2020 40 Under 40: Kirk Baumann, 39

Inside and outside of his job, Kirk Baumann tries his best to pay it forward as often as possible. As team member experience manager at O’Reilly Hospitality Management LLC, he focuses on the growth, development and recognition of over 1,400 team members across 36 hotel, restaurant and retail properties in 10 states.

His goal is to make the lives of others better, one step at a time. At OHM, that includes finding talent for the right jobs, but also optimizing the abilities of new hires and discovering how to motivate each individual based on what drives them and their needs.

Outside of OHM, Baumann’s helped college students prepare for the workforce through his award-winning career advice blog, Campus to Career. He also was lead instructor at Jobs for Life at Victory Mission, conducting mock interviews to help students prepare for the real thing.

What are you doing to make the Ozarks better? Creating a more inclusive workplace through strategic partnerships with organizations like Abilities First, Victory Mission and Harmony House, and building others up so that they can thrive in their careers.

What is the best piece of advice you’ve ever received? “If you fail to plan, plan to fail.” It was one of my departed mother’s favorites, too. I can still hear her saying it and it brings a smile to my face.

What’s your most treasured possession? Family photos and a cookbook with all my nana’s recipes.