Mary Ellen Stanek | 2026 Lifetime Achievement Award
Mary Ellen Stanek, CFA, serves as Managing Director of Robert W. Baird & Co. and Founder and Chief Investment Officer Emeritus of Baird Advisors. Additionally, she serves as President of the Baird Funds.
She began her career in 1979 at First Wisconsin Trust Company as an analyst in the midst of a bear market. In her early years, she pioneered the practical use of duration in the management of bond portfolios creating the foundation for the investment process her team has successfully implemented over more than 40 years. She would rise to President and CEO of Firstar Investment Research & Management Company.
In early 2000, soon after the bank was sold, Mary Ellen and her team moved to Baird where they recreated the same team and process. By the end of their first quarter at Baird, several clients had followed. Assets would grow to roughly $5 billion by the end of that first year, and nearly every one of those initial clients remains with them today.
Mary Ellen focused on building a team of experienced professionals with a deep focus on quality and culture. She intentionally prioritized putting clients first, embracing change and continually getting better every day. The team has grown to manage more than $180 billion today in 10 mutual funds and separate accounts and has been repeatedly recognized as a “Best Place to Work in Money Management” by Pensions & Investments (P&I).
In 2022, Mary Ellen was named Morningstar’s Outstanding Portfolio Manager, one of Morningstar’s Awards for Investing Excellence. She was named a finalist for the award in 2019, 2020 and 2021. Under her leadership, Baird was a finalist in 2022 and 2023 for Morningstar’s Exemplary Stewardship Award and in 2021 ranked #1 out of 150 mutual fund families by Morningstar. The Baird Advisors team was also named a finalist for Morningstar’s 2016 Fixed Income Fund Manager of the Year Award. In 2020 and 2021, she was named to Barron’s list of the "100 Most Influential Women in US Finance." In 2023, she was named to P&I’s inaugural list of the "Most Influential Women in Institutional Investing."
Mary Ellen is a member of The CFA Institute, the CFA Society of Milwaukee, the Greater Milwaukee Committee (past Board Chair), Milwaukee 7 (past Co-Chair), Tempo (past President), Professional Dimensions and Milwaukee Women Inc. She serves on the boards of Baird Financial Group and WEC Energy Group (NYSE:WEC). She also serves on the boards of All-In Milwaukee, Boys and Girls Clubs (past Board Chair), Children's Hospital Foundation, Faith In Our Future Trust, Froedtert Theda Care Health, Greater Milwaukee Committee (past Chair), Greater Milwaukee Foundation (Board Chair) and Milwaukee World Festival (Board Chair). She has also served on the Board of Northwestern Mutual, The Medical College of Wisconsin (past Board Chair) and Marquette University where she chaired the Board and was elected Trustee Emerita.
Mary Ellen has received the Marquette University Alumna of the Year (2010) recognition, the Marquette University College of Arts and Sciences Person for Others Award, Marquette University High School’s Spirit of St. Ignatius Award, The St. Francis Children's Service Award, The Tempo Mentor Award, The Business Journal Women of Influence Award, The Point of Light Award, Professional Dimensions Sacagawea Award, Wisconsin Business Hall of Fame Distinguished Executive Award, Baird’s Brenton H. Rupple Citizenship Award, the Herb Kohl Champion Award, and St. Augustine Preparatory Academy’s Friends Award. She and her husband were named “Parents of the Year” by COA Youth and Family Centers (2011). In 2012, she received the MVP Award from Boys & Girls Clubs. In 2021, she received United Way’s Linda T. Mellowes Woman Leader of the Year Award.
Mary Ellen received her undergraduate degree from Marquette University (Magna Cum Laude, Phi Beta Kappa) and her graduate degree from the University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee. She is a Chartered Financial Analyst.