Bob Baumann is Retiring!

Bob Baumann is genuinely one of a kind. SMBH has never seen another employee like him and probably never will. His unique abilities as a brilliant and patient leader, engineer, and coworker while remaining grounded, true to his values, and personally relatable are rare. He has dedicated his entire career to helping others achieve their personal and professional goals and advocating for the betterment of the A/E/C industry while still staying focused on being the best engineer he can be for SMBH and our clients. Even though he is one of the busiest people in the office, he always makes time for anyone who needs him. But there's so much more to Bob than being an accomplished engineer and role model. Bob is hands down one of the most admired, loyal, ethical, moral, and dedicated human beings you will ever encounter. Family, church, and career are the pillars of his life. While working and creating a successful career, he raised his family of four daughters with his wife, Christine, and served the church and community in many ways.

 

When you meet Bob Baumann and ask him about his storied career, he will nearly always lead with, "I am the son of a carpenter." When he was young, he worked with his hands alongside his father to build a two-story addition on their home. He had the opportunity to watch and experience how buildings went together, fueling what became a lifetime passion for building construction. His early exposure to the basics and practicality of design gave him insight into ways to make structural designs that were safe, efficient, and constructible for the contractor.

Bob earned his bachelor's degree and master's degree from the University of Cincinnati and started with SMBH immediately after graduation on November 30, 1981. At the time, SMBH had 18 employees. After 16 years of excellence in engineering and proven dedication, he became a Principal in 1998. As Principal, he guided countless engineers through projects and obstacles while demonstrating an unwavering devotion to his trade. Since stepping down as Principal in 2021, he has spent tremendous time passing on institutional knowledge to our team. As a registered Professional or Structural Engineer in 17 states, his professional legacy is evident in the impeccably designed structures gracing buildings across Columbus and extending far beyond, spanning the United States. Known for his thoughtful, practical, and innovative designs, he has garnered a well-deserved reputation.

 

Bob has been involved in over 3,500 projects at SMBH, almost 400 of which have won awards. A few notable buildings are the Ohio Public Employees Retirement System (OPERS) and the School Employees Retirement System (SERS) buildings. Bob has served as SMBH's Responsible Engineer in Charge for the state of West Virginia projects, including some high-profile projects such as the West Virginia Tamarack Marketplace and Wheeling Hospital, both of which are award-winning.

 

One of Bob's passion projects is his presentation on load paths, called "What’s the Load and Where Does it Go?". This AIA-approved presentation offers accreditation hours, and he has presented this to multiple groups internally and externally, including architectural firms and professional organizations such as CSI and AIA. Bob's philosophy is that when you are learning to master something, you are learning the basics, but when you have mastered something, it is really all about the basics. The load path is the root of what we do, and he chose to teach this lesson because if one does not understand the basics of the load path, one cannot master our profession.

 

Bob has spent his career mentoring extensively, both formally and informally. He has guided nearly every engineer employed at SMBH, exhibiting remarkable patience in assisting young and seasoned engineers in grasping unfamiliar concepts. He has always provided comprehensive explanations for any engineer approaching him with a question. Bob sat next to the in-house library, and if someone were looking for something, he would stop what he was doing, ask questions, dig in, and help them solve the problem. He is never too busy to help someone or offer advice and counsel. Bob set the tone for the culture of collaboration we created here, which is part of what makes our company a great place to work.

 

He is our resident storyteller and historian and the only person who can currently fill in our firm's history between 1981 and 1997. Throughout the years, Bob has evolved into a paternal figure for everyone in the office. He commemorates personal milestones and life transitions with the same zeal as he does for their professional achievements. Ever the historian with a big heart, he has meticulously documented his extensive SMBH family since 1986, maintaining a spreadsheet detailing every newborn among the employees.

 

Bob has been recognized for his remarkable compassion, going above and beyond for our employees on many occasions. He's impacted everyone who has worked here, but this memory of Bob perfectly sums it up: "Bob was there for me during two of the most difficult moments in my life. The first was when our eldest son was in the hospital fighting a triple illness. Bob met us at Nationwide and was there for our family. The second was one month later, after my wife's accident." Bob brought dinner for everyone to the hospital. "He only asked, 'How many people?' and handled the rest. Looking back, it was the best thing anyone could have done for me at that time. That food fed me for days, and I could spend all my time with my wife and never had to leave her side. To put it simply, it's caring. That's Bob."

 

Bob's generosity and kindness are unmatched. Everything he has done has been in the service of what is best for the engineering profession, our firm, and the people in it. We are proud to have him as a part of our history and can think of no one more deserving of a happy retirement. Bob leaving marks the end of an era at SMBH. Still, his legacy of excellence, mentorship, and dedication will continue to inspire future generations of engineers. Thank you, Bob, for 43 incredible years.