Jim Kochan, R.W. Baird's fixed-income strategist since 1991, has left the firm to join Strong Capital Management in Milwaukee in the new position of senior v.p. in the client services group. Kochan will be responsible for developing investment strategies for the firms fixed-income customers. He will report to Larry Zuntz, group chief, who is based in Chicago. Strong Capital Management has approximately $50 billion under fixed-income management. Prior to his tenure at R.W. Baird, Kochan was Merrill Lynch's chief fixed-income strategist, and was the first bond strategist picked for the Institutional Investor fixed-income research all-star team in 1989.
Kochan says that "every 10 years I guess I have to make a move," continuing that, "I had a great run at Baird, but it was time to do something else, something more creative and challenging." At Baird he reported to bond chief Curt Revard. Revard could not be reached for comment.