MONROE — It may have been that job he landed after his junior year of high school at The Swiss Colony in Monroe that truly taught John Baumann about work ethic, people from different backgrounds and the secret to making a business flourish. 

He was only a kid then, but the upper middle class student working in the mailing department — simply looking to make some money in high school — said it gave him a new perspective. 

“Roles like that make an impression on you,” Baumann said. “That was healthy for me.”

He would go on to college and eventually come back to the place he started. He worked his way to the top of the business and became a staple in the community — both of which he loved. And now after spending decades at Colony Brands, Baumann has announced his retirement as president, which he passed along in July and will officially retire as CEO Dec. 31. 

After his graduation from Monroe High School and then the University of Wisconsin-Madison where he earned a degree in journalism, Baumann began a yearlong job as a sports reporter for the Wisconsin State Journal. 

He still has an affinity for college sports, he said, and a particularly warm spot for the Badgers. 

He knew his career wouldn’t end at the newspaper, however, and returned to school at Northwestern University in the Kellogg School of Management in Illinois hoping to pursue a career in business.

Part of his graduation requirement was to land a summer internship and in 1984 Baumann decided to reach out to Pat Kubly, who he had only previously met after organizing the Swiss Colony softball team. He said Kubly was interested in growing the business and brought him in, where his eyes were opened to the high levels of professionalism and promise.

“I thought of Swiss Colony as progressive — but quaint,” Baumann said. “My eyes were opened quickly.”

He was offered that internship, he said, and later came on board full time as the Manager of New Customer Development. He said his job was to bring in new customers to grow the business, and he saw opportunity turn into success, especially on the catalog side of things. He used his strengths in math and statistics to come up with database models that quickly changed the trajectory of the catalog business.

In 1986, Baumann became the president of a new catalog division called Midnight Velvet. Through the years, he would receive a number of promotions among the ranks of marketing — but notable ones include in 1989 when he became the Vice President of Marketing; in 1992 when he became the Senior Vice President of Strategic Planning; and in 1996 when he earned the titles of both President and CEO.

He said there was opportunity available, but he also considered himself assertive in a positive way. He felt the diversified, and yet somewhat complicated business allowed him to wear a lot of hats, and it kept him happy through the years.

“I molded my own job in a way,” he said. “A background in marketing and finance is the core to understanding a business.”

He said he felt he had a strong intuition as to what a successful long term culture at Colony Brands might look like and he was able to gain rapport and trust with people both inside and outside of the company. Through the years, Baumann has seen big changes. And in a business looking to grow, he said he became accustomed to change every few years to keep things fresh. 

He never seriously considered leaving for bigger opportunity and part of that was because of his hometown that he’d grown to adore. 

“Over time, I began to love this organization,” he said. “I love the people here and I came to appreciate all of the advantages of small town living in a community like Monroe.”

As talk of retirement loomed, Baumann reeled from a conversation with a friend looking to retire who made a list of all she wanted to do. It sparked the start of his own retirement plans and what he hoped to accomplish outside of work. After holding the role of President and CEO of Colony Brands for 23 years, he began to make his own list. 

“It’s going to be hard to do lots of those things, but I can’t wait to get started,” Baumann said.

Baumann has hobbies like traveling, golfing and fishing and also loves to spend time with his wife, Katie, their children and grandchildren. The couple has spent time driving positive community impact efforts through their foundation, the John and Katie Baumann Inspiration Project. They assist local charity efforts and encourage community volunteerism and have already accomplished several funding efforts in the community.

Baumann won’t walk away entirely from the business, however. He plans to take over as President of the Colony Brands Foundation and is looking forward to the high impact position. He will also stay on the Colony Brands Board of Directors, and hopes to continue to use his experience to help benefit the business without being involved in the day to day operations.

When his final day comes at the end of December, Baumann said it’s the people he’ll have the hardest time leaving. He feels he’s been surrounded by individuals who tackle business challenges, unselfishly engage in teamwork and they’re with whom he’s created lasting friendships.

Vice President of Strategic Planning Ryan Kubly, who also serves on the Board of Directors for Colony Brands, met Baumann in 1986, the year after he began at the company and has worked with him since. He said Baumann’s accomplishments have always been done with a focus on community and organizations.

“John has successfully created a culture and team that focuses on doing the right thing for our customers, employees and community,” Kubly said. “John has more than doubled sales and profits at Colony Brands since his tenure.”

Working with Baumann, according to Kubly, has been a joy, because he’s a great listener and cares about people. 

“There’s an ease to working with someone who is sharp, gets it and is proactive – that’s John,” Kubly said.

He passed on his title of president to Bob Erb on July 17 and will officially hand over his CEO title Jan. 1 to Erb as well. He said their working relationship is strong and by the time he’s ready to leave, the transition will run so smoothly no one will likely even know he’s gone. 

“We’ve built a smart culture here and he embraces and understands that,” Baumann said of Erb. 

Kubly said the smooth transition is another example of Baumann’s many strong leadership skills. 

“As with all great CEOs, John has built a great team that will be able to carry forward his vision and goals,” Kubly said.

Baumann isn’t so surprised that he’s stayed so long in the job where he began when he looks around him. He said the turnover rate at Colony Brands is low because it’s a place people, including him, want to be.

“Why would I have gone anyplace else?” he said. “This has been ideal.”

He’s proud that Colony Brands keeps three important things at the forefront, including strong customer service, a healthy employee culture and impacting the community.

“I really look back and say ‘this is the best job I could have had,’” he said. “I’ve been really fortunate.”