The Wausau office of Robert W. Baird & Co. congratulates the Wausau Region Chamber of Commerce on 100 years of active support for the businesses in our area.
“We believe in the Chamber and its work fostering the local business environment,” said Mark Dolenshek, Branch Manager of Baird’s Wausau office. “Many local business owners and their employees are our clients, so we believe the Chamber’s efforts that encourage and support local businesses support us all.”
Baird has shared many proud years with the Chamber over the last century. Our first office opened in Wausau in 1936, and we joined the Chamber ten years later. We called the corner of 3rd and Scott home for 70 years before moving into the Dudley Tower in 2007.
“Our office has benefitted from the growth in the Wausau community as supported by the Chamber,” Mark said. “The city’s growth – as a business center and as a community – has allowed us to grow as well. Our office now oversees roughly $750 million in client assets and that’s something we couldn’t do without continued development by businesses across the region.”
Strong growth earned the Wausau office Branch of the Year honors from Baird in 2007. It also helped Mark, and his predecessor Mike Schilder, to be named Branch Managers of the year for Baird in 2007 and 2005, respectively.
Mark noted that Baird’s Wausau office has tried to return that good fortune by further supporting businesses and community efforts throughout the region.
“We’re a co-sponsor of the YWCA’s ‘Women of Vision’ awards ceremony and The Presenting Sponsor of the Wausau Festival of the Arts because we see these things as positive ways to give back to the community where we live and work,” Mark said. “The people around us are our neighbors as well as our clients.”
Recently, Baird’s Wausau office also sponsored the Chamber’s first Executive Roundtable, which provides CEOs and business leaders the chance to network, share ideas and learn about topics that may affect their businesses. The kickoff event featured Bruce Bittles, Baird’s Chief Market Strategist, who discussed his views on the economy and the financial markets, and when he believes things may turn the corner.
“The roundtable was a great event and we were proud that Baird could help bring it to Chamber members,” Mark said. “We’re glad to be a part of the Chamber and wish it and the Wausau business community continued good luck over the next 100 years.”
