2026 FORBES | SHOOK Research Best-in-State Wealth Management Teams. Published 1/7/26, rankings based on data as of 3/31/25.
We believe that the more you plan, the better your life will be.
From short-term goals like saving up for an exotic vacation to long-term goals such as living out your dream retirement, we’ll sit down and discuss everything that’s on your mind to gain a better understanding of you, your needs and what you hope to achieve.
Your financial plan is not a one-time meeting, but rather a living, breathing document that will be continuously updated as you — and your life — evolves. Whether you’re a parent, recent grad or pre-retiree, we can help make sure every financial decision you make has your best interests in mind.
Level of risk
Stick to the stocks that have a history of good performance in the market or venture beyond your comfort zone to explore the investment options that offer a higher potential ROI.
Timeframe
Whether you seek immediate results or don’t mind waiting, we’ll help you get the return you need to achieve your investment objectives according to your desired timeframe.
Financial goals
From short-term to long-term, we’ll design an investment strategy that focuses on the objectives you care about most so you get maximum value out of every dollar.
Who is Baird Trust
Our investment strategy partners include, Baird Trust who provides high-net-worth clients and institutions with asset management, trust administration and estate settlement services. Our goal is to help clients grow their wealth and then transfer to the people and causes they care about most.
Formerly operating under the name Hilliard Lyons Trust, Baird Trust has been serving the needs of its clients for nearly four decades.
Baird Trust oversees more than $15 billion in assets.
Baird Trust is independent and employee-owned, which means that we focus on what really matters and mitigate any potential confl ict between what’s best for our clients and what’s best for our company. We win when our clients win.
Nancy Osmond Popovich
Managing Director
As managing director, I specialize in asset allocation, investment policy, wealth transfer and charitable giving. Through my dedication to trust, integrity and my reputation as one of Forbes Top Women Advisors, I'm here to help guide you through every financial decision.
My career began at Merrill Lynch in 1998. A few years later in 2008, I became the founder member of the Baird Network of Women Financial Advisors. Since then, I’ve been an active member of Baird's mentoring program.
My interest in financial planning grew out of my own family experience. I witnessed firsthand the tragic consequences that can result from inadequate planning. Since then, I have dedicated myself to making a difference in my clients’ lives. I am especially passionate about educating women and children so they can feel empowered to use their money as a tool to build a bright and successful future.
Why I Serve
I’m an active speaker in the Washington D.C. area and an advocate for helping women gain a deeper understanding of their financial life. I am driven by my passion for helping families build their legacy through strategic planning and investments.
My interest in financial planning grew out of my own family experience. As a young girl, I witnessed first-hand the tragic consequences that can result from inadequate planning. Since then, I have dedicated myself to making a difference in my clients' lives by stressing the importance of financial preparedness. I am especially passionate about helping women and children learn the basics of responsible money management so they can make smart financial choices and gain confidence through their own decisions.
Nancy is a proud alumni of the University of Maryland, call od 1998. She is an active supporter of the University of Maryland Men’s and Women’s Lacrosse Program.
Ryan C. Unthank, CFA®
Director
I have over 10 years of experience specializing in equity and fixed income selection and portfolio management. My primary focus is on retirement strategies related to financial planning, investment management and asset allocation.
Outside of work, I have written various market-specific articles about credit markets and investment strategies. I have a bachelor's degree in finance from Virginia Tech University and currently lives in Ashburn, VA with my wife, Jenni, and our three kids, Gabriella, Gavin, and Giuliana.
Why I Serve
My number one mission is to provide an exceptional level of service for my clients and to have a positive impact on their lives. Being able to educate them on ways to enhance their financial wellbeing has always been a passion of mine. Although our clients come from different backgrounds and career paths, they all tend to share a common goal of wealth preservation, as well as trust our team to guide them through market volatility. Nothing makes me feel better than building lasting relationships with our clients and their families.
Brittney M. Schlicker, CFP®
Vice President
A, Certified Financial Planner™professional, Brittney is the head of financial planning for her team. She earned her CFP® designation in 2018 and holds a bachelor’s degree in accounting from West Virginia University. She also holds her Series 7, Series 66, and insurance licenses and oversees the insurance business for the team. Brittney contributes to the team’s blogs, sharing her expertise and insights.
In August 2023, Brittney moved to North Carolina with her husband and has 2 young girls. She continues to service her clients virtually.
Why I Serve
My passion for financial planning was inspired by my father, a business owner of a contracting company in New Jersey. Witnessing the financial highs and lows of the family’s business ignited my desire to help others achieve financial stability and peace of mind.
Shannon L. Johnson
Client Assistant
Shannon joined our team in 2006 as a receptionist when we were still at Ferris Baker Watts. She moved with us from there to Baird a year later in 2007 where she took on the Client Assistant position.
She became a lead member of the Popovich Financial Group in late 2016, where her main role is to create and nurture long-term relationships with clients.
Shannon currently has a deep understanding of our Financial Planning process and when to pull in the Tax Planning and Estate Planning experts for our clients. She is integral in our Value-Add process as she guides clients along their journey at the right pace so as not to overwhelm them but engage them in each of the resources, we are able to provide you as a High Net Worth client at Baird. Shannon has a deep understanding of the importance of data protection and spearheads our mission to protect all client’s assets at Baird and outside of Baird. We offer a free year of ID Watchdog Identity Protection to each of our new clients so expect to be hearing more about that from Shannon. She is also the go-to expert for the team, with institutional knowledge on systems and processes within our team and at Baird.
When Shannon isn’t at the office, you will find her spending quality time with her husband Paul and amazing daughters, Payton, and Presley with the same incredible passion as she shows us and our clients. Shannon is truly the heart and soul of our team.
Connor Humiston
Client Assistant
After earning his bachelor's degree in Finance from Georgetown University’s McDonough School of Business, Connor chose to enter the Financial Industry as a result of developing a strong passion for Private Wealth Management. This field will allowed him to develop a client-facing skill set focused on his analytical thinking and decision-making skills, which are two activities he enjoys most.
Why I Serve
I look forward to nurturing long-term relationships with clients and assisting them with plans that will enhance their present and future financial needs. I relish the opportunity to come up with creative solutions to address any needs that will help them grow and protect their wealth. Working in this industry will also allow me to work closely with the financial markets, which I find fascinating and challenging. In my free time, I enjoy serving as a volunteer youth lacrosse coach, hiking, and spending time outdoors with family and friends.
Jaleigh White
Director of Baird Family Wealth
Jaleigh White is the architect behind the Baird Family Wealth platform. The Baird Family Wealth team works with advisors and their most complex clients ensuring that business owners, executives, and multi-generational client families have access to the resources they need to meet their individual goals and navigate major transitions in their lives.
At Hilliard Lyons, Jaleigh was Executive Vice President and had direct responsibility for Hilliard Lyons Trust Company, Wealth and Family Office, Wealth Planning and all investment products and services. Prior to Hilliard Lyons, Jaleigh was Managing Director of Fifth Third Private Bank and CEO of their family office, Mirador Family Wealth Advisors. Jaleigh also spent over a decade in public accounting, beginning her career at Arthur Andersen and later joining Kemper CPA Group as a Managing Partner.
Jaleigh received her B.A. in Accounting from Southern Illinois University. She is also a graduate of the Securities Industry Institute at the Wharton School of Business. She is a member of the Integrated Wealth Advisor Council at the Family Office Exchange and is on the Leaders Council of The UHNW Institute.
Timothy Steffen, CPA-PFS, CFP®, CPWA®
Director of Tax Planning
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 originally joined Baird in 1999 serving in a variety of planning-oriented roles, most recently as the Director of Advanced Planning. Prior to Baird, Tim worked in Arthur Andersen’s Private Client Services group in Milwaukee where he specialized in tax and financial planning. His clients included corporate executives, business owners and families.
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 and the Financial Planning Association.
Rick Holman, J.D., CFP®, CLU®
Senior Estate Planner
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.
A native of Florida, Rick graduated from the University of Miami with a degree in Politics and then earned his J.D. from Florida State University. He has obtained his Certified Financial Planner and Chartered Life Underwriter designations, and holds FINRA Series 6, 7, 63 and 65 licenses.
Derek Bonifer, CFA®, CFP®
Senior Vice President, Senior Portfolio Manager
Derek is a Senior Vice President and Senior Portfolio Manager for Baird Trust. He has 25 years of experience in the investment industry. Derek holds the Chartered Financial Analyst® designation and the Certified Financial Planner® designation.
Prior to joining Baird Trust, Derek spent over nine years with PNC Wealth Management, serving as a Vice President and Senior Investment Manager. Before that, he spent two years with ARGI Financial Group as a Portfolio Manager and ten years with BMO Capital Markets as the Director of Municipal Research. He holds a Bachelor of Business Administration with an emphasis in Finance from the University of Kentucky and an MBA with an emphasis on Finance and Financial Analysis from DePaul University. Derek serves as a Foundation Board Member for Frontier Nursing University. Derek joined our firm in 2022.
Young Professionals
Whether you’re managing student loan debt, starting a business or considering buying a house, our Financial Planning Process is tailored to your unique needs and goals as a young professional.
Young Professionals
Catered specifically to those who have recently graduated from college or just recently began working at their first full-time job, this process focuses more on short-term goals while you grow and evolve in your personal and professional life.
Retirees
From optimizing your investments to developing a budgeting strategy, we can help make sure you’re covered for the next five, 10 and 20 years.
Retirees
As a retiree, you face unique challenges and opportunities when planning ahead for your exit from the workforce. Our team is experienced in navigating these situations, always keeping your best interests in mind when creating a strategy that aligns with the vision you have for your future. Instead of a one-size-fits-all approach, we work diligently to uncover new ways to fulfill your requests and ensure your needs are secured and protected throughout your lifetime.
People in Transition
Whether you just quit your job or recently separated from your spouse, we can help you begin this new chapter with confidence.
People in Transition
As a retiree, you face unique challenges and opportunities when planning ahead for your exit from the workforce. Our team is experienced in navigating these situations, always keeping your best interests in mind when creating a strategy that aligns with the vision you have for your future. Instead of a one-size-fits-all approach, we work diligently to uncover new ways to fulfill your requests and ensure your needs are secured and protected throughout your lifetime.
Business Owners
Focus less on managing your money and more on improving your business with strategies that offer room to grow and expand.
Business Owners
With experience in a wide range of industries, our team has gained extensive insight and expertise in a variety of business-related financial decisions and situations. Dedicated to proactivity (as opposed to reactivity), we’ll lend our objective advice and guidance throughout your company’s lifetime to ensure you never compromise the integrity of your products and/or services. No matter what happens, you’ll have us in your corner supporting every next step so you remain successful.
Hopecam’s mission is simple: overcome the social isolation experienced by children during their cancer treatment.
Oceana is the world's largest international advocacy organization focusing on protecting the ocean. They aim to influence policy around the world to make the ocean a healthier place.
Food for Others distributes free food to people in need and provides opportunities for people to volunteer their resources.
Neediest Kids provides thousands of low-income students across the Washington D.C. metro area with the basic essentials they need to get the education they deserve.
STEP 1
Initial Meeting
At the beginning of our partnership, we’ll schedule a 15- to 30-minute informal meet and greet — either in-person or by phone — to learn more about you, your background and your needs. This is a great opportunity for us to get to know one another and decide whether or not we’d be a good fit.
STEP 2
Meet the Team
Next, we’ll invite you to our office where you’ll have the opportunity to meet the rest of our team. During this meeting, we’ll provide information about our services, philosophy, fees and more so you can feel confident during the decision-making process.
STEP 3
Make a Plan
After that, we’ll collect any financial information you have, as well as discuss your short- and long-term goals. We’ll then provide you with some initial solutions and recommendations based upon what we feel will suit your needs best. Then, we’ll develop a game plan for our relationship moving forward.
STEP 4
Monitor & Adjust
Once we all agree on the necessary next steps, we’ll open accounts, implement our investment strategy and perform any other discussed duties. After all action items have been executed, we’ll meet at least once a year to review your progress and make any adjustments as needed.
2026 Market and Policy Outlook
