DeeAnn Devey, 2021
DeeAnn Devey has been a part of the UMC, Inc. family since 2014. She started in payroll but quickly transitioned to our human resources department. Devey’s talents are undeniable. She’s solely responsible for making our HR department what it is today and now oversees it as manager.
As the head of HR at UMC, Inc., DeeAnn has a special connection with each member of our team. One of the things she loves most about her job is connecting with each team member. DeeAnn’s come to know many of our employees well and helped support their journeys here at UMC, Inc. Whenever anyone has an issue or a problem, DeeAnn is there to help figure things out. This past year as we faced COVID-19, DeeAnn’s connections, hard work, and dedication were invaluable to our team members who were struggling.
Another part of the job that DeeAnn loves is championing those who may need an extra hand. As part of our apprenticeship recruiting program, DeeAnn regularly visits high schools and job fairs. Recently, DeeAnn decided to change her approach to these visits. She chose to focus on the youth struggling in school or with challenges in their personal lives. These youths have great potential, but no one is offering them help to succeed. DeeAnn reworked her presentation to focus on these youths and highlighted the fantastic benefits of the apprenticeship program and how it serves as a foundation for future success. This new approach has brought several recruits to the program who are excited about their future plumbing and HVAC careers.
DeeAnn works closely with several community organizations, including Skills USA in Utah as a chairperson and Women in the Trades Utah, to highlight UMC, Inc. and our apprenticeship program, particularly for women. She believes that a career in the trades can be life-changing for women, especially single mothers and minorities. The onsite job training, livable wages, and foundational education from apprenticing with UMC, Inc can all lead to a journeyman certification. A journeyman certification can be life-changing for women struggling to find jobs with liveable wages and benefits. DeeAnn would like to see more women and others who are struggling take advantage of this training.
In the future, DeeAnn hopes to expand our program to help even more people find a rewarding and beneficial career. She’s working on partnerships with refugee groups and Salt Lake Community College to hire more people of color. In addition, to help more minorities seek apprenticeship training, she’s working hard to integrate the English as a Second Language program from Salt Lake Community College.
DeeAnn is a fantastic member of our team who is always looking to help others reach their potential. We are so grateful for the ways that she has helped each employee grow and reach their goals. Her work is so valuable to the future of our company and our industry.
