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Get expert attention in real time
Whether you’re looking for perspective on a sudden market shift or a way to help a client navigate complex tax issues surrounding an unexpected wealth transfer, you don’t have time to waste waiting in a queue for a canned response.
That’s why Baird provides real-time access to in-house experts and thought leaders. Our professional specialists offer big-picture perspectives on investment trends and global market dynamics and a detailed understanding of the intricacies involved in effective retirement, insurance, tax and estate planning. And because they all share a stake in your clients’ success, helping you is a top priority.
Click any of the names below to explore the wealth of invaluable resources Baird offers:
Bruce Bittles – Chief Investment Strategist
Bruce provides stock market analysis to Baird's retail, institutional and corporate clients, and also is a member of Baird’s Investment Policy and Stock Selection committees. He joined Baird in 2002.
Bruce began his investment career as head trader at the options trading firm of Thomas, Haab and Botts in New York City, where he served for nine years. Bruce joined J.C. Bradford & Company in 1974 to establish and head the Options Department. In 1985, he joined Bradford’s Research Department, where he was Partner in charge of market strategy until the company was acquired by Paine Webber in 2000.
He received his BS in Business and MBA in Economics and Finance from Fairleigh Dickinson University.
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Cory Colvin – Business Development Consultant
Cory joined Baird in 2005 and works directly with Financial Advisors, providing investment and sales strategy, and consultation for mutual funds, structured products and managed futures. Cory also leads the mutual fund research team that produces the Baird Mutual Fund Recommended List.
Prior to joining Baird, Cory spent several years focused on product development, strategy and marketing with firms such as Wells Fargo, Precision Marketing Partners, and most recently, Crabel Capital Management.
Cory received his MBA from Marquette University, and has a BBA in Finance and Marketing from the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh. He is also a CFA Level 3 candidate, and holds the Series 3, 6, 7, 24 and 63 securities licenses.
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Craig Elder - Fixed Income Analyst
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Craig is a resource for Financial Advisors concerning fixed income matters. He writes weekly fixed income commentary and provides allocation recommendations on taxable fixed income issuers focusing on the financial services sector.
Prior to joining Baird, Craig was a senior vice president in fixed income research at Morgan Keegan, where he was responsible for the research team that supported the Retail Fixed Income Trading Desk. He also served as the liaison to the firm's consulting economist and to the Economic Forecasting Center at Georgia State University. Prior to Morgan Keegan, he was the Controller for the SBA Trading department at Union Planter Bank. He began his career as a financial advisor at Dean Witter.
Craig holds a BBA in Finance from the University of Memphis and an MBA with an emphasis in Finance from Christian Brothers University. He holds the Series 7, 16 and 63 licenses, and is a member of the CFA Institute, CFA Society of Chicago and Fixed Income Analyst Society in New York.
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Kimberly Stulo, CFA – Senior Analyst
With more than 18 years of experience, Kim assists Financial Advisors with equity portfolio management, which includes analyzing individual equities, generating new equity ideas, and providing client-specific equity portfolio recommendations. Kim is also co-manager of the Baird Recommended Portfolio and the Equity Idea List. Prior to this, Kim was a senior industry analyst in Baird's Equity Research Department, primarily covering the information technology services sector.
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Laura Thurow, CFA – Director, Advisory Services & Mutual Funds
Laura Thurow is Director of Advisory Services Research and Mutual Funds where her responsibilities include outside money manager and mutual fund research in support of the Recommended Manager and ALIGN programs. She is co-portfolio manager of the ALIGN Strategic Portfolios, and a voting member of the Investment Policy, Manager & Policy, ALIGN and Mutual Fund Oversight committees. Laura also works directly with Financial Advisors providing investment and sales strategy and consultation.
Prior to joining Advisory Services Research, Laura was an analyst on Baird’s Auto & Truck Suppliers Equity Research team.
Laura received a BA in Economics from Trinity College and a MBA from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business. She has earned the CFA charter and is a member of the CFA Society of Milwaukee.
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Pat Cronin, CFA – Institutional Consulting
Pat has more than 20 years of experience in the investment industry. Since joining Baird in 1998, he has been working with Baird's institutional consulting clients, performing asset allocation studies and manager searches and providing performance reporting. He is a member of Baird's Investment Policy and Manager & Policy committees.
Prior to joining Baird, Pat served as the Chief Investment Officer of the City of Milwaukee Employees' Retirement System for more than nine years. He was responsible for overseeing a portfolio that grew from $1.4 billion to $3.8 billion during his tenure there.
Pat is a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) and earned his Master of Science Degree in Finance from Northern Illinois University. He holds the Series 7, 9, 10, 24 and 66 securities licenses. He is a member of the CFA Institute and Past President of the Milwaukee Investment Analysts Society. He is also a member of the Investment Management Consulting Association (IMCA).
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Pete Duback – Director of Product Strategy
Having joined Baird in 2006, Pete oversees the firm's private wealth management advisory product and cash management offerings, and participates in various strategic initiatives throughout the business. He also leads Baird's Product Strategy Committee and is involved with the private wealth management Best Practices group.
Before joining Baird, Pete worked for Smith Barney in a strategic planning role, in the capital markets division of E*Trade Financial and in the economic analysis division of a Washington, DC-based consulting firm.
Pete received his MBA from Georgetown University and has a BA in Economics from Colby College. He also holds the Series 7 and 66 securities licenses.
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Richard Behrendt, J.D. – Senior Estate Planner
With a 12-year background as an IRS Estate Tax Attorney, Rich joined Baird to serve Financial Advisors and their higher-net-worth clients as an estate planning resource. He evaluates existing estate plans and documents, creates customized estate planning reports, and models sophisticated estate tax planning strategies using state-of-the-art estate planning software. For his work representing the government in several complex audits, Rich received the Internal Revenue Service’s National Achievement Award 2006.
Rich earned his law degree from Brooklyn Law School. He is a member of the State Bar of Wisconsin, the Milwaukee Bar Association and the Milwaukee Estate Planning Forum. He often speaks to lay and professional groups about estate planning. Rich is also an Adjunct Professor of Law at the University of Wisconsin Law School, where he teaches a course in advanced estate planning.
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Sharon Schmid – Senior Field Consultant, Retirement Plans
Sharon joined Baird in 1995 and partners with Financial Advisors and their corporate clients in the areas of qualified plan design, product due diligence, participant education and objective performance monitoring. She has an extensive employee benefits background and was Human Resources Benefits Manager for a large Milwaukee-area hospital for many years before joining Baird.
Sharon earned a BS in Business Administration from Marquette University and holds the Series 7, 9, 10, 24, 63 and 66 securities licenses, as well as the State of Wisconsin insurance license. She has earned the designation of PLANSPONSOR Retirement Professional and has attended the Accredited Investment Fiduciary program. She is currently pursuing the ASPPA Qualified Plan Financial Consultant (QPFC) designation.
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Timothy Byrne, CFA – Dir. of Private Wealth Management Research, Products & Services
Tim's responsibilities include Baird's outside money manager and mutual fund research, equity and fixed-income securities research and portfolio consultation, financial and estate planning services, practice management research and Baird's private wealth management product platform.
Prior to joining Baird's private wealth management business, Tim was Baird's senior IT Services analyst in Equity Research. Forbes recognized Tim in its "Top Equity Analyst–Best Earnings Estimator" list for his IT Services coverage in 2004. Tim was at Mercer Management Consulting for nearly eight years before joining Baird. As a partner in Mercer's strategy group, Tim focused on high-tech industries and helped launch Mercer's digital strategy practice.
Tim has an AB magna cum laude in chemistry from the College of the Holy Cross and a MBA from Harvard Business School. He has earned his CFA and is a member of the Investment Management Consulting Association (IMCA).
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Tim Steffen, CPA/PFS, CFP – Financial & Estate Planning Manager
Since 1999, Tim has partnered with Baird Financial Advisors to help incorporate financial planning into their business models, meeting with Advisors and their clients as needed. He also serves as the firm's income tax specialist. Prior to joining Baird, Tim spent eight years working in a major accounting firm's Private Client Group in income tax preparation and personal financial planning. He also managed the firm's Individual Tax Compliance group.
Tim earned his BS in Accounting from the University of Illinois-Champaign. He is a CPA and a Personal Financial Specialist, as well as a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ professional. He is also a member of the American and Wisconsin Institutes of CPAs and the Financial Planning Association.
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Vicky Stadick – Senior Annuity Specialist
Vicky is our in-house senior annuity specialist, with more than 15 years of annuity experience. Prior to joining Baird, she was an equity trader. She is Series 6 licensed and has a Wisconsin Accident and Health/Life license.
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