For additional information, contact:
Marianne Foster, Public Relations Coordinator
Robert W. Baird & Co.
414-298-1906
mfoster@rwbaird.com
MILWAUKEE, Jan. 9, 2006 – For the third consecutive year, Robert W. Baird & Co. (Baird) has been named one of FORTUNE magazine’s “100 Best Companies to Work For,” a prestigious annual ranking of top U.S. companies based on various workplace attributes and employee feedback.
Baird, an employee-owned, international wealth management, capital markets, private equity and asset management firm, ranked 31 this year. The 2006 list appears in FORTUNE’s Jan. 23 issue.
“We are pleased and honored to again be recognized by FORTUNE for having a great workplace,” said Paul E. Purcell, Baird Chairman, President & Chief Executive Officer. “Being included among the distinguished companies on this year’s list is the result of the tremendous efforts by more than 2,200 Baird associates. Their dedication and commitment to clients, each other and the communities we serve make Baird a great place for our clients and our associates.”
FORTUNE’s “100 Best Companies to Work For” are identified through a detailed analysis done by the Great Place to Work® Institute. Companies are ranked based on an extensive two-part questionnaire, which covers employment and benefits data and quality-of-workplace topics, and on surveys completed by randomly selected employees. Employee responses constitute two-thirds of a company’s total score.
“We are thrilled to be recognized as a great place to work based on how our associates feel about Baird,” said Leslie Dixon, Baird’s Chief Human Resources Officer. “This recognition is a testament to Baird’s culture and our ongoing commitment to creating a rewarding work environment, which helps us attract and retain talented professionals. The best people, in turn,
help us in our quest to provide the best financial advice and service to our clients.”
A Great Place to Work
Baird’s efforts to provide a great workplace start with the firm’s culture, which incorporates the shared values of honesty, integrity and genuine concern for clients and respect for associates. Baird actively encourages associates to find a balance between work, home and the community, and provides perks such as flexible work arrangements, tuition reimbursement, and online and classroom training through the firm’s in-house Baird University.
The firm has a strong commitment to the community and actively supports associates’ volunteer efforts. Through the “Baird Cares” program, associates receive an additional paid day off each year to perform volunteer service. Baird, which supports a variety of causes, received United Way’s platinum ranking after 96% of all associates in the Milwaukee area contributed to the firm’s most recent United Way campaign. In 2005, the Milwaukee-area United Performing Arts Fund created the Robert W. Baird Outstanding Achievement in Employee Giving Award to recognize the generosity and commitment of Baird associates.
For these and other workplace attributes, in recent years Baird has been recognized by the following publications:
• FORTUNE magazine – “100 Best Companies to Work For” (three consecutive years)
• 1001 Ways to Reward Employees – Baird is mentioned prominently in the 2005 edition of this best-selling book, which highlights examples of recognition and rewards programs from more than 500 companies.
• Milwaukee Magazine – “Best Places to Work Among Large Companies in Southeastern Wisconsin” (three consecutive surveys)
• The Business Journal of Greater Milwaukee – Beyond the Paycheck Award (four consecutive years)
• Tampa Bay Business Journal – Best Places to Work 2005
About Baird
Baird, established in 1919, is an employee-owned, international wealth management, capital markets, private equity and asset management firm with offices in the United States, Europe and Asia. Baird’s principal operating subsidiaries are Robert W. Baird & Co. in the United States and Robert W. Baird Group Ltd. in Europe. Baird also has an operating subsidiary in Asia supporting Baird’s private equity operations.
Robert W. Baird & Co. is a member of the New York Stock Exchange and other principal exchanges and the Securities Investor Protection Corporation (SIPC). Robert W. Baird Ltd. and Granville Baird Capital Partners Ltd. are authorized and regulated in the United Kingdom by the Financial Services Authority. For more information, please visit Baird’s Web site at www.rwbaird.com.
