Heather Baker has a simple but meaningful life goal: “Being kind to people,” she said.
As far as Scott Tuttle, General Manager at POET Bioprocessing – Macon, is concerned, Baker is achieving her goal and then some.
“A lot of high-performing people are not the easiest to get along with,” he said. “She is a very high-performing person who is also extraordinarily easy to get along with.”
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Baker has worked for POET since May 2002, two years after the Missouri facility first started producing bioethanol. She worked first in accounting and was promoted to her current role as administrative coordinator in 2019.
Tuttle can’t say enough good things about Baker, who always tries to do things to make life better for those around her. He considers her knowledgeable, efficient, and competent. “She’s kind, she’s always helpful, she’s not impatient with people,” he said.
That, plus her longtime knowledge of the company, is why Tuttle also described her as a combination den mother and guru on the mountain. Baker really showcases this when working with newly hired POET team members, answering any questions they may have about benefits and company policies. “She just makes being an employee a lot easier,” Tuttle said.
Another part of her job involves planning events, including a fall family party, plant milestone celebrations, and the facility’s Christmas party. That underscores what Baker enjoys most about her job at POET — the variety.
“It’s never the same,” she said. “Each day it seems like there’s something different than the day before.”
When Baker isn’t working, she volunteers. It’s no surprise that she also exemplifies kindness in that role.
She’s a member of the Macon Elks Lodge, where she volunteered first on the veteran’s committee, followed by the activities committee. She especially enjoys working with other Elks to provide meals to veterans during the Christmas season. “We give back to the community quite a bit,” she said. “That’s the part I like the most, being able to participate in giving back.”
A.J. Hoskam, exalted ruler of the Elks Lodge, said Baker “takes the bull by the horns” by having everything well planned in advance. On top of that, she brings joy to any room she’s in. “She is the type of person you want to rub off on others to keep spreading that type of kindheartedness,” he said.
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Top Left: Heather and her husband, Tim presenting Veteran’s Care Packages at Christmas time for the Elks Veterans Committee. Bottom Left: Heather and Scott Tuttle at work. Right: Using POET volunteer hours to place flags on gravesites for Memorial Day.
Baker later added volunteering at the Missouri Veterans Cemetery-Jacksonville. The catalyst in adding that to her busy schedule was the implementation of POET’s volunteer time off program, which Baker said is great for the company and its team members.
“POET gets their name out in the community, and team members get the opportunity to use time for something they care about to make a difference in the community,” she added.
Cemetery director Alison Evans said finding enough volunteers has been a challenge, so she was grateful when Baker stepped up to pull weeds and tidy up the landscaping. The next year, Baker and other volunteers helped prepare for the annual Memorial Day event by placing 2,000 flags, one at each gravesite.
That included one flag for Baker’s grandfather. “I got to place the flag on his headstone, so that was kind of special,” she said.
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Evans said that wasn’t Baker’s only contribution; she also recruited additional volunteers for the event, including other POET team members.
“Wherever Heather goes, wonderful outcomes are sure to follow, as she wholeheartedly dedicates herself to giving back to the community,” Evans said. “It’s only appropriate that her life’s ambition is to spread kindness, as that genuinely reflects who she is.”
When Baker isn’t at work or volunteering, she loves to spend time with her family, which includes two adult sons. The oldest lives in Maryland, and her youngest son lives in Macon with her two grandchildren. She also enjoys camping, fishing, and traveling with her husband, Tim.
In a world that could always use more kindness, Heather Baker is a shining example of what it means to lead with heart. Whether she’s supporting her coworkers at POET, organizing events, or serving her community, she brings a spirit of service and compassion to everything she does — leaving a lasting impact that extends far beyond the workplace.
