Age:		38
Marital Status:		Single
Occupation:		Investor Relations Officer
Hometown:		Bakersfield, California
Luxury Item:		The last 12 issues of NIRI Update

Voted "Most Likely to Succeed" by her college graduating class, Ima Pleezer learned the secret to success at an early age. "Keep a smile on your face, agree with everyone and document everything," is Ima's motto.

Born to hardworking, middle-class parents in Bakersfield, California on January 4, 1963, Ima was a studious child but had few friends. She was shy and preferred playing with her pet mice, Rocket and Scientist, to hanging out with the neighborhood boys and girls.

One day when she was 12, Ima was walking home from school and a thunderstorm broke. She ran for cover under an old oak tree on the end of fenced property belonging to Spin Stir, an elderly fortuneteller who ran a strawberry farm in the summer and was a ski instructor in Vail during the winter. Spin also happened to be caught out-of-doors when the storm started, and saw Ima huddled under the tree.

"You'll get struck by lightning if you stay there," she yelled out. "Come indoors with me." Ima followed Spin to her barn, where the old woman kept her skis and snowboard collection, as well as her crystal ball. While waiting for the rain to subside, Spin began quizzing young Ima about her family and friends. Upon hearing that Ima preferred mice to people, Spin offered her some advice.

"You can't get bogged down in caring about what other people think," Spin said. "One day, you'll find yourself working with a varied group of people. People who are nothing like you, who sweat the small stuff and will drive you crazy. You'll survive this environment - in fact, you'll thrive in it and be very popular - as long as you remember to keep smiling, agree with everyone and put everything you say or is said to you in writing."

Ima never forgot that afternoon with Spin. Inspired by her conversation, she took a new approach to life. Her easygoing nature made her popular and she made friends easily. After graduating from Pepperdine University in 1985, Ima went to work for her old friend Spin in the communications department of Spin's Strawberry Farms (SSF). With SSF for six years, Ima rose to the position of Corporate Communications Director.

When SSF went public in 1991, Spin retired and Ima gained the additional title of Investor Relations Director. After producing several of SSF's annual reports, including the award-winning 1994 book themed "Seeing Red," Ima felt it was time to look for new opportunities. Through the NIRI job bank, she found and interviewed for the position of Investor Relations Officer at Kwality Widgets, a change Ima thought would be refreshing. She was hired for the position in October 1994, and loves the change.