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Leah grew up in Ann Arbor and has been connected to Zingerman’s since early adulthood. She fondly remembers visiting Zingerman’s Deli as a college student to enjoy tasty sandwiches, flavorful coffee and desserts, and the cool vibe of the restaurant. Graduating with a degree in Psychology from the University of Michigan, Leah entered corporate banking as an HR generalist and gained experience in recruiting, training and development, performance management, and employee relations.
Leah returned to her Zingerman’s roots in the summer of 1990 and has been a key player in the Department for People (D4P) ever since. Leah serves multiple Zingerman’s businesses with HR support and guidance, playing a key role in sustaining organizational culture as well as achieving results through people. Leah teaches a variety of internal classes to Zingerman’s staff, including “Zingerman’s Employment Experience”, “HR for Managers”, “The Art of Great Performance Reviews”, “Caring Confrontation” and “Solving Performance Problems”. She also co-facilitates a Leadership Development program for Zingerman’s managers.
Leah says, “Zingerman’s allows me the perfect environment to combine my passion for people and love of really good food – where I can continually focus on making a difference in other’s lives thru a great employment experience!”
I have worked solely in the Zingerman's Service Network (ZSN), but I make it a habit of visiting all of our businesses regularly, as ZSN provides shared services to all of the Community of Businesses.
I really like the StrengthsFinder 2.0 and Strengths Based Leadership Companion Guide. I have found that by understanding our own strengths, as well as those of our colleagues, it allows individuals and organizations to make their best contributions while honoring who we are!
My dream vacation would be to return to Hawaii, where I lived as a child, and was last there on my honeymoon. I have such wonderful memories of blue waters, white sandy beaches, sunsets, fragrant flowers, luscious fruits and more! i would love the opportunity to return and make these memories a reality!
I am definitely a visual learner. I love seeing how to do things either in pictures, or better yet, in real time!
The culture and the people are definitely my favorite part of working at Zingerman's. No matter what business you are in, you can count on being around people that care about one another, and our products, love to give great service, love to learn, AND spread enthusiasm infectiously!
You could describe my presentation style as informal. Regardless of the size of the group, I like to interact with everyone as if we were just a few coming together to listen and learn together!
I must say, I love to bake, and to eat my goodies! Love making cookies and cakes. Not great for the waistline, but great fun!
