Ozarks Profile: Tom Zimmerer

Tom Zimmerer

Director, Breech School of Business Administration, and professor of management, Drury University, 900 N. Benton. Drury University is an institution of higher education, offering master's, bachelor's and associate's degrees. Drury's programs are characterized by a focus on preparing students for satisfying and successful lives and careers through careful attention to a liberal arts education and the integration of liberal arts education into professional preparation, Zimmerer said. Drury is distinctive in its attention to the comprehensive preparation of graduates competent to assume leading roles in their professions and in their communities. The Breech School of Business Administration provides programs of study for students at both the undergraduate and graduate levels. Its undergraduate programs are designed to provide an educational experience within the context of a liberal arts college. Its MBA program provides professional training for business leaders. Drury is the oldest institution of higher education in southwest Missouri, and the Breech School of Business Administration has earned national accreditation for both its undergraduate and graduate programs. Zimmerer joined Drury University in June 1998 as the director of the Breech School of Business Administration. His professional affiliations include the Academy of Management, Decision Science Institute, the Strategic Management Society and the Springfield Downtown Rotary Club.

Age: 59

No. of years in Springfield/area: Zimmerer has lived in the Springfield area since June 1998.

Education: Zimmerer holds a bachelor's degree in business administration from the American University, a master's from Louisiana State University, and he earned his PhD from the University of Arkansas.

Early career: After service in the military, Zimmerer worked summers as a longshoreman. The first "real job" he had was with McDonnell Aircraft in St. Louis, in engineering management. In academics, he gradually rose from the rank of assistant professor to professor, and in 1987 was the co-founder of Clemson University's Emerging Technology Center. Before coming to Drury, Zimmerer held the Harris Chair of Excellence in Business at East Tennessee State University.

Current projects: Zimmerer said he is working on a third edition to one of his textbooks and a couple of exciting business plans.

Management philosophy: "Surround yourself with individuals of intelligence, vision and motivation, and get them the resources they need to be effective."

Spare-time pursuits: "What is spare time?"

Family data: Zimmerer is married to Linda W. Zimmerer. He has a daughter, Dawn, and a stepdaughter, Jennifer.