Case Dorman’s leadership story is a unique one, to say the least. He unknowingly stumbled into his life’s work at an early age: his very first job as a teenager—serving up beans at a local barbecue joint—wound up paving the way for a lifelong career!

Today, Case is the Chairman of Jack Stack Barbecue – a fourth-generation, family-owned business with headquarters in Overland Park, KS. And it all began when 16-year-old Case was hired as a “bean boy” at Smoke Stack Bar-B-Q in Martin City, MO! Smoke Stack’s owner was Jack Fiorella, who would later become Case’s industry mentor—and his father-in-law.

Case ultimately worked side-by-side with Jack to learn the ins and outs of the hospitality industry, and in 2009, Case and his wife Jennifer purchased the family business. The couple then grew the brand to include six Kansas City-area restaurant locations, a nationwide shipping business, a barbecue catering operation, a fine-catering brand called Storia, and an event venue in Southern Johnson County called Fiorella’s.

When the work really matters

Case stands by one core belief: that a leader is tasked with impacting other people’s lives for the better, and that this is the only work that truly matters.

Thanks to his experience in the restaurant industry as a young adult, Case began his leadership journey familiar with how hourly workers in the hospitality industry are typically treated, and he knew from the beginning of his career that he wanted to turn that norm on its head. As a leader, he has worked hard to exemplify and systematize a culture and attitude of transformative respect, one that honors his employees’ human dignity and allows them to build respectable careers with upward mobility. His business success, he also affirms, is due in large part to his choice to deeply listen to his front-line workers, allowing them to tell him what to do in the most challenging of situations (like, most notably, the pandemic). As he often tells his children,

“Never underestimate the work that others do – and never overestimate your own.”

Throughout its growth and many new iterations, Jack Stack still maintains a best-in-class professional experience and collaborative employee culture today!

Where does Acumen come in?

Case has been a part of the Acumen community for over a decade now, and he maintains that the experience has been invaluable.

“The DNA of what makes Acumen unique, around the notion of a ‘higher standard,’ can be found throughout Jack Stack’s organization and leadership approach.”

The practical tools Acumen has provided have also allowed Case to develop KPIs and stronger financial reporting. “The financial returns and impact have been immeasurable,” he affirms, “and the time commitment is nominal compared to the benefits I’ve reaped.”

Above all else, though, Case values the Acumen community. Being surrounded by a community of like-minded individuals who share common values, Case has appreciated being able to discuss and tackle business challenges with support and confidence.

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