Extended Team

As Director of Baird Family Wealth, Melanie is responsible for the development of HNW and UHNW solutions and resources within Baird Private Wealth Management supporting advisors and their clients. She is passionate about developing long-range strategies critical to sustaining wealth and values over generations.

Prior to joining Baird, Melanie was a Managing Director at Abbot Downing where she led a team that focused on large family offices and multi-generational wealth. She has spent the last 25 years working with HNW and UHNW families.

Melanie is a member of the Family Office Exchange (FOX) and the Purposeful Planning Institute (PPI). A published author and thought leader on the topic of family wealth, she is focused on the development of the qualitative aspects of a family’s wealth. Melanie earned her Master in Business Administration from Boston
University and is a Certified Trust and Fiduciary Advisor.

As Director of Tax Planning for Baird, Tim is responsible for researching, writing and speaking on important tax issues that impact the clients of Baird. This includes topics related to retirement planning, executive compensation, business owners, legislative changes, and overall best practices.

Tim earned his bachelor’s degree in Accounting from the University of Illinois in 1991. He is a Certified Public Accountant/Personal Financial Specialist, a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ professional, a Certified Private Wealth AdvisorSM professional and a member of the American and Wisconsin Institutes of CPAs,
Investments & Wealth Institute (IWI) and the Financial Planning Association (FPA).

Linda is a Regional Financial Planner at Baird having joined the firm July of 2017. Possessing a unique balance of compassion and wisdom, allows her to guide and support those around her. Linda’s story-like approach to Financial Planning is what sets her apart from the rest of the field. As a CFP®, she caters to all clients through her creation of visual, calculated, and proactive plans. These plans serve as a compass through the territory of taxation, investments, insurances, health care, education, final wishes, and anything else falling under the broad scope of personal finances. Linda earned her BA from Wesleyan University in Russian Studies with a concentration in teaching, holds the Certified Financial Planner® designation, Certified Private Wealth Advisor® Certification and received a Certificate in Business Succession Planning from the American College. She currently holds the series 7, 66, 63, 51, 26, 24, life, health, annuity and property and casualty insurance licenses. 

Prior to joining Baird, Linda was a financial planner and advisor at various independent firms. Throughout her tenure, she has been published in the Financial Planning magazine, received multiple writing and speaking awards, and has conducted numerous educational seminars to other professionals.

Linda and her husband, Scott, reside in Centerville, TN and enjoy the countryside activities of hiking, kayaking, and boating the Duck and Piney Rivers. They have three grown sons, of whom they are very proud.

Michael Oehler is a Wealth Strategist supporting clients and advisors in Baird’s Western market. He has over 20 years of experience advising clients on their estate, tax, financial and wealth
planning needs.

Prior to joining Baird, Michael was a Senior Wealth Planning Strategist and Trust Fiduciary Advisor for 16 years at Wells Fargo Private Bank and five years at US Bank Private Wealth Management. He earned a Bachelor of Arts from Brigham Young University, a Master of Laws in Taxation from the University of Washington School of Law and a Juris Doctor from the University of  tah, S.J. Quinney College of Law. He is a member of the State Bar of California and the Utah State Bar, not currently practicing. He is also a member of the Sacramento Estate Planning Council where he served as a Board Member from 2014 through 2020.

Working with your Financial Advisor, Michael’s planning expertise will help you develop and implement customized wealth planning solutions based on a thorough understanding of your personal  values, asset growth, wealth transfer goals and vision for your legacy.

Will is a Senior Vice President and Trust Strategist for Baird Trust. He works with Baird Financial Advisors and their clients offering complex trust and estate planning guidance. Will has over 30 years of experience in trust and estate planning and administration. He is a member of the Kentucky and Louisville Bar Associations. He is also a member of the Louisville Estate Planning Counsel.

Prior to joining Baird Trust, Will spent four years with the law firm of Greenebaum Doll & McDonald in Louisville, where he focused primarily on estate administration, estate planning, and trust administration. Will holds a Bachelor of Science from the University of Tennessee and a J.D. from the University of Louisville. He serves on the Board of Directors for Crescent Hill Community Council, Friends of the Crescent Hill Library, and KET-Louisville. Will joined our firm in 1990.

Baird Trust Company (“Baird Trust”), a Kentucky state chartered trust company, is owned by Baird Financial Corporation (“BFC”). It is affiliated with Robert W. Baird & Co. Incorporated (“Baird”), (an SEC-registered broker-dealer and investment advisor), and other operating businesses owned by BFC. Neither Baird nor Baird Trust provide individualized tax, accounting or legal advice. Please consult your accountant or attorney for personal tax, accounting or legal advice.

Rick joined Baird’s Private Wealth Management team in October of 2014 as a Vice President and Senior Estate Planner, working out of the Dallas office. He works with Baird Financial Advisors, their clients, and the clients’ other professionals to promote the benefit of estate planning and assist with the development of clients’ estate plans. Specifically, his responsibilities include reviewing and discussing existing estate plans, answering estate planning questions, and presenting on estate planning topics.

Rick comes to Baird from The Nautilus Group, a service of New York Life Insurance Company, where he spent approximately seven years as one of the consultants and a manager in the Estate and Business Case Development unit. Prior to that, he was an Estate Planning Attorney with the advanced marketing department of another insurance company, and a Financial Planning Consultant  and the Advanced Case Design Specialist with Raymond James Financial. Rick has coached advisors on integrating estate planning into their practices; taught a financial planning class; spoken at advisor forums, client seminars, and estate planning conferences; and contributed articles to industry publications.

Bob joined Pacific Southwest Financial, a partner firm of Capitas Financial, as a Director of Private Wealth in February 2018. He is committed to helping financial advisors achieve greater success by partnering with them to help their clients build, preserve and distribute wealth. Bob has over 25 years of experience in the financial services industry, particularly with sales leadership and financial planning.

Bob holds an MBA in Finance from the University of Washington and in his spare time volunteers at the Union Gospel Mission Homeless Shelter and Recovery Center. He has lived over 20 years in Seattle with his family and enjoys playing golf, camping and traveling.

Robert W. Baird & Co. does not have any formal relationships or arrangements with any of the External non-Baird Resources listed above. This list should not be considered an endorsement of the products or services offered by these individuals or their firms.

My work involves understanding my clients current and long term exposure to risk. We are fierce advocates for our clients, with a passion for solving exposure concerns, while building a tailored insurance portfolio.

Robert W. Baird & Co. does not have any formal relationships or arrangements with any of the External non-Baird Resources listed above. This list should not be considered an endorsement of the products or services offered by these individuals or their firms.