In Their Own Words:
Melissa Kinnard and
Joan Crawford
Financial Advisors

Click on the questions to read the responses in their own words.

• Why were you looking to leave your old firm?

  "I would say our last firm was better at making promises than keeping them. We had to fight for every verbal assurance middle management and senior leadership made to us, and more and more we felt that our team and our clients really weren’t that important. It wasn’t long before we decided ‘enough was enough,’ and we started looking for a better place to grow our business."

• How did you come to talk with Baird?

  "Our old firm shared a building with Baird, so we already had a sense of what the people and culture were like. What really pushed Baird up on our list was their ranking among the Fortune 100 Best Companies To Work For^® – I know it’s not easy to get on that list, and that Baird has been on it for so long speaks volumes to us about their culture and how they do business."

• What was the Milwaukee visit like?

  “One of the things that impressed us most was how organized the visit was. We met with senior leaders, sat down with some of the planning specialists who would be helping us, talked about what working at Baird was like – it was clear they put a lot of forethought into planning our visit, which really created a great first impression. We were also really impressed by the ‘extreme personable-ness’ of the people we met.”

• Now that you’ve been here a while, what has your experience at Baird been like?

  “We would say, the people here really make a difference in our business. When you call someone for support, you not only get a real person on the line, but that person is amiable, knowledgeable and helpful. And if the person you reach isn’t the one you need, they'll help you get to the right person. It's wonderful!
  
  Baird’s no-asshole policy is 100% real. We can't say that to clients – but it's true!”

• Speaking of your clients, have they noticed a difference?

  “We have strong relationships with our clients – they trust us wherever we are. But we’ve had more than a few tell us they’re glad we’re no longer with our previous firm. Plus Baird has a few offerings, like their recommended portfolio, that are absolutely beloved.
  
  Most of all, it’s clear you matter at Baird – as an employee and as a client. We’re nothing but thrilled to be here!”