private and public companies as well as private equity firms and their portfolio companies.

Earlier, Michael worked at Roland Berger Management Consultants and Arthur Andersen & Co. He graduated as a Diplom-Kaufmann from the University of Bayreuth and holds an MBA with high distinction from the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor.

Director

Ralf began his career in the corporate finance department of Banque Paribas in London and Frankfurt and worked afterwards with German M&A boutique Doertenbach & Co. in Frankfurt. Prior to joining Baird’s International M&A team, Ralf had origination and execution responsibilities in the Capital Goods, Automotive and Business Services fields within Commerzbank’s Corporates & Markets department.

He has worked with clients including Mubea, Drägerwerk, Stiebel Eltron, Autogrill and Randstad as well as numerous German family-owned companies. Ralf is a graduate of Bayreuth University and has a Masters degree in Business Administration. He is a fluent English and French speaker.

Managing Director
Chairman, European Investment Banking

John joined Baird in September 2000 and has worked in the financial services industry for more than 30 years. Immediately before joining Baird, he was the London corporate finance partner for William Blair. Previously, he served as a Managing Director and head of European Investment Banking at Alex Brown from 1993 to 1998, and was a Managing Director and head of mergers and acquisitions at Hill Samuel Bank, where he worked from 1981 to 1991. Since the early 1980s, John’s principal focus has been cross-border acquisitions between the United States and Europe.

In October 2001, John was appointed CEO of Baird’s European ECM business, comprising investment banking, equity sales, trading and research. In January 2003, he relinquished the CEO position to focus on Baird’s transatlantic M&A effort and was also appointed Chairman of Baird International.

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Managing Director
Co-Head of International M&A

Nicholas qualified as a Chartered Accountant with Peat Marwick in South Africa. He spent 10 years at Barings in domestic and international corporate finance (North America and South Africa) and capital markets. Nicholas joined Baird in 1996, became a Director in 1998, a Managing Director in 2003 and co-head of European investment banking in 2004.

He has wide experience in company sales and acquisitions, public offers, bid defences and capital raisings. Nicholas focuses on consumer and industrial mergers and acquisitions, working with both North American and European clients.

Managing Director

David joined Baird in 1998 and leads Baird's Business Services effort in Europe. He is a founding member of Baird’s M&A team in Europe and has extensive experience advising private equity clients, corporations and entrepreneurs in the United States and Europe within the industrial and business services sectors. Before joining Baird, David practiced as a corporate and banking lawyer at Berwin Leighton. He earned an MBA with distinction from London Business School and a law degree from Leeds University.

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Director

Julien joined the Baird London office in 1999 and has participated in a number of M&A and equity fund-raising transactions there and at the Baird Chicago office from 2002 to 2005. Before joining Baird, Julien worked in Israel as a Certified Public Accountant. He received his MBA with distinction from City University Business School in London and graduated with a BA in Accounting and Economics from Tel Aviv University.

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Director

Jonathan is a member of Baird's European Business Services Investment Banking team. He joined Baird in 2008, bringing extensive experience in a range of subsectors including Facilities Services, Infrastructure Services, Environmental Consulting, Logistics, Security and Testing, Inspection and Certification.

With nearly 12 years of experience in the Investment Banking industry, as well as a background as an auditor and economist, Jonathan has long-established relationships with many large corporations and private equity firms, and has executed a number of flagship transactions for his client base. Most recently, Jonathan worked at Deutsche Bank where he was responsible for the firm’s Business Services franchise across EMEA. He has a first class degree in Economics and a Master of Philosophy in Finance.

Managing Director
Chief Operating Officer – European Investment Banking

Peter is a Managing Director and Chief Operating Officer of Baird’s European Investment Banking division. Peter originally joined Baird in 1998 and has participated in advising clients on IPOs, takeovers and defences, capital-raisings, acquisitions and disposals. Prior to joining Baird, Peter spent 14 years with NatWest Wood Mackenzie.

From 2003 to 2006, Peter co-founded and led Watson Macneill, a recruitment firm dedicated to independent director search. He rejoined Baird in 2006. Peter graduated from the University of St. Andrews, Scotland, with an honors degree in French Language and Literature, and then qualified as a Chartered Accountant with PriceWaterhouseCoopers in London.

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