Paul Purcell

Paul E. Purcell is Chairman, President & Chief Executive Officer of Baird Holding Company, Baird Financial Corporation and Robert W. Baird & Co. Incorporated. Purcell joined Baird in 1994 and served in a variety of capacities, including Chief Operating Officer, before becoming President & Chief Executive Officer in 2000. He added the title of Chairman in 2006. Purcell is a member of the Baird Financial Corporation board of directors and Robert W. Baird & Co. board of directors. Prior to joining Baird, he spent 22 years with Kidder, Peabody & Co., where he was a Managing Director and head of the Midwest Investment Banking Group.

Paul E. Purcell is Chairman, President & Chief Executive Officer of Baird Holding Company, Baird Financial Corporation and Robert W. Baird & Co. Incorporated. Purcell joined Baird in 1994 and served in a variety of capacities, including Chief Operating Officer, before becoming President & Chief Executive Officer in 2000. He added the title of Chairman in 2006. Purcell is a member of the Baird Financial Corporation board of directors and Robert W. Baird & Co. board of directors. Prior to joining Baird, he spent 22 years with Kidder, Peabody & Co., where he was a Managing Director and head of the Midwest Investment Banking Group.

In addition to his duties at Baird, Purcell serves on the RC2 Corporation Board of Directors, the Alverno College Board of Trustees, the University of Chicago Booth School of Business Advisory Council, the University of Notre Dame Mendoza School of Business Advisory Council, Schools That Can – Milwaukee Board of Directors, the Greater Milwaukee Committee Board and Executive Committee, the Board of Discovery World, the Board of Milwaukee Water Council, the United Performing Arts Fund Board, the Junior Achievement of Chicago Board of Directors, the United Way of Greater Milwaukee’s Board and the Board of Directors of RiverFront Investment Group, LLC. He is past Vice Chairman and member of the Board of Directors of Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association (SIFMA) as well as the former Chairman of the Board of Directors at Cristo Rey Jesuit High School.

He received an MBA from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business (1971) and is a graduate of the University of Notre Dame (1969). In 2009, he received the University of Chicago Booth School of Business Distinguished Corporate Alumni Award.