Baird chairman Paul Purcell dies

Paul Purcell, the chairman of Milwaukee-based Robert W. Baird & Co. Inc., passed away on Friday, the company announced.

"It is with heavy hearts we confirm the sad news that Baird chairman Paul Purcell passed away (Friday) following a valiant fight with cancer," the company said on Twitter. "It's hard to describe how much Paul has meant to each of us, to our firm, our clients and the community. He will be deeply missed." Purcell joined Baird in 1994 and was named president in 1998, CEO in 2000 and chairman in 2006. Under his leadership, Baird underwent a global expansion and returned to its status as an independent, employee-owned company with a buyback from Northwestern Mutual in 2004. In 2016, Steve Booth was promoted to chief executive officer of Baird as part of a transition plan in which he gradually succeeded Purcell. Purcell was heavily involved in the community and in 2019 he was the recipient of the Brenton H. Rupple Citizenship Award, Baird’s highest community service honor. The award, which is bestowed on one associate each year for his or her outstanding dedication to community service, leadership and support, was presented to Purcell at Baird’s annual meeting and 100th anniversary celebration. “Paul has not only embodied community service at Baird, his work in multiple geographies has created an entirely new standard of what it means to give back to our communities,” Booth said when the award was presented to Purcell. “While he has an array of causes, his passion and energy toward education is extraordinary and has been a source of inspiration to all of us." Purcell was chairman of the board of Cristo Rey Jesuit High School, co-chair of Teach for America-Milwaukee and chair of the University of Notre Dame Mendoza School of Business Advisory Council. He also served on the Alverno College Board of Trustees, the Greater Milwaukee Committee's board and executive committee, the Junior Achievement of Chicago board and the board for Year Up Chicago. He also served on the boards of United Way of Greater Milwaukee, the Metropolitan Milwaukee Association of Commerce, the United Performing Arts Fund and Discovery World. In addition to the Brenton H. Rupple Citizenship Award, Purcell received many other honors including:

• The University of Chicago Booth School of Business Distinguished Corporate Alumni Award, 2009
• Harvard Business School Club of Wisconsin Business Leader of the Year, 2012
• Three Harbors Council Boy Scouts of America Distinguished Citizen’s Award, 2013
• Milwaukee Public Library Benjamin Franklin Award, 2013
• Midtown Educational Foundation Reach for Excellence Award, 2014
• Medical College of Wisconsin Warren P. Knowles Humanitarian Award, 2014
• United Community Center “Friends of the Hispanic Community Award,” 2015
• CFA Society Milwaukee Lifetime Achievement Award, 2016

Purcell's predecessor at Baird, Fred Kasten, died in December.