Name: Ross Hoffmann
Age: 38
Occupation: Director of operations at Hoffmann Hospice
Immediate family: I am married to my wife of 10 years, Kristen Hoffmann, and have three amazing sons: Brody, 8, Dylan, 6, and Spencer, 3.
How would you describe yourself in five words? Honest, dependable, objective, caring and dedicated.
How long have you lived in Bakersfield? I was born and raised in Bakersfield. I attended Country Christian School, Stockdale Christian School and Garces Memorial High School. I moved away to attend CSU Monterey Bay on a baseball scholarship and eventually returned home when I met my wife.
What is the best piece of advice you’ve ever received? Put yourself in uncomfortable situations; regardless of whether you succeed or fail, you will learn and grow from it.
How did you get to your current position? I started as a delivery driver for my father's home-care IV infusion pharmacy on E Street. From there, I worked every position up the ladder until I became the director of sales. After CVS purchased our IV infusion pharmacy, they brought me on as the director of sales. Shortly after, I was offered a promotion within the company with a relocation to Southern California but ultimately declined the offer to stay in Bakersfield and take the position of director of operations at Hoffmann Hospice.
It has been the greatest experience to work alongside and learn from my mentor and mother, Beth Hoffmann, who is the administrator and co-founder along with my father, Tom Hoffmann.
What is your proudest achievement of your career? Having the privilege of being able to lead a team of individuals that do what they do for the right reasons. Hospice is a tough business to be in, my staff truly are angels and I am honored to be able to stand alongside them while we take care of our community.
How do you find inspiration to do what you do? Knowing that our organization has served over 30,000 patients and families in our community gives me the motivation to do more. I am not afraid of change or reinventing the wheel if it means providing a greater standard of care and excellence for our community. We are dedicated to being world-class when it comes to hospice and palliative care.
What do you love most about the community? Where do you see the greatest need for change or improvement? Working at a nonprofit, you get to see the generosity of this community firsthand. Even during these unprecedented times, there are businesses and individuals who have never wavered when asked for donations or support. This support is truly what allows us to provide our patients with the highest end-of-life care regardless of the patient's ability to pay.
I believe the greatest need for change and improvement lies in taking pride in your work, regardless of what you do.
What local organizations or groups are you involved with? Why is it important to give back to the community? I serve on the board of directors for The Plank Foundation, established in 1985 by Lloyd and Patty Plank and the Rotary Club of Bakersfield East, to provide funds to help those less fortunate in the areas of health, hunger and humanity. The Plank Foundation believes in compassionate care and support for those in our community who are suffering from cancer or terminal illness. Our vision is to ensure that terminally ill patients receive quality care, to provide their families with needed assistance, and to ultimately eliminate cancer in our community.
I am also a member of the William Howell Century Club, which supports the fundraising efforts of the Friends of Mercy Foundation.
After work, I volunteer as the head coach for my son's baseball team at Bakersfield Southwest Baseball. I firmly believe that by giving back to our community, we are all leaving it a little better than we found it.
Where do you hope to see Bakersfield/Kern County in five years? I believe Bakersfield/Kern County will continue to make great accomplishments and bring services to benefit our community. I hope it never loses its small-town feel and its pride of local establishments that make Bakersfield home.
What is your favorite quote? "The comeback is greater than the setback."