Get to Know Mary Grimm, Chief Financial Officer
Married for almost 23 years to Brad, a “die-hard” Pittsburg fan, Mary Grimm readily acknowledges that her family’s loyalties are divided between Boston and Pittsburgh when it comes to sports teams. According to Mary, her two daughters, Sofia (19) and Elizabeth (16) have been completely “brainwashed” into rooting for Pittsburgh. “Fortunately for me,” said Mary with a laugh, “the Pittsburgh Pirates are in the National League and are very not good, so the girls are allowed to be Red Sox fans.” It is a lively household indeed, especially with the family’s newest addition – Franklin, a beautiful six-month old West Highland White Terrier.
By way of background, Mary, who grew up in Stoneham and now lives in Reading, MA, moved around quite a bit between college and motherhood – including years spent living, working, and studying in Washington, D.C., Philadelphia, and New York City. A graduate of Harvard University, Mary majored in Government and planned to become a lawyer. Instead, she decided to pursue an MBA at University of Pennsylvania after working for several years as a budget analyst for the U.S. Dept of Housing and Urban Development. It was there Mary learned the impact and importance of financial analysis. Ultimately, Mary returned to Massachusetts, working for M&T Bank in Boston where she served as the primary relationship manager for Chelsea Jewish Lifecare in Chelsea. The rest, as they say, is history!
Although Mary’s job is all-encompassing, leisure time is also important to her. “I enjoy spending time outside – even in the winter – especially such activities like regular weekend runs with a close group of friends and taking walks through the snow in the woods behind my house with Franklin,” stated Mary. She enjoys singing, having performed in various musicals and choral groups in college and graduate school. In fact, Mary is a registered Music Together Teacher and taught early childhood music classes when her daughters were very young. “These days, I love going to concerts with my husband and watching my daughters’ performances,” said Mary. “Sofia is a wonderful dancer and Elizabeth excels at figure skating competitions and exhibitions.”
When asked what her biggest professional challenge has been, Mary was quick to respond. “This job,” she said with a smile. “It’s big! But I appreciate the challenge.” Mary believes our organization is unique because we focus on making our residences home-like as well as providing special benefits to our employees. Unequivocally, Mary’s favorite part of the job involves the people within the organization. They are a huge reason why she enjoys her job so much. “I am deeply appreciative for the extraordinary talent and commitment of my staff and colleagues,” remarked Mary.
People often assume that working with numbers can be rather tedious, but for Mary Grimm, the financial word is an exciting place. “In truth, I hate to file and organize things,” admitted Mary. “I strongly prefer the strategic and creative side of corporate finance!” From all indications, Mary’s financial expertise is a huge asset for JGS Lifecare.
