Influential Woman · Energy

Cam Ureche

Asset & Work Management, DTE Energy

Detroit, MI

Certifications · Degrees · Memberships

Degree Bachelor's in Human Resource Development Degree Oakland University Degree 2006 Degree Master's in Organizational Development Degree 2012 Cert Six Sigma Training Member Maximo Workers Utility Group

Her Story

About Cam

I've been in the energy industry for almost 15 years, working specifically in utilities. My career has taken me through various roles, from leading operational teams on scheduling work for field crews to doing strategic work on process improvements and how work is managed. I've been in my current strategic role for almost 3 years, though I've been with the company for much longer. A typical day for me involves leading strategy development, managing roadmaps and deliverables, and tracking the progress we're making on executing our plans. I work extensively with cross-functional teams on problem solving and process improvement, getting teams to collaborate on developing enhancements to processes and leading discussions around technology improvements. A lot of my work is about influencing change and managing the change process. My biggest achievements have been streamlining business processes to improve performance and efficiency, and establishing team structure to achieve optimal business results. I got into this industry somewhat serendipitously after getting my master's degree in organizational development. I had a short stint with Raytheon, and then DTE offered me an opportunity and I came on board.

Her Interview

Ten minutes with Cam

01What do you attribute your success to?

Honestly, I would attribute a lot of my success to the skills I learned in the time I was running day-to-day in a non-profit organization, where I really got a chance to learn about conflict resolution and mediation skills. The ability to actively listen, the ability to negotiate, the ability to facilitate meetings, the ability to be able to break down problems and help people through the change process - I would say that skill set I gained over those years has probably been the biggest contributor to my success. Those foundational skills in conflict resolution, mediation, active listening, negotiation, and facilitation have been instrumental in everything I've accomplished.

02What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?

The best piece of advice I've ever received is to be comfortable with the uncomfortable. Really push yourself, or at least give yourself the opportunity to learn new things, even in areas you might not know 100% of everything that needs to happen. Give yourself an opportunity to expand your skill set and understand how other things can be done. Don't box yourself into just one area. Be agile and use that agility to learn more about a business and how it functions. I think agility, at the end of the day, is really the one thing I've heard very consistently - be agile. This advice has helped me stay open to new opportunities and continuously grow throughout my career.

03What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?

For me, the most important values are being organized and structured. I believe strongly in delivering on things and following through on commitments I've signed myself up for. Treating people with respect is fundamental to how I operate. These values guide both my professional work and my personal life, and I try to embody them in everything I do.

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