Industrial Analysts

Baird Research: Awards and Accolades

Senior Research Analyst
Packaging & Coatings

Ghansham Panjabi is Baird’s senior analyst covering Packaging & Coatings. Prior to joining Baird in 2009, he was a senior research analyst covering Containers & Packaging at Wachovia Securities and at Lehman Brothers Inc. Ghansham received an MS in Economics and a Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering from the University of California – Davis and a BS in Chemical Engineering from the University of Washington – Seattle. Back to top

Senior Research Analyst
General Industrial

Pete Lisnic is Baird’s senior analyst covering General Industrial and Building Products. Prior to joining Baird in 2001, he was an associate director at Fitch for two years; earlier, he was at KPMG Peat Marwick for six years, leaving as a senior consultant. In 2012, he was ranked by StarMine as the No. 1 stock picker in Machinery and the No. 1 earnings estimator in Building Products. In 2008, he was ranked by StarMine as Top 3 Estimator in Machinery. Pete received a BS in Accountancy from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and an MBA in Finance and Management & Strategy from Northwestern University. 

Senior Research Analyst
Global Auto and Truck

David Leiker is Baird’s senior analyst covering the Global Auto & Truck Suppliers. David rejoined Baird in 1997 after nine years at Cleary Gull Reiland & McDevitt, Inc. and two earlier years at Baird. He was named runner-up in the Reuters Institutional Investor survey in the Autos & Auto Parts industry among Boutique investment firms; was four times selected for The Wall Street Journal's Best on the Street Analyst Survey; and recognized many times by Forbes as a Blue Chip Analyst for stock picking and earnings estimating. He received a BSBA degree in Finance from Creighton University and an MBA in Finance from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, where he participated in the Applied Security Analysis Program. Back to top

Senior Research Analyst
Industrial Distribution

David Manthey is Baird’s senior analyst covering Industrial Distribution Prior to joining Baird in 1995, he worked at Strong/Corneliuson Capital Management. In 2012, he was recognized by StarMine as the No. 1 stock picker in Trading Companies & Distributors and the No. 3 stock picker in Commercial Services & Supplies.  In 2011, he was ranked No. 3 in The Wall Street Journal’s “Best on the Street” survey.  In 2005, 2006 and 2007, he was ranked by StarMine as the No. 1 stock picker in Trading Companies & Distributors.  In 2006 StarMine ranked David No. 2 earnings estimator in Trading Companies & Distributors.  David, who is a CompTIA Network+ certified professional, was named one of the top 10 analysts in the Reuters Survey’s Industrial and IT categories in 1998, and in the Computers category in 2000. The surveys evaluated research coverage of small- to mid-cap companies. David earned a BS from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and an MBA from Indiana University, with a major in Finance and a minor in Management Information Systems. Back to top

Senior Research Analyst
Industrial Services

Andrew Wittmann is Baird’s senior analyst covering Facility & Industrial Services. Since joining Baird in 2006, Andrew has covered commercial real estate (REITs) and hotel and leisure stocks before joining Baird’s Business Services research platform.  In 2012, Andrew was recognized by StarMine as the No. 3 estimator in Commercial Services & Supplies.  Prior to Baird he was a systems design engineer with Ford Motor Company. Andrew has an MBA from Indiana University, an MS in Engineering with an Applied Statistics focus from Purdue University, and a BS in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Back to top

Senior Research Analyst
Process Controls

Michael Halloran is Baird’s senior analyst covering Process Controls. Prior to joining Baird in 2004, Mike worked for the Public Service Commission of Wisconsin and the Frank J. Remington Center. In 2012, he was recognized by StarMine as the No. 1 earnings estimator in Electrical Equipment.  He received a BS in Political Science from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, an MBA in Finance from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, and a JD from the University of Wisconsin Law School. Back to top

Benjamin Hartford is Baird’s senior analyst covering Transportation/Logistics. Ben has covered the transport sector since joining Baird in 2005, and has had senior analyst responsibilities since 2011. In November 2012 he was recognized as a “Rising Star” in Institutional Investor Magazine’s 2012 All-America Research Team Rising Stars list; and by StarMine as the No. 2 earnings estimator in Road & Rail and the No. 3 earnings estimator in Air Freight & Logistics in 2012. Ben received a BS with honors in Finance and an MS in Accounting from Indiana University. Back to top