Coalfire, a Louisville, Colo.-based software company focused on risk and compliance, has closed $3.6 million in funding from Baird Capital. It’s Baird Capital’s second round of venture funding for Coalfire, following a $5 million Series A investment in February 2011.

Confusion is a bad thing in private equity and venture capital. Today, Robert W. Baird & Co. is attempting to provide some clarity regarding all its different funds.

Baird Capital Partners Europe, the UK-based fund of Baird Private Equity, has exited its investment in London-based recruiting company Aston Carter Group. The firm sold Aston to staffing company Allegis Group. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed, though the firm said that it generated a 2.5x gross return and a 27% gross IRR. Baird led the buyout of Aston Carter in April 2007, investing £13 million.

METI, a Sarasota, Fla.-based provider of medical simulation technologies, has acquired Lionis Software LLC, a Hungarian provider of an audiovisual and center management system for healthcare education. No financial terms were disclosed. METI is a portfolio company of Baird Capital Partners.

New Vitality, a Farmingdale, N.Y.-based direct marketer of premium nutritional supplements and personal care products, has raised an undisclosed amount of private equity funding from Baird Capital Partners.

The following seven pieces of fundraising news have been culled from recent SEC filings:

Thayer Hidden Creek, a Washington, DC, and Minneapolis-based lower middle market private equity firm, is raising its second fund. Thayer Hidden Creek Partners II, L.P. has a target of $350 million. The fund has raised $84.8 million from 10 investors to date. Berchwood Partners is listed as a placement agent to the fund.

Baird Capital Partners is raising its fifth buyout fund. The fund was formed in 2008, and its target is listed as $376.2 million. The firm has closed on $130 million as of February 8. Thomas Capital Group, Inc. and Robert W. Baird & Co. itself have been listed as placement agents to the fund.

Rockland Capital is raising a fund called Rockland Power Partners LP. The vehicle was formed in 2008 and has collected $100.4 million in commitments from 19 investors as of February 9. The fund has a $500 million target. Berchwood Partners is serving as the firm’s placement agent. Rockland, based in Houston and New York, was formed in 2003 to acquire and develop selected investment opportunities in the North American and European power and energy infrastructure markets.

Baird Capital Partners has formed American Auto Auction Group LLC, as an acquisition platform focused on the whole-car auction market. Its first two portfolio additions are Charleston Auto Auction of Moncks Corner, S.C., and Rea Brothers Mid-South Auto Auction of Pearl, Mississippi. No financial terms were disclosed.

Baird Capital Partners is raising upwards of $400 million for its fifth fund, according to a regulatory filing. The Milwaukee-based firm closed its fourth fund in 2006 with $300 million. www.rwbaird.com

Baird Capital Partners has backed the MBO of Medical Education Technologies Inc, a Sarasota, Fla.-based learning software company for an undisclosed amount. The company’s founder and CEO, Lou Obernorf, participated in the buyout. Press Release: CHICAGO, October 9, 2008 – Baird Capital Partners (BCP), the U.S.-based buyout fund of Baird Private Equity, and Lou Oberndorf, [...]

Baird Capital Partners Europe, the UK mid-market buyout arm of Baird, has backed portfolio company Choices Holdings Limited’s acquisition of Glasgow-based care group Domiciliary Care. No price was given for the bolt-on acquisition. A 2006 investment, Baird Capital Partners Europe, then known as Granville Baird Capital Partners, put £10m into the management buyout of Choices [...]