This article was sponsored by Baird.
Baird – an employee-owned wealth management, capital markets, asset management, and private equity firm – continues to grow globally and locally. Located in the old train station at 1035 Frederica St. #100, the private wealth management group consistently goes above and beyond to make a difference for its clients and the community.
The firm comprises the Hobgood Wealth Advisors, The Settle Group, The Hamilton Group, The Longtine Wilkerson Group, Bo Ivey, The O’Bryan, Hawley, Clemens, Marshall, and Schmidt Group. Director and branch manager Rick Hobgood said each office positively impacts the community.
“We want to be engaged and involved with the community,” Hobgood said. “We have individuals on 36 local nonprofit boards, and we’re committed to the Baird Foundation, where employees can donate to a charity of their choice, and Baird will match every dollar up to $1,500 per year.”
Through the Baird Gives Back program this year, employees served several philanthropic and charitable organizations, including the Senior Citizens Center and the YMCA. Additionally, the company extends three days of paid time off to employees to get out and assist the community.
Advisors also volunteered at the local Humane Society, assisting with dog walking and other routine activities. After the experience, two employees felt compelled to adopt a dog.
Baird has been a private wealth management firm with an unwavering commitment to its client’s best interests for over a century. The Milwaukee-based company made its way to Owensboro in 2019 when it purchased Hillard Lyons, a longtime staple in the local community.
As a company, the Baird brand now spans nearly 6,000 employees in 35 states and three continents. The local office boasts 26 employees with five certified financial planners, three certified public accountants, and a wealth of experience.
The office offers various financial planning services, ranging from securities, retirement and education planning, and estate planning to mergers and acquisitions. Its employees privately own Baird, which Hobgood said offers them several advantages.
“Other companies are traded on the exchange and have to worry about what their shareholders are saying,” he said. “As employees, we own all of our stock, which frees us from outside influence, so we can focus on what we’re trying to accomplish.”
Then Hillard Lyons, the group moved to its current location in the former train station in 1996. Since then, they’ve expanded four times, including last summer, and they have no intentions of slowing down anytime soon.
He attributes their long-term success to how they do business and the legacy created by the many financial advisors who laid the foundation.
“Our ethics, integrity, and doing what’s in the best interest of our clients has allowed us to maintain those clients over time,” he said. “We see the benefit of that from dealing with third-generation families.”
The local office oversees over two billion dollars across 7,000 accounts.
“The community has been loyal, and they’ve trusted the framework created by the many quality financial advisors over the years,” Hobgood said.
For more information about Baird, visit their website here.
