Roger D. Baird ’72

Roger Baird grew up in Carroll County, Kentucky. He enrolled at the University of Kentucky in 1971 majoring in general studies and pledged Kappa Sigma spring semester 1972. After living one year at the old Haggin Hall dormitory on UK campus it seemed like he was moving into a luxury hotel when he moved into room 208 at 460 Hilltop in the fall of 1973. After serving two semesters as “House Manager” he realized it wasn’t exactly luxury but a great place to live. House father and Beta-Nu alumni brother, Babe Kimbrough kept the place going along with our cook Louise. The friendships made through Kappa Sigma became lifelong for Roger. Over the years he has made connections with and stayed in contact with brothers from his college years and there is probably not a day that goes by he doesn’t see or call another fraternity brother on the phone.

Roger’s business career began in Banking and Consumer Finance in 1976 and continued that path until 1983. In the fall of 1983 he was hired at Harp Enterprises in Lexington. Harp Enterprises was a printing company at that time with strong emphasis on ballot printing of old lever voting machines. In 1999 he was able to become a major shareholder and President and in 2014 leveraged a complete buyout of all the shares. Today the company sells and services high end electronic voting machines certified for federal, state and local elections in 130 counties in Kentucky, Tennessee and Indiana.

In 2007 he purchased Software Management based in Louisville. The company is a land records software provider for 76 counties in Kentucky. They provide software for easy access of Mortgage and Deed records in the County Clerk’s office and a web based look up system for title searchers.

Baird is a lifelong member of the University of Kentucky Alumni Association and has held board positions at the University of Kentucky’s Spindletop Hall, he is also a member of the University of Kentucky Fellows Society. He is currently on the Board of the Blue Grass Council of the Boys Scouts of America and a member of the Lexington Rotary Club.

Roger is married to the former Anne Skees. Anne is a retired Kindergarten teacher. They have two children, and five grandchildren. In his spare time, Brother Baird attends most of the UK football and basketball games. He also plays a round of golf occasionally, but his favorite pastime is playing with and spending time with his grandchildren.

Brother Baird has many fond memories of his times at Beta-Nu. The band parties at the house and the Kappa Sigma Road Rally weekend event. Trips to the Chevy Chase Inn for a game on the bowling machine and Two Keys on Thursday night. He especially remembers the ‘lamb roast outing’ on Brad Marston’s family farm in Franklin County and the left over lamb meat that House Father Babe Kimbrough disguised in every meal we ate that semester.