
Meet the Team – Aaron Bauernfeind
At Punch Through, we encourage everyone to proudly be themselves and want you to know the people behind the work that we’re so proud of. That’s why we launched our “Meet the Team” series, where we introduce you to one of our team members each month.
Meet Aaron Bauernfeind, Engineering Manager, who, as Aaron would put it, ensures our team has the room and resources to continue building cool things. He’s been a great advocate for our engineers. In his off hours, Aaron enjoys doing whatever it is that his kids like doing (he and his wife have two small children). He also likes to spend his time riding motorcycles, learning German, watching movies, and going on dates with his wife, which is a hobby he’d like to be doing more of.
What were you doing before working at Punch Through?
In one form or another, much of my professional journey has involved technology and manufacturing. The focus wasn’t always the same, but those have been the primary sectors of my career after graduating from college. So, that’s what I was doing prior to Punch Through. You could find me working on project management, business analysis, and continuous improvement of operations – timewise, moneywise, and so on. Basically, I was leading and facilitating conversations that brought people process and technology solutions together to maximize a given deliverable. Eventually, I moved into the areas of mobile and websites, which then led me to this opportunity.
What is your favorite thing about Punch Through culture?
My favorite aspect about the culture at Punch Through is twofold. For one, we do what we say we’ll do, which isn’t always the case at other companies. We also choose people over almost anything else, really. The company truly values the people who make what we do possible.
Tell me a story about your most memorable moment while working at Punch Through
I’ve had a lot of memorable moments during my short time here at the company. But the one that stands out the most would be the final interview question, where candidates are asked to, “Teach us anything in 5 minutes.” If you hadn’t guessed, the question is all about learning something new from everyone you meet, and that could be anything from a technical codebase to how to win reliably at Fortnite. I taught the team on how to start, shift, and drive a motorcycle. I used the whiteboard to help illustrate my key points clearly – with a few motorcycle sounds thrown in to demonstrate how the engine revs up before shifting gears. The reason this moment stands out to me is because it not only showed me that Punch Through wasn’t just about filling an empty seat but demonstrated that the company, culture, and leadership team encourages lifelong learning from everyone within the organization.
What cool or rewarding things do you get to do on a regular basis?
Empower leaders. That’s something rewarding that I get to do on a regular basis. I get to build relationships with engineers and learn what they find joy and fulfillment in. Then, I try to uncover ways to unlock that potential through whatever means they might find rewarding or meaningful. It’s not about just getting some certification but more so about identifying opportunities that will be rewarding to the individual.
What is the most valuable part of your work to you on a personal level?
What I find most valuable is that I get to be myself. Punch Through has done a great job of building a culture where people don’t have to put on that proverbial suit when they come into the office. Everyone can proudly be themselves, and that acceptance has a way of building trust within the team. You can share that goofy side of yourself, without a concern of being judged. There’s still professionalism but not to the detriment of being an individual.
What is different about Punch Through versus other places you have worked?
One of the biggest differences between Punch Through and other companies is the transparency from leadership. We’re not working at a company where you’ll find some ivory tower from which all decisions are made, and then handed down to employees. You always know what’s going on. Actually, you always know the “why” behind the work, which allows everyone to run faster and really unlock the potential of each individual. You won’t find that at a lot of other companies.
Interested in Joining Our Team?
To meet more of the Punch Through Team, read these interviews:
Meet the Team – Karel Kalthoff – Firmware/Software Engineer
Meet the Team – Louis Barrett – Engineering Intern, Summer 2019
Meet the Team – Erin Moore – Hiring Coordinator and Office Manager
Meet the Team – Alec Letourneau – Software Engineer
Meet the Team – Andy Lee – Senior Embedded Engineer
Meet the Team – Amanda Nguyen – Embedded Engineer
Meet the Team – Gretchen Walker – Mobile Software Engineer
Meet the Team – Charlie Kellerman – Hardware Engineer
Meet the Team – Chee Yi Ong – Senior Mobile Software Engineer
Meet the Team – Henry Anfang – Embedded Engineer
Meet the Team – Ryan Kornetzke – Embedded Engineer
Meet the Team – Julian Hays – Mobile Software Engineer
Meet the Team – Tyler Cadman – Senior Embedded Engineer
Meet the Team – Bret Hassler – Principal Firmware Engineer
Meet the Team – Emily Hinderaker – Marketing Specialist
Meet the Team – Ashish Derhgawen – Mobile Software Engineer
Meet the Team – Elaine Skaare – Project Manager
Meet the Team – Tia Hannes – Associate Software Engineer
Meet the Team – Matt Dunham – Principal Systems & RF/Hardware Engineer
Meet the Team – Matt Kruger – Senior Embedded Software Engineer
Meet the Team – Tyler Grunenwald – Firmware/Software Engineer
Meet the Team – Alex Bourdage – Associate Software Engineer
Meet the Team – Tina Hanly – Admin Assistant
Meet the Team – Mike Waddick – President
Meet the Team – Matt Rengo – Executive Vice President
Meet the Team – Jason Sheard – VP of Engineering
Meet the Team – Michael Twohy – Mobile Software Engineer
Meet the Team – Andrew Shannon – Firmware Engineer
Meet the Team – Ty Gasiorowski – Mobile Software Engineer
Meet the Team – Ben Nierengarten – Project Manager
Meet the Team – Kevin Rafferty II – Mobile Software Engineer
About the Blog Series…
Great culture builds great products. Some of the ways culture is expressed at Punch Through are through authenticity, autonomy, and experience. The individuals at Punch Through not only build great products, but they are the culture. The individual team members aren’t defined by their past or title. They’re encouraged to be true to themselves, learn from each other, and grow professionally and personally.
It’s essential to get to know the people behind the projects and to understand how culture plays a vital role in everything we do. To help get inside the heads of the genius behind the brand, we’re launching a “Meet the Team” blog post series. Each post will feature one of our talented team members where you can get to know them on a bit more personal level, and see how their contributions make Punch Through what it is today.