Paul E. Purcell

Paul E. Purcell, former Chairman, President & CEO of Baird, passed away February 28, 2020.

Paul joined Baird in 1994, became President & COO in 1998, and President & CEO in 2000. He added the title of Chairman in 2006 and served as Chairman, President & CEO until 2014. From 2014-2015 he served as Chairman & CEO. Prior to joining Baird, Paul spent 22 years with Kidder, Peabody & Co.

Outside of Baird, Paul was board co-chair of Teach for America-Milwaukee and chair of the University of Notre Dame Mendoza School of Business advisory council. He served on the Alverno College board of trustees, Cristo Rey Network board of trustees, Greater Milwaukee Committee board and executive committee, Junior Achievement of Chicago board of directors and the board of Year Up Chicago. He also served on the boards of United Way of Greater Milwaukee, United Performing Arts Fund and Discovery World.

Paul received an MBA from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business (1971) and was a graduate of the University of Notre Dame (1969).

Paul received prestigious recognitions during his lifetime including the University of Chicago Booth School of Business Distinguished Corporate Alumni Award (2009), Medical College of Wisconsin Warren P. Knowles Humanitarian Award (2014), United Community Center “Friends of the Hispanic Community Award” (2015) and Cristo Rey Jesuit High School Rey of Hope Award (2019). In June 2019, Paul was honored with Baird’s Brenton H. Rupple Citizenship Award, the firm’s highest community service honor.