Employee Spotlight: Jackie Bray

From the Blue Ridge Mountains to the State of the Union

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I love the magic that happens when people work together toward a common goal.

How did a single mom from the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains become a guest of First Lady Michelle Obama during the 2012 State of the Union address? You might say it began with her love of reading.

Working at a mill as a teenager, Jackie Bray’s passion for literature was noticed by a manager who encouraged her to apply for a maintenance position. She excelled at the required reading test but struggled with the tools test. Nevertheless, she secured the job, and the company sent her to maintenance school. She progressed from maintenance to machining, but eventually she was part of a company layoff.

Jackie was able to turn her situation around by attending a program at Central Piedmont Community College made through a partnership with ��˿��, which led to the company hiring her. When the government affairs team called for inspiring employee stories highlighting the hiring and training opportunities provided, as part of a federal jobs report, Jackie’s successful journey was submitted by the Charlotte leadership team. It caught the attention of White House staff, and eventually President Obama, who showcased her story during his address to the nation.

Today, 12 years later, Jackie works as a night shift supervisor for the service side of ��˿��’s gas turbine business in Charlotte, North Carolina. Continuing on her path to higher education, she graduated from Purdue University in IT/Computer programming and development with honors last September. But she’s not planning to look for an IT job any time soon.

“I was promoted to supervisor while I was in school,” Jackie explains. “This role made me realize working with people and building teams is what I truly enjoy. I love the magic that happens when people work together toward a common goal.”

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This is a diverse and inclusive workplace. I can be a supervisor with purple hair, tattoos and piercings and I’ve always been accepted here. It’s okay to be different – to be yourself.

One of Jackie’s goals is ensuring her team upholds the highest standards of safety. To help them get to know each other and function better as a team, she has implemented activities like Safety Trivia Thursdays, Safety Story Night and hosted motivational speakers.

“I remind my team that we’re fortunate that management gives us time to discuss safety and make sure everyone is ok and feels safe,” she says.

Being able to work in a safe environment that includes not just physical safety, but overall well-being is one of the reasons Jackie enjoys working at ��˿��.

“This is a diverse and inclusive workplace. I can be a supervisor with purple hair, tattoos and piercings and I’ve always been accepted here,” she explains. “It’s okay to be different – to be yourself.”

Now that she has obtained her degree, Jackie is planning to spend more of her free time with the “light of her life” – her 12-year-old grandson, Sean. She also likes to create digital art, which she develops into 3D models and then paints. And of course, she still enjoys reading, often listening to favorite books such as “Tuesdays with Morrie” or “The Fault in our Stars” while cooking dinner.

When asked what she’s most proud of, Jackie breaks out a big smile. “My daughter, Miranda, who is a dental assistant and is the reason I went to school. She encouraged me when times were tough by reminding me that it’s ok to be frustrated. It’s ok to fail a test or have a bad day,” Jackie says. “It’s all part of the process and if you open your eyes, you will learn something from it.”

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From the Blue Ridge Mountains to the State of the Union

Jackie Bray

Jackie Bray

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