In the first of a series highlighting our outstanding employees, we would like to introduce Stephanie Ziems, director of finance and accounting at Miami-Cass REMC.
Ziems joined the co-op in November 2014 and is responsible for managing the financial activities of the REMC and its subsidiary company. These activities include maintaining accounting records, financial planning, budget preparation, forecasting, banking, lending, insurance, and tax preparation.
Ziems has always loved math and at a young age wanted to be a teacher. When she graduated from high school, Ziems worked full time while attending Purdue University pursuing an education degree with the intent to become a high school math teacher. She later transferred to Indiana University. There Ziems changed her major and earned her Bachelor of Science degree in business majoring in accounting. If she wasn’t doing what she’s doing now she’d want to get a culinary degree and become a chef.
Ziems and her husband, Kurt, have been married over 22 years. Together the couple have two children — a son (17) and a daughter (14). She also has two stepsons and five granddaughters.
She enjoys gardening and doing crafts in her spare time. Ziems also likes to spend time with family and attend her children’s sporting events. She volunteers in the community, has been on several non-profit boards and likes assisting churches in improving their financial processes and records. Currently, Ziems is treasurer for Birthright of Kokomo, a charitable organization that helps women with unplanned pregnancies by offering counseling, support services and resources, as well as maternity and baby items.
Prior to working at the REMC, she worked as an accountant for an accounting firm in Kokomo. Ziems enjoyed consulting with companies in many different industries. Her favorite tasks were developing new accounting software programs and training employees to utilize them. She said the most unusual (worst) job she ever had was collecting eggs for a chicken farm when she was younger.
Ziems said that she loves how the REMC takes care of its employees and that the electric cooperative industry offers many educational opportunities to help their employees grow in their roles. She appreciates that Miami-Cass REMC makes a positive impact on its community by supporting many non-profit programs in the area, including schools, sports programs, 4-H, Junior Achievement, United Way and the YMCA to name a few.
The favorite part of Ziems’ job has been working on the Operation Round Up board. Quarterly, the board reviews grant requests from local non-profit entities who request support for their projects and programs. She said it is humbling to see how far the funds, which are generated by REMC members who round up their monthly electric bills, go to help serve the community.
Ziems’ most challenging project has been the expansion of the REMC’s subsidiary internet company, Broadway Broadband. While the project has brought many challenges, she said it is also the project for which she is the most proud. She looks forward to seeing how the REMC can support the rural community’s internet needs in the future.
A lesson Ziems has learned throughout her career is to not get so focused on the details that you don’t stop to look at the whole picture.
We at Miami-Cass are proud to have Ziems as part of the REMC family. She is a dedicated employee, and we are fortunate to have her on our team.
