Roger Baird '72

Tonight, we honor Roger Baird the 2025 Beta-Nu Alumnus of the year. Roger is a dedicated leader, entrepreneur, and community advocate whose career has been marked by perseverance, integrity, and Kappa Sigma. Born in Tennessee and raised in Carroll County, Kentucky, Roger enrolled at the University of Kentucky in 1971. He pledged Kappa Sigma in the Spring of 1972. His time at the University of Kentucky laid the foundation for many of the lifelong friendships and values that would shape his life and career.

Roger began his professional career in banking and consumer finance in 1976. In 1983, a chance moment at a UK football game led him to Harp Enterprises, a Lexington-based ballot printing company. He joined the team that fall as a voting machine technician. Over the years, Roger’s leadership and commitment to service propelled him through the ranks—he became a major shareholder and President in 1999 and achieved a full buyout of the company in 2014. Today, Harp Enterprises is a leading provider of federally certified electronic voting systems, serving over 130 counties in Kentucky, Tennessee, and Indiana.

In 2007, Roger acquired Software Management LLC in Louisville, expanding his leadership into the land records and technology space. The company provides software to 90 Kentucky counties for managing and accessing deeds, mortgages, and land records in County Clerk offices—empowering communities with efficient, reliable tools for property documentation and public access.

Roger has built a reputation on great service and principled leadership, creating a lasting legacy in both business and community. He is a lifelong member of the Kappa Sigma fraternity and the University of Kentucky Alumni Association, and he has served on the board at UK’s Spindletop Hall. He is also a proud member of the UK Fellows Society, served on the Blue Grass Council of the Boy Scouts of America, and the Endowment Board of Lexington Rotary Club. He has also been a volunteer serving as alumnus advisor for Beta-Nu. A diehard UK sports fan, Roger rarely misses a football or basketball game and can always be found cheering on the Wildcats.

But Roger’s proudest legacy is his family. He is married to the former Anne Skees, a retired kindergarten teacher who shares his love for people and community. Together they have two children and six grandchildren—Ethan, Parker, Lydia, Rhys, Chloe, and Shepard Roger—who affectionately call him “Granddads.” Roger lights up when he’s with his grandkids, whether he’s telling stories, cheering them on, or simply enjoying time at the lake. His role as Granddads is one he treasures deeply.