Meet Aimee Greeter, a Junior League of Charlotte, Inc. (JLC) Sustainer and Senior Vice President at Coker Group. Her mother role-modeled the idea that with hard work and a spirit of unceasing determination, Aimee could take on the world. She also helped foster a love for cold pizza for breakfast and drinking Crystal Lite lemonade. Ms. Greeter is author to numerous articles and books and is often interviewed in healthcare industry publications. Let’s get to know more about her in today’s Member Monday blog feature
Q: Tell me about yourself
A:I was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin and I am indeed a huge Green Bay Packers fan. I have two older sisters who have been my role models for my entire life. I am incredibly grateful for the example they set for me, first on what it looked like to be a kind sister, a great friend and a loving daughter, and now as we’ve gotten older, what it looks like to be an awesome mom. I would be lost without them! I did my undergrad at Michigan State, and then my Masters at Emory. I came to Charlotte 15 years ago as part of the Teach for America program. I taught 6th-8th grade special education at Sedgefield Middle School.
Q: How has the Junior League helped develop your potential?
A: I joined the Junior League in Atlanta while I was in grad school as a way to better connect to the community, make new friends and fill a significant desire I had to contribute philanthropically. Over the years, the Junior League has met all my initial goals, and done so much more. It is because of the League that I was first appointed as a Board member to a local non-profit! That began a new way for me to serve the community. Without my League experiences and connections, I don’t think I would have had the confidence to continue to seek Board seats. Currently, women represent only 22% of seats on Fortune 1000 corporate boards. I believe organizations such as the League are well positioned to empower and support women as we work to change that. I know from my firsthand experience that with the League’s support, it is possible!
Q: What is your favorite childhood memory?
A: My family has huge celebrations for “Golden Birthdays,” which happen the year you turn the age of the day of your birth. My birthday is August 6, so my Golden Birthday was when I turned 6 years old. I’ll never forget that my aunt gave me a new bike for my birthday that year. It was a gray and pink Huffy with sparkly metallic pink streamers on the handles, and I thought it was the most beautiful piece of sporting equipment ever made. I rode it up and down our street all day and night, waving to my aunt who was watching me from our front porch. Best day ever !!
Q: What motivates you to work hard?
A: This has changed throughout my life. When I was small, it was to make my parents proud. As I got older, I realized that I worked hard because it made ME proud. These days, I am motivated to work hard because I realize my children are always watching what I do, and I want to set an example for them that working hard is often necessary, but that it can also be enjoyable and yield positive results. In so many ways, my children have helped me become a better version of myself.
Q: What is your proudest accomplishment?
A: My mom has had a massive influence on the person I am today. Recently, my own daughter was working on learning how to write uppercase letters, and when I asked about her progress, she cheerfully replied, “You told me I could do it, so I believed I could do it, and now I am doing it!” I am so proud to carry on my mother’s legacy of raising strong, self-confident girls. The world would be a better place if all children grew up believing they can do anything, and then went on to do it!
Q: What is your favorite thing about your career?
A: As a healthcare consultant, I have the opportunity to travel across the country and work with many hospitals and physician groups. This means that I get to meet new people all the time! Watching and learning from all different types of people and organizations is definitely the best part about my job.
Q: Who is your hero and why?
A: Dick Hoyt. He is a father who has completed over 1,000 races (including marathons, duathlons and triathlons), all while pushing his son Rick in a wheelchair. After complications at birth, Rick was diagnosed with quadriplegia and cerebral palsy, but Dick and his wife Judy were determined to provide Rick with the most inclusive and joyous life possible. After their first race, Rick told his father, “Dad, when I’m running, it feels like I’m not handicapped.” And so began Dick’s quest to compete with Rick as much as he possibly could. Every time I am struggling with a race, I think about Rick and how incredibly lucky I am to even be able to run on my own two feet. I’ve never met any of the Hoyts, but I would love to someday, so I could personally share how much their story has meant to me. Dick’s dedication to his son, and to their races is absolutely heroic in my mind!
Q: Where do you see yourself in the next five years?
a. I have an interest in continuing to develop my presence on nonprofit and for-profit corporate Boards. I intend to work hard and continue to develop my professional and personal expertise over the next few years such that I would be of value to an organization as they set their strategic direction, address market forces and maintain fiscal accountability.
Q: What are your hobbies?
A: I am a certified beekeeper and getting to work in the hives is a passion of mine! I’ll never forget the look on my husband’s face the first time he watched me reach into one of our hives, swarming with 40,000+ bees, not wearing any gloves! I have been a long-distance runner for what feels like my entire life. My older sisters were both runners and got me hooked on running. Even though I am a lot slower today than I was when I started running, I still enjoy it just as much!
Q: How do you think your friends would describe you?
A: A friend once told me that the thing she liked most about me is that I love with my whole heart. I continue to think of that as one of the best compliments I have ever received! I can only hope all of my friends would describe me as someone who loves others completely.
