2 Veteran Smith Barney FAs Move to Baird Wealth Management

Milwaukee-based Baird, which now includes more than 650 advisors, says that Smith Barney veterans Charles (Chuck) E. Singer Jr. and James Carideo joined the employee-owned international wealth management firm.

The two will lead the firm's wealth-management offices in Indianapolis and Tampa, respectively. Also, Carideo will oversee branch offices in Orlando, Palm Harbor and Winter Park, Florida.

Both Singer and Carideo were previously branch managers with Smith Barney, now a division of Morgan Stanley and previously part of Citi, Baird says. They have been named senior vice president/branch manager at Baird.

Singer (photo on left) managed the Indianapolis branch, with 55 financial advisors representing more than $6 billion in client asset, as well as two satellite offices in Indiana. He spent 25 years with Smith Barney.

"Chuck and Jim are tremendous additions to our private wealth management business and to Baird," said Michael Schroeder, president of Baird Private Wealth Management. "With their deep industry knowledge and appreciation for Baird's unique culture, they are well suited to lead our wealth management offices in Indianapolis, Tampa and throughout Florida, and help us recruit top talent in those markets. We're very pleased they have chosen to continue their careers at Baird."

Carideo (photo on left) oversaw Smith Barney's Los Angeles office, with 82 financial advisors representing more than $10 billion in client assets.

He is a native of Tampa and joined Smith Barney in 1992.

Baird says its 650-plus financial advisors managed and oversaw more than $53 billion in client assets as of Sept. 30, 2009.

In early December, Charlotte, N.C.- area financial veteran Landrum H. Henderson, Jr., formerly of Bank of America and a 35-industry industry professional, joined Baird as a senior vice president and is setting up the firm's first wealth-management office in downtown Charlotte. Henderson will serve as the manager of the branch location.

Baird's private wealth management business also opened an office in Winston-Salem, N.C., in November month, after opening offices in Baltimore and Easton, Md., earlier this year.

The private wealth management group has added 100 financial advisors since the beginning of 2009, the vast majority of whom are industry veterans, the company says.

Baird also has opened other private wealth management offices in other markets, such as Denver, Sacramento, Calif.; Baltimore; Easton, Md., Philadelphia, Minnetonka, Minn. In addition, Baird plans to open offices in San Francisco and Nevada.

Some of Baird's other businesses including investment banking and public finance have opened offices in these new markets, as well.