John Baumann has had many “successes” in his life overcoming challenge after challenge. Graduating from Cornell Law School. Become an extraordinary attorney at Exxon and then as the General Counsel of a market-listed public company.
In 2002, at 41 years old, John was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease. John continues to battle PD, the biggest challenge of his life.
John, now in his late 50s, has successfully reinvented himself. He not only accepted his condition but has embraced it. John has to continually reach deep down into himself to tap into the qualities that have proven critical in combating this horrific illness. Discipline, hard work, perseverance, and resilience are a given. What John and his wife, Bernadette, needed to find within themselves was intensity, tenacity, inner strength, and a strong faith. Most importantly, John needed to uncover his true purpose.
After being diagnosed, John became an internationally-recognized inspirational and educational professional speaker, joined the faculty of the College of Business at the University of Louisville and wrote a critically-acclaimed book entitled, DECIDE SUCCESS.
From Malaysia to France, from Vermont to Tucson, from Portland to Miami, and over 100 places in between, John has presented his informative, inspirational and, surprisingly, funny keynote speeches to audiences from 15 to 1,500.
As to his Parkinson’s, John, with Bernadette’s help, has gotten himself in the best shape of his life via a combination of positive thinking, a healthy diet and vigorous exercise.
I just wanted to take a moment to thank you.
I will be honest. During the first 10 minutes of your presentation, I started reading work related material on my laptop. For surely, I had watched your You-Tube and seen your videos and knew what to expect. Surely, as a therapist I had studied this disease, the pathological components, the psychological components, the treatment alternatives……..Surely, I understand it.
Not so much. You caught my attention and I was enthralled. You were able to couple the impairments you experience with the emotions felt. You walked us through your life with the disease through “your eyes”. A perspective that a therapist/nurse rarely has the chance to hear. We get so busy telling patients how to deal with x, y and z, but our eyes are blurred by the science of it all most of the time.
You did it through truth. Through your humor, humility and determination to tell your story. One that most deservedly needs to be shared.
I will advocate to have you share your story. I appreciate your determination, diligence and dedication.
CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER, REHABILITATION HOSPITAL
You were just wonderful today. Funny, poignant, sensitive and empowered. I’m so glad I sat up front!
I wanted to say thank you once again for speaking at our conference this past Saturday. I also wanted to share with you some of the comments we received on our course evaluation forms about your presentation:
His basic message: “whatever hand life deals you, whatever life changing adversity you have to endure, you still have some control over it.” “You don’t have to just to live well,” he advises,” but live an Amazing Life.” The formula he proposes: Faith in yourself, discipline, determination, desire, intensity, and inner strength.
MARY SPREMULLI, VOICE AEROBICS
Yes, you touched every person at our conference, who will in turn change and impact so many others. The feedback from our participants was overwhelmingly positive. You are the only speaker to ever receive a standing ovation. Thank you for taking time to share, motivate and inspire. We are bl+essed to know you.
DIRECTOR OF MARKETING, REHABILITATION HOSPITAL
Once again, we truly appreciate the time and talent you gave to our conference.
NEURO CONFERENCE COORDINATOR,
REHABILITATION HOSPITALBOOK JOHN FOR YOUR EVENT
John Baumann has lived, and has succeeded at, three, if not more, separate, distinctive, yet overlapping, lives.
John found success as a student, now educator, putting himself through school, graduating summa cum laude from the University of Massachusetts with a business degree and graduating with a juris doctorate from Cornell Law School having the distinction of being the last person admitted to the Class of 1986 two days before classes commenced.
1982 –Graduated summa cum laude from the University of Massachusetts, College of Business
1986 –Graduated with a juris doctorate from Cornell Law School of the Ivy League
1986 –Passed the Texas Bar Examination
1986 –Hired as a trial attorney by Exxon
1990 –Passed the Louisiana Bar Examinationv
1992 –Passed the New Jersey Bar Examination
1995 –Admitted to the Kentucky Bar
1996 –Hired as Counsel by Steel Technologies, Inc., a Nasdaq- listed corporation
1997 –Elected to the Board of Junior Achievement in Kentucky
2000 –Promoted to General Counsel & Secretary
2002 –Diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease
2003 –Elected to the Board of Make-a-Wish in Kentucky
2004 –Joined the faculty of the University of Louisville, College of Business teaching law until 2014
2005 –Elected to the Board of Thornton’s corporation (multi-state gas stations & convenience stores)
2006 –Formed JK Success Enterprises, LLC to provide professional speaker services (inspirational, educational, motivational, success, workplace proactive prevention – harassment, injury, union, etc.)
2008 –Retired from full-time practice of law
2009 –Received the distinction of being selected “Most Inspiring Professor.”
2009 –Guest Commentator, CNN Headline News, Prime News
2011 –Contributed chapter along with Deepak Chopra to the book Roadmap to Success
2012 –Released critically-acclaimed book DECIDE SUCCESS: Twelve Action Steps – You Ain’t Dead Yet describing how to succeed as a student, in a career as well as in response to a life-changing adverse event
2012 –Contributed chapter to the book Courageous Stories of Inspiration
2014 –Ambassador for Michael J. Fox Foundation
2016 –Chair, Patient mentorship committee, World Parkinson’s Program
John serves as Chair of Patient Mentorship Program at World Parkinson’s Program (WPP), a globally known organization that is dedicated to improve the quality of life of individuals with Parkinson’s and their caregivers by providing medication, education and other supportive services.
Millions of Parkinson’s patients globally can’t live without their medication, and they look up to donor like YOU for HELP since they are afflicted with extreme poverty
Impact lives of people with Parkinson’s today.
John’s training regime now includes alternating days of 60 minutes of boxing fitness strength training workouts (often with kettle bells) and 90 minutes of BIKRAM Hot Yoga (which he locates before booking hotels wherever he is speaking). He has his bad days, but believes that he is in better shape now than before his Parkinson’s disease including unintentionally trimming down from 215 to 170 and cutting his bad cholesterol level in half.
What a wonderful presentation, John! You were wonderful and I am so grateful you shared your story. We were receiving excellent feedback in the chat too:
That was fantastic information, thank you for your candor and humor! Awesome 🤩 talk and info ! Thanks much. It’s hard, thanks for sharing. Thank you for sharing your story and for your positive attitude. It’s important to hear this message. This was just what I needed. Thank you so much. you are an inspiration, thank you!
As we stated, we hit 100 participants at 3:09!
Thank you again,
I do not have the words to thank you enough for making the trip to Dallas to do two presentations for us at CC young. You truly are special and a rockstar and clearly touched many lives today. It is a victory! I was able to run all over campus and welcome guests and host you. It was a victory. Thanks to you for helping me think that way. We will catch you on the next round. Get some rest my friend. Safe travels. And know we love you from CC Young and Dallas!
“After two years of not being able to hear speakers in person , I was thrilled to have John Bauman as a speaker at our “ Living Well With Parkinson’s’ Gala!. Not only was John engaging and inspiring to get to know off stage , on stage he truly drove home the theme of empowerment to our audience and left our growing community of attendees with several “ aha “ moments and desire to hear more. He spoke from personal experience as a Parkinson’s patient ,inspiring the audiences motivation to truly wish to make a difference and uniting us all in our humanity. Attendees after listening to John , felt inspired to make a difference in the world and do their part to create change for those living with Parkinson’s. My only regret was not being able to spend more time with John and I look forward to having him speak again to our audience.”
WPP Program Manager
John’s message of hope, inspiration and laughter was ideal for anyone living with PD. He was extremely flexible and a delight to work with.
Program Director - Dallas Area Parkinson Society
We all felt inspired and enjoyed listening to your presentation. Even though we are not living with Parkinson’s, we felt boost of motivation to continue helping those who are living with this disease. I am motivated to make more personal phone calls to people living with PD and asking how they are doing. Sometimes that “extra” bit of kindness truly makes a difference to someone. I am also motivated to research program ideas and partner with other organizations that may have similar values.
I learned that life is unexpected and that you cannot control it. What matters is your attitude!
-Great way to end the day, brave man, thank you very much!
-Good, excellent, great, outstanding speaker, very moving!
-Inspirational who just “gets it”
-Positive thinker and very funny!
-Honest speaker but also humorous!
“whatever hand life deals you, whatever life changing adversity you have to endure, you still have some control over it.” “You don’t have to just to live well,” he advises,” but live an Amazing Life.” The formula he proposes: Faith in yourself, discipline, determination, desire, intensity, and inner strength.
VOICE AEROBICS
Yes, you touched every person at our conference, who will in turn change and impact so many others. The feedback from our participants was overwhelmingly positive. You are the only speaker to ever receive a standing ovation. Thank you for taking time to share, motivate and inspire. We are blessed to know you.
REHABILITATION HOSPITAL
I will be honest. During the first 10 minutes of your presentation, I started reading work related material on my laptop. For surely, I had watched your You-Tube and seen your videos and knew what to expect. Surely, as a therapist I had studied this disease, the pathological components, the psychological components, the treatment alternatives……..Surely, I understand it.
Not so much. You caught my attention and I was enthralled. You were able to couple the impairments you experience with the emotions felt. You walked us through your life with the disease through “your eyes”. A perspective that a therapist/nurse rarely has the chance to hear. We get so busy telling patients how to deal with x, y and z, but our eyes are blurred by the science of it all most of the time.
You did it through truth, Through your humor, humility and determination to tell your story. One that most deservedly needs to be shared.
I will advocate to have you share your story. I appreciate your determination, diligence and dedication.
REHABILITATION HOSPITAL