Who We Are

Our History Story

The following is a story of how Summers & Zim’s came to be, as told by current President Joe Zimmerman.

As you can probably guess, Summers & Zim’s was formed by two families. My mother’s family were the Summers, and my dad’s family were the Zimmerman’s. I guess I never considered what occupation I would pursue when I would grow up…I just started doing it. I went to work with both grandfathers every day, and I had no idea that this was extremely rare. At this time, the company was owned by Lee Summers and Bud Zimmerman.

…what we repair today is much more technical than what we fixed back then.

Originally, there were two companies. Lee’s dad opened Summers Brothers in 1930, and my dad’s father started Zim’s Sales and Service in Atglen in 1950.

I began working for Lee and my dad as a refrigeration service technician and I got pretty good at it. We worked on a variety of systems: Wawa stores, milk tanks, ice machines, bar rooms, McDonald’s, etc. Our skills were a lot more varied than they are today, and we knew how to fix a much wider range of systems compared to what we do today. However, what we repair today is much more technical than what we fixed back then.

The next job change started when one of our managers and his son quit the company to start up a company of their own. So, at this time, I started learning to become a manager. Again, I just filled a slot that needed filled and didn’t really think about it. When I was 26 years old, my dad collapsed in his office from internal bleeding and was in and out of the hospital for 9 months. He never really came back to work. So, there was another spot to fill. I began picking up those pieces and covering his job and I have been doing this for the past 25 years or so.

Is this really what I want to do for my entire life?

At this point, Lee and Dad still owned the business. I ran it for them. Around 1995, Dad asked Jere and I if we wanted to buy his half of the business. We both said yes.

About 10 years later, I asked Lee if he would sell his half to Jere and I and he did.

In 2014 I asked Jere if I could buy his half. He said yes.

All of these job decisions were more assumed than decided upon.

Sometime shortly after buying Jere’s part of the company, it occurred to me that I could be here forever.

Is this really what I want to do for my entire life? I’ve already been here for 35 years. I have a nice house and nice car and that kind of stuff. I’m not against any of that, but having things isn’t satisfying. It is not enough to keep me doing this for another 20 years.

I firmly believe it is a good thing to be able to work in a place where Biblical values are at the core

Vision

I am a Christian. I have come to know and love the Lord and I want to live my life in a way that pleases Him. I am not going to change who I am because of what I do. Neither do I require that my employees change who they are. However, my worldview should make this a predictable place to work. I firmly believe it is a good thing to be able to work in a place where Biblical values are at the core.

I don’t do this solely for the money. I kind of lost interest in that a few years ago. To be completely transparent my primary motivation is that running Summers & Zim’s grants me a certain amount of influence with people. I’m a big fish in a small pond. People in my small pond tend to care what I think, especially as I get older.

If I can have an impact on the people around me – business owners, community, co-workers, vendors around me – I want to take that platform and impact these people in a way that pleases God. I want to help them navigate through “the next thing” in life. I want to help them not make the mistakes I did. That goal seems a whole lot more exciting to me than gathering things and making more money until I die. Some younger people might not see the value in this, but as they age, they will turn a corner just as I did, and realize what is truly important and what isn’t.

If there is ever a doubt as to who is “right,” Summers & Zim’s or the customer. I will always default to the customer.

We pay our bills on time. We always have. Whether I got paid or not. Whether I have any money or not. If there is ever a doubt as to who is right SZ/Joe or the customer – I will default to the customer.

I expect my employees to treat me like I treat them. I expect their nature to be good, and for them to treat their fellow coworkers, customers, and community with honor and excellence.

I expect my employees to treat me like I treat them. I expect their nature to be good, and for them to treat their fellow coworkers, customers, and community with honor and excellence. I expect them to develop grit and find a way to get things done when others would quit trying.

When an employee’s truck is cluttered or their uniform is dirty, when they rush through a job because it is late in the day, when they are impatient with someone who is learning, or rude to the dispatcher or manager who has to ask them to work late, that is a reflection on me and everyone else who works at Summers & Zim’s. It is a reflection on my dad and both of my grandfathers.

When an employee looks neat and professional, when their truck is clean and organized, when they stay late to make sure the problem is fixed right, when they’re courteous and pleasant with people who are treating them poorly, this is a powerful and meaningful reflection on both the employee and the entire Summers & Zim’s family.