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“It’s a self-focused course that speaks to other areas of leadership,’’ said Zimmerman, who was nominated for the program by John Tolomer, The Westchester Bank's president and CEO. “Many leadership courses are geared toward the corporate mindset. This is more focused on the individual and helps one identify how to become a better leader.”
Zimmerman, the mother of two young children, spends her spare time volunteering for school activities. The leadership training program reinforced something about herself that she already knew.
“I’m a very busy person,’’ Zimmerman said. “But the program made me realize that I’m happy and content where I am professionally and personally. It has given me the foresight to remember who I am and what’s important to me. So many times people get busy and forget about themselves.”
Zimmerman joined the bank in 2013, and Tolomer asked her last year about joining the program. She attends two sessions per month, one that includes all 20 members of the class and another session with a smaller peer group.
“It’s really about self-reflection, learning more about yourself and identifying ways to improve the lives of those around you,’’ Zimmerman said.
Zimmerman’s other main focus is her young family. Weekends are consumed with baseball, swimming lessons and family get-togethers. She also is active in her children’s education and is an active member of the Parent Teacher Association, where she is a member of a parent outreach committee, coordinates “Mad Science” lunchtime programs and volunteers as a class parent. She also helps manage the PTA’s webpage.
“I can’t say that I had the foresight to think about how I’d be involved in their education,’’ Zimmerman said. “Prior to having children, certain things just weren’t on my radar. We’re busy nearly five nights a week. We’re an active family.”
The bank and Tolomer are supportive of Zimmerman’s volunteerism in her children’s schools, she said.
“Most of the things I do are on my own time,’’ Zimmerman said. “But the bank is very supportive of working mothers. It’s comforting to have the support and it really helps me find balance in an otherwise hectic work week.”
