CINDY ZIMMERMAN

PRESIDENT & CEO, SS DESIGNS, WINTER HAVEN

Founded in 1978, SS Designs is a third-generation, family-owned apparel company that employs 75 people. It produces custom branded products for clients such as Universal Studios, Disney, Ron Jon Surf Shops and Darden Restaurants. Zimmerman joined the company nearly 30 years ago in a product development role and succeeded her father, Bob Carter, in 2019. “We have just completed our first year of operating with 100% solar energy!” Zimmerman says. “We chose to make a major investment to replace all of our electric energy with solar power, which has allowed us to lock in one of our largest expense variables. This helps control our costs and keeps our pricing competitive for our customers.”

EDUCATION: University of Florida (BA)

PERSONAL RESET: Having a gratitude practice and remembering “this too shall pass” gets me through a tough day. And I know that if we do the right thing every time, we will persevere.

FOOD FIX: Cooking dinner is my wind-down routine. On the drive home I run through the ingredients in my fridge in my head and enjoy composing something healthy, delicious and comforting (plus a nice glass of wine!).

IN MY DOWNTIME: I love tent camping! I love the simplicity and refreshment time in the woods brings.

NEXT GEN ADVICE
“Remember the deeply human significance of embodied relationships. In a world that keeps driving digital and technological advancements at a pace that is hard to maintain, find ways to be present with other people, looking face to face, knowing each other in meaningful ways.”