I was sitting in class when the email from Joan Wessell hit my desktop. Immediately saddened, I had trouble focusing for the remainder of class. I kept reviewing in my mind all my interactions with Scott. In reality, I didn't know Scott well. However, the few interactions I had with him, left a great impression on me.
My very first interaction with Scott was when I owned Rapid Refill Ink. I had been really involved in the chamber of commerce, and regularly attended all the Greeters meetings. At one of our summer Greeters, Patty Mulder made an announcement that they were looking for people from the business community to run for City Council. After thinking about it for a while, I decided to give her a call.
A few days later, she and Scott Zimbrick took me to lunch at the Dream. This was when I met Scott. I thought it was really neat that the Chief Marketing Officer of a bank would take time out of his day to come talk to some wet-behind-the-ears 24 year old kid about being a city leader. He made me feel important and capable. He encouraged me to run, spent a good hour explaining some of the current politics, his thoughts on where Corvallis needed to go, and what kind of commitment it would be. At the end, he gave me his cell number and encouraged me to call any time with questions.
This was the first of a dozen or so interactions with Scott over the last 4 years. During that time he connected me with donors to raise money for two different campaigns, gave my campaign extra funds he didn't need, met with me over lunches to strategize and stayed late after a debate one night to help me debrief with constructive criticism and tips for the next one. He took the time to help me, when he no doubt had way more important things to do.
Scott had a real pensive quality to him. When Scott said something, it was worthwhile. He didn't seem to waste words very often. I really admired that. He was also a master of diplomacy, without sacrificing his own principles.
Corvallis will remember Scott Zimbrick for many years to come for the contributions he made to our community.
You'll be sorely missed, Scott.
1 comments:
Hey Chris. Good to see people practicing their writing. That's one of the great things about this blogging stuff; it ensures that the art of writing will not die and that people may even get good at it again.
Mary Nolan, here. To say it's a shame for Corvallis to have lost Scott is an understatement. He was a truly decent man whose good humor, thoughtfulness and sheer tenaciousness were valuable assets to our civic life, and no doubt were much adored by his circle of family and friends. It was, indeed, a privilege to have known him.
I should wish for happier circumstances to rendezvous with folks from my Chamber past, but if you are going to be at his service tomorrow, perhaps I'll see you there.
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