Baird and Wisconsin School of Business Announce Continued Partnership, Establish 'Baird Professorship in Finance'

MILWAUKEE, April 20, 2021 – Baird, an employee-owned, international wealth management firm, today announced a renewed investment of support in the Wisconsin School of Business (WSB) by establishing the Baird Professorship in Finance. This Professorship is an endowed faculty position that will further grow the school's wealth management program. 

The partnership between Baird and WSB began in 2015. With demand for highly trained financial advisors rising, Baird collaborated with WSB to develop a course of study that prepares undergraduate business students for a career in the field of wealth management. As the need for finance education remains high, WSB is evolving finance career preparation through "career pathways," or academic tracks focused on specific industry areas, further complemented and enhanced with experiential learning and professional development opportunities. 

"I am deeply excited about this Baird Professorship," said Mike Schroeder, President of Baird's Private Wealth Management business. "Not only does it reaffirm Baird's commitment to developing the next generation of exceptional advisors, but it establishes the Wisconsin School of Business as the state's premier institution for wealth management instruction. The Professorship is an investment not just in an individual faculty member, but in the education of future talent who will lead the wealth management industry for years to come."

The Baird Professorship in Finance will be held by Mark Fedenia (BBA '77, MS '79, PhD '87). Fedenia is the director of WSB's wealth management program and an associate professor in the Department of Finance, Investment, and Banking. His research and teaching interests include investment management, wealth management and financial planning. 

"I am pleased and honored to be awarded the Baird Professorship in Finance, which will be instrumental in advancing my research in wealth management and other contemporary issues in finance," said Fedenia. "I thank our friends at Baird for this generous gift, which is yet another example of how Baird is investing in the future generation."

Headquartered in Milwaukee, Wis., Baird's Private Wealth Management business encompasses more than 1,300 financial advisors serving clients from over 160 locations in 33 states and has client assets of more than $215 billion.

About Baird

Putting clients first since 1919, Baird is an employee-owned, international wealth management, asset management, investment banking/capital markets, and private equity firm with offices in the United States, Europe and Asia. Baird has approximately 4,600 associates serving the needs of individual, corporate, institutional and municipal clients and more than $355 billion in client assets as of June 30, 2020. Committed to being a great workplace, Baird ranked No. 32 on the 2021 Fortune 100 Best Companies to Work For® list. Baird is the marketing name of Baird Financial Group. Baird’s principal operating subsidiaries are Robert W. Baird & Co. Incorporated in the United States and Robert W. Baird Group Ltd. in Europe. Baird also has an operating subsidiary in Asia supporting Baird’s investment banking and private equity operations. For more information, please visit Baird’s website at www.rwbaird.com.

About the Wisconsin School of Business

The Wisconsin School of Business at the University of Wisconsin–Madison is a world-renowned institution committed to leading the future of business by connecting and empowering a dynamic community of lifelong learners, scholars, and organizations. Established in 1900, the school was one of the first five business programs in the nation. Today, it proudly educates students from all walks of life with its top-ranked undergraduate, masters, MBA, PhD, and professional development programs. For more information, visit wsb.wisc.edu.

For additional information, contact:

Baird Public Relations
(414) 298-7250
publicrelations@rwbaird.com