Rob Ketner Joins Baird’s Public Finance Group, Expanding Higher Education and Non-Profit Capabilities
WINSTON-SALEM – September 3, 2025 – Baird today announced that Rob Ketner has joined the firm’s Public Finance group as Director. In this role, Ketner will provide advisory and consulting services to higher education and non-profit institutions.
Ketner brings nearly 15 years of public finance experience to Baird, during which time he helped institutions fund critical capital projects, manage their existing debt portfolios and plan for the future. He rejoins Baird from First Tryon Advisors, where he served as a Director and co-led the firm’s higher education advisory practice.
Prior to First Tryon, Ketner was a contributing member of Baird’s National Quantitative Resource Group. Throughout his career, he has served as a trusted partner to colleges and universities of all sizes, offering clear, practical guidance to leadership teams as they pursued their schools’ strategic goals. He holds a bachelor’s degree in political science from Duke University and an MMS degree from Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business.
We’re thrilled to welcome Rob back to our Public Finance group. His advisory and quantitative experience working with higher education institutions augments our ability to serve more institutions. As we continue to grow our team of advisors and underwriters, clients benefit from expanded capabilities and greater flexibility to meet their financing needs.
Brian Brewer, Director of Public Finance
I couldn’t be happier to rejoin Baird, and I look forward to leveraging the firm’s full-service platform to deliver exceptional service to clients. With the execution expertise of Baird’s top five nationally ranked municipal advisory practice, real-time market insight from its No. 1 municipal underwriting desk1, and expert guidance from the firm’s National Quantitative Resource Group, Baird offers a deep pool of resources that I’m excited to tap into in support of clients’ financing goals.
Rob Ketner, Director
Baird is expanding its higher education and non-profit practice having recently added Tim Kelly and now Rob Ketner to the Public Finance platform. With these strategic hires, Baird strengthens its ability to serve clients, offering deeper expertise and a uniquely comprehensive approach.
About Baird Public Finance
Baird is a full-service broker-dealer firm that provides municipal underwriting and financial advisory services to Public School Districts, Charter Schools, Municipalities, Counties, Special Districts and Authorities, States, Developers, Higher Education and Healthcare entities. Over the past ten years, Baird has expanded its public finance headcount by more than 30%. Baird’s robust team of professionals combined with its nationally recognized underwriting desk allows the firm to serve and support the evolving needs of its clients. According to S&P Muni Deal Query, Baird ranks as the No. 1 municipal underwriter and a top 5 municipal advisor nationally by number of issues collectively since 2009.
About Baird
Baird is an employee-owned, international wealth management, asset management, investment banking/capital markets and private equity firm with more than 200 offices worldwide. Established in 1919, Baird has approximately 5,400 associates serving the needs of individual, corporate, institutional and municipal clients. Baird has nearly $500 billion in client assets as of December 31, 2024. Committed to being a great place to work, Baird ranked No. 13 on the 2024 Fortune 100 Best Companies to Work For® list – its 22nd consecutive year on the list. Baird is the marketing name of Baird Financial Group. Baird’s principal operating subsidiaries are Robert W. Baird & Co. Incorporated and Baird Trust Company in the United States and Robert W. Baird Group Ltd. in Europe. Robert W. Baird Limited and Baird Capital Partners Europe Limited are authorized and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. For more information, please visit Baird’s website at www.rwbaird.com.
For additional information, contact:
Baird Public Relations
1-414-765-7250
publicrelations@rwbaird.com
1According to S&P Muni Deal Query as of December 31, 2024.
