A 10-year Haskell team member based in the Beloit, Wisconsin, office, Jamie Zimmerman, MBA, is a Director of Cost Controls and a Certified Public Accountant. She networks with business units throughout the U.S., and in the complex and sometimes intimidating landscape of business and project finance, Zimmerman offers patience and plain talk.

Her ability to translate GAAP-speak (generally accepted accounting principles) to layperson’s terms has reassured many a colleague – so much so that she recently was recognized with Haskell’s Living the Values Award, which honors those who exemplify the company’s core values of Team, Excellence, Service and Trust.

“She always exhibits not only confidence in what she does but patience to those who may not fully understand the accounting world she navigates within,” wrote Jeffrey Pearse, Design Director, and Christopher Flagg, Vice President-Operations Principal, her nominators for the award. “Her seemingly effortless explanations bring a sense of ease and comfort to those of us enduring the frenzy of financial reporting.”

The fact is, it comes naturally. She cherishes her relationships with her fellow team members and the caring culture of the Haskell workplace.

“Team camaraderie, thinking about the whole team – and the people at Haskell take the values seriously,” Zimmerman said. “These people don’t just talk, they walk it. They are always trying to hold to those values. For me personally, that’s important. Who you work with is what keeps you around and motivated. The Haskell values align with my values.

“When I was surprised with the award, it reiterated the point that I really adore the people I work with.”

Outside of her Haskell career, her life is little different. She shares her expertise as an adjunct professor with Southern New Hampshire University. Her interest in interaction and explaining complicated financial matters makes her smile.

“I’m a teacher at heart, a people person,” Zimmerman said.

Zimmerman is also interested in food sourcing and farming. She is an involved board member of Farmers Rising, an organization providing educational outreach on organic farming so urban and rural people can build local food systems. The organization is based in Caledonia, California, and has 890 acres of farmland in rural Rockford, Illinois, Zimmerman’s hometown.

She and her husband have an expansive garden on their home’s five acres, growing all sorts of fruits and vegetables centered around the goal of “making a mean bowl of salsa.”

Zimmerman’s interest in growing her own food came from a health crisis five years ago. She heavily researched food sourcing and how to eat healthier. Now, she lives that effort.

“I guess I’m a city girl that turned country,” Zimmerman said. “I was in a tough situation with my health then; I’m OK now. I wanted to know where my food came from and how it was produced, packaged and processed. I wanted the chance and opportunity to grow my own food. That created a whole level of interest in that area.”

Zimmerman has also brought that interest to Haskell, frequently bringing fresh produce to the office for coworkers to enjoy.

Additionally, she participates in a group called “Knots of Love,” which consists of people who enjoy knitting. The group provides knitted hats every two to three months for shipment to cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy.

“Jamie is an absolute genuine human being in every sense of the word,” wrote her nominators. “Humble, unselfish, responsive, excellent job performance and an overall beautiful soul!”

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