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The Summit Foundation has named Lee Zimmerman its new executive director.
BRECKENRIDGE - A new leader has taken over at the helm of the county's largest nonprofit organization.
Recent Breckenridge transplant Lee Zimmerman began as the new executive director of the 22-year-old Summit Foundation last Monday.
Zimmerman, 59, has 25 years' experience working for nonprofit organizations, most recently at Investment Management Consultants, a professional association in Denver.
Before that, he devoted 19 years to the United Way of Walla Walla County in Washington state as executive director.
In that role, Zimmerman said he enjoyed being involved with a community-based, human services oriented, charitable nonprofit organization, and is looking forward to a similar opportunity with The Summit Foundation.
Recent Breckenridge transplant Lee Zimmerman began as the new executive director of the 22-year-old Summit Foundation last Monday.
Zimmerman, 59, has 25 years' experience working for nonprofit organizations, most recently at Investment Management Consultants, a professional association in Denver.
Before that, he devoted 19 years to the United Way of Walla Walla County in Washington state as executive director.
In that role, Zimmerman said he enjoyed being involved with a community-based, human services oriented, charitable nonprofit organization, and is looking forward to a similar opportunity with The Summit Foundation.
"It was a joy to do that, and this - The Summit Foundation - in terms of being the quality organization, the history that it has, the legacy that's there, the ability to be part of a small community organization is really what attracted me," Zimmerman said Monday afternoon at his new office in Breckenridge.
The Summit Foundation board of trustees brought on Zimmerman after firing longtime executive director Debra Edwards in June, citing a need for new, fresh leadership.
"We are delighted that Lee Zimmerman has joined The Summit Foundation team," said board president Larry Beebe. "With the experience and credentials he brings to the executive director position, he will no doubt lead the foundation to bigger and better accomplishments."
One of the board's goals for the next three to five years is to increase revenues and available grant funding. To do that, Zimmerman will work with the board to examine the foundation's two main sources of funding: events, such as the Annual Hockey Classic, the Mountain Art Gathering, the Rubber Duck Race, and the Great-West Celebrity Golf Tournament, and contributions from donors.
"(Contributions is) an area that the board is very interested in growing, either through existing sources or through potentially untapped markets that we might discover," Zimmerman said.
The Summit Foundation board of trustees brought on Zimmerman after firing longtime executive director Debra Edwards in June, citing a need for new, fresh leadership.
"We are delighted that Lee Zimmerman has joined The Summit Foundation team," said board president Larry Beebe. "With the experience and credentials he brings to the executive director position, he will no doubt lead the foundation to bigger and better accomplishments."
One of the board's goals for the next three to five years is to increase revenues and available grant funding. To do that, Zimmerman will work with the board to examine the foundation's two main sources of funding: events, such as the Annual Hockey Classic, the Mountain Art Gathering, the Rubber Duck Race, and the Great-West Celebrity Golf Tournament, and contributions from donors.
"(Contributions is) an area that the board is very interested in growing, either through existing sources or through potentially untapped markets that we might discover," Zimmerman said.
As for the annual events, Zimmerman said the foundation will look at each event critically so see if it's meeting the needs of the foundation and the community, but he said not to expect any big changes in the next year.
"I think there are certainly things to consider about each one of those events and to debrief and review those," he said. "One of the things that is a nice opportunity when there's a change in the leadership (is) the ability for all that are involved to have a different view and a time to re-examine. I think that's an opportunity that the foundation has right now."
The board's other goals for the next three to five years are increasing the commitment to the proactive community, assessing and addressing the needs of the community, providing education and technical assistance with the community and increasing the community awareness and involvement in the foundation.
Zimmerman began his professional career in Oregon after graduating with a bachelor of science degree in political science from Willamette University.
He worked at the Eastern Oregon Council of Governments, then spent five years as a regional manager for the Oregon State Health Division before taking his job with United Way.
"I think there are certainly things to consider about each one of those events and to debrief and review those," he said. "One of the things that is a nice opportunity when there's a change in the leadership (is) the ability for all that are involved to have a different view and a time to re-examine. I think that's an opportunity that the foundation has right now."
The board's other goals for the next three to five years are increasing the commitment to the proactive community, assessing and addressing the needs of the community, providing education and technical assistance with the community and increasing the community awareness and involvement in the foundation.
Zimmerman began his professional career in Oregon after graduating with a bachelor of science degree in political science from Willamette University.
He worked at the Eastern Oregon Council of Governments, then spent five years as a regional manager for the Oregon State Health Division before taking his job with United Way.
Since moving to Denver in 2000, Zimmerman and his wife Suzanne had been hoping to relocate to Summit County. The couple has two grown sons.
The Summit Foundation was established in 1984 by the Breckenridge Ski Area. It began funding local nonprofit agencies two years later, and has awarded over $8 million to nearly 200 nonprofits in Summit County and neighboring communities in the past 20 years.
Nicole Formosa can be reached at (970) 668-3998, ext. 13625, or at nformosa@summitdaily.com.
The Summit Foundation was established in 1984 by the Breckenridge Ski Area. It began funding local nonprofit agencies two years later, and has awarded over $8 million to nearly 200 nonprofits in Summit County and neighboring communities in the past 20 years.
Nicole Formosa can be reached at (970) 668-3998, ext. 13625, or at nformosa@summitdaily.com.
