Rodney currently serves as Baird’s Global Chief Human Resources Officer. In this role, Rodney is responsible for focusing on strategic issues, and working with Chairman & CEO Steve Booth and other members of senior management to further organizational effectiveness and associate development. Rodney oversees Human Resources, Corporate Real Estate & Workplace Solutions, Baird Travel and assists with the administration of the Baird Foundation. He is most proud of Baird’s recognition as one of Fortune’s 100 Best Companies to Work For since 2004.

From 2018-2021, Rodney was Baird’s Chief Risk Officer. In this role, Rodney was responsible for the oversight of Baird’s financial liquidity, institutional and retail capital markets trading and underwriting risk management, cyber security, business continuity, third party risk, internal audit and insurance activities. From 2011-2018, he was the Chief Operating Officer for Baird’s Global Investment Banking group and was a member of the department’s management committee. Rodney began his career at Baird in 1998 as an investment banker where he was responsible for originating and executing merger and acquisition and equity financing transactions. He also spent several years working in Baird’s London office developing our transatlantic M&A practice.

Rodney reports to Baird’s CEO and serves as a member of Baird’s Executive Committee. He is also a member of Baird’s Audit Committee, Finance Committee and Talent HR Committee. 

Rodney is a member of the board of trustees of Centerspace (NYSE:  CSR), where he is also chair of the Compensation Committee, and is member of the board of directors of Associated Bancorp (NYSE: ASB).  In the community, Rodney is the board chair of the Foundation for Homan Square and is a board member of IFF, where he was previously board chair. 

Prior to joining Baird, Rodney worked in the consumer finance and commercial lending areas of Citibank, Chase Manhattan Bank and First Chicago NBD Bank.

Rodney received his MBA from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business and holds a BS in Finance from the University of Maryland.