With over 33 years of experience in retirement plan administration, consulting, and client care, Monika Zimmer, QKA, QPA, brings expertise and a passion for service excellence to her role as Vice President – ESOP Client Care at Blue Ridge. Monika is responsible for ensuring the delivery of “above and beyond” service to all Blue Ridge clients, mentoring and developing Client Relationship Managers, and shaping client care processes to promote continuous improvement and responsiveness. She also plays a key role in Blue Ridge’s pre-transaction consulting group, supporting companies as they navigate the complexities of employee ownership.
Prior to joining Blue Ridge through the Crowe LLP acquisition, Monika was a Partner at Crowe, where she led the Oak Brook retirement plan practice, overseeing ESOP and 401(k) administration, consulting, and client service. Her leadership and technical acumen were instrumental in driving quality and growth across the practice.
Monika earned her Bachelor of Science in Finance, with a minor in German, from Elmhurst College in 1990, graduating with a 4.0 GPA and making the Dean’s List every semester. She holds the Qualified 401(k) Administrator (QKA) and Qualified Pension Administrator (QPA) credentials from ASPPA, and has also earned the ESOP Administration Certificate from ASPPA, reflecting her technical expertise and commitment to ongoing professional development.
An active member of both The ESOP Association (TEA) and the National Center for Employee Ownership (NCEO), Monika stays closely connected to industry developments and advocates for best practices in plan administration and client service.