Maria Moores Watts ‘00 attended Capitol Hill Magnet School and had a unique introduction to the CDH community - her primary babysitters were both alumni. Once she enrolled, she dove into the many opportunities available to her, playing varsity soccer, golf, and hockey, singing in choir, participating in NHS, and competing in speech.

She attended Centenary College in Louisiana, earning a dual degree in Business and Spanish. Once again, she was highly involved in a wide range of extracurricular activities, including sports, choir, and being President of her sorority. She has found that her wide-ranging involvement as a student helped her develop a strong work ethic and time management skills. 

She chose to go into investment banking due to a true passion for working with business owners and entrepreneurs making complicated decisions. She began her career in 2004, and had only four years of experience when she had to relocate to Chicago due to her husband’s job in the midst of the financial crisis, at a time when the field was in turmoil. Fortunately, Maria’s talent was self-evident, and she was hired by Baird on the condition that she simultaneously earn an MBA at Northwestern University. 

She was promoted to Vice President, finished her degree shortly thereafter, and was successively promoted to Director, then Managing Director — the highest position for an industry banker. At age 35, Maria was the youngest banker promoted to Managing Director in the history of Baird. She has worked with major brands including Adidas, Vera Bradley, CamelBak, and many more. During her career, Maria has successfully completed more than 50 transactions totaling nearly $30.0 billion in value.

“Maria is a uniquely talented individual and investment banker, combining a mastery of the analytical aspects of our business with strong people skills and an unstoppable passion to be the best,” said Brian McDonagh, Co-Head of Global Investment Banking at Baird. “She is on a path to become a future senior leader of our organization and has made everyone around her better in so many ways.  I wish all of my bankers were more like Maria Watts.” 

Maria is a mother of two children, and helped develop a flexible and effective maternity policy for Baird. She is committed to helping more women climb the ladder behind her, and regularly speaks to colleges and women’s groups about career opportunities in investment banking. As part of Pipeline Angels, an organization dedicated to supporting women and minority-run businesses, she provides mentorship and financial capital to help early-stage entrepreneurs grow their businesses. She is also involved in the United Way, the Goodman Theatre, and the Economic Club of Chicago.

The Signum Fidei Award is presented annually to one woman and one man whose career and actions are reflective of the ideals of the Christian Brothers and the Sisters of St. Joseph. Maria exemplifies those ideals through her impressive career and community involvement.