Milwaukee-based Baird, an employee-owned wealth management, capital markets, private equity and asset management firm, said it hired 77 financial advisors in the first half of 2009.

In total, Baird’s private wealth management business hired 132 wealth management professionals in the first half of 2009, bringing the total to over 600 worldwide.

Since the beginning of the year, Baird has also added four new private wealth management offices, two each on the US east and west coasts.

“On the heels of a record recruiting year for 2008, Baird continues to have tremendous success attracting high calibre talent in an unprecedented environment,” said director of private wealth management Michael Schroeder.