Julie Hegedus was recently recognized by the Energetic Women's Conference as an outstanding leader with their Maverick award. She has spent her entire career as a first or only female in many traditionally male roles. Listen as talks about not allowing fear to dictate her actions.
Julie Hegedus was recently recognized by the Energetic Women's Conference as an outstanding leader with their Maverick award. She has spent her entire career as a first or only female in many traditionally male roles. Listen as talks about not allowing fear to dictate her actions.
Bill Krieger (Host)
Hello, everyone and welcome to Me You Us, a wellbeing podcast. It's another wellbeing Wednesday here at Consumers Energy. And I'm your host bill Krieger. Today, my guest is Julie Hegedus. She is the executive director of energy services at Consumers Energy, and also the maverick award winner from the energetic women's conference. So Julie, if you'd Introduce yourself, we'll get the conversation started.
Julie Hegedus
Thank you so much bill. so incredibly honored to be here with you today. Like you said, I'm Julie hegedus, Executive Director of energy services, I have the privilege of leading an amazing organization that supports the state of Michigan, we have about 200,000 customers that support their appliance service programs across the state. So if you have any needs for appliance work, give us a call. Our appliance service program is an awesome program, making sure that those appliances work and the times that you need them most.
Bill Krieger (Host)
And I am a gold member. So I am a big fan of the appliance service plan. They're very helpful for me over the years. So definitely, definitely worth it. So Julie, talk to us a little bit more about energy services in what it is you do and who your team is?
Julie Hegedus
Sure, yeah. So I've joined the team, it's been now about nine months. So still learning a lot about the role and learning about the team. The appliance service program has actually been going on since 1995. So 26 years, which is actually our longest standing product that Consumers Energy has had. So it's really an amazing program that it's lasted this long and continues to flourish and grow. I lead a rockstar team that have people that are a variety of folks, from engineers, to analysts, to compliance folks to quality folks, as well as operations folks and our operations folks serve the people of Michigan, making sure that that stoves working when you want to cook that turkey dinner and making sure that that air conditioning unit is running well on the hottest days of our Michigan summers. So it's a it's a really dynamic team and just trying to keep up with the customer demands, right? Like every customer wants those appliances working. So we are continually to try to up our game and service those customers as quickly and as soon as we possibly can.
Bill Krieger (Host)
So sounds like a great team. It sounds like a lot of work. But but kind of rewarding work because you're you're helping folks out. And speaking of rewarding, so I was told that you were the recipient of the energetic women Maverick award this year at the energetic women's conference. And you're in good company because there's some incredible past winners of that award. You're just now part of that list of incredible people who have who have been awarded that. So could you talk to the audience a little bit about what the maverick award is and what it means to you.
Julie Hegedus
Sure, yeah. First, so excited to have received that award and to be in the company of such incredible people. Like you said, past winners include Mary milkovich, I mean total rock star here with previous to being with Consumers Energy, she was our Vice President of gas advocacy, just super awesome leader. So the maverick award is given out annually to a man or a woman that really supports diversity, equity and inclusion. Someone that empowers women to lead in the energy sector, both in engineering or operations. And it's it was a very humbling experience to receive this award this year. And they made it very special. It was a virtual conference, The award was given out at the end of the conference. It's a two day conference that's held normally together every year but this year was virtually last year, it had to be canceled due to everything that was going on. And it was so fun. The conference was completely empowering. very impactful had a list of outstanding speakers that they brought in and you just leave the conference like literally energized with tools that you can implement in your work every day. And so the maverick award really was very, very special to me. I was nominated by my co workers here at Consumers Energy. There was a group of four women that nominated me and the nomination was And credibly gracious and kind. And it's a national award. So not just obviously for consumers energy but a national award for women in our men in the energy industry. So very excited to have won that award.
Bill Krieger (Host)
Oh, I can only imagine. So here you are executive director of energy services, the winner of the maverick award. But let's go back a few years, because you didn't just come to consumers energy as the executive director of energy services. You've done a few other things in your career that got you here. So could you talk us a little bit about where you began and how you got to where you're at today?
Julie Hegedus
Sure, yeah. Well, I'm a chemical engineer by trade. I spent some time at dow automotive when I was in college and learned a lot under a PhD chemist who was a very empowering leader that supported me while I was going through school. When I graduated, it was DTE that DTE Energy that actually gave me a spot after college. And I started out in the lab Services Group testing the chemical components of the natural gas, which was exciting, but not as fun as operations. And so I spent a little bit of time there. And the director of gas operations ultimately brought me over to the operations organization, I had the opportunity of being a field leader. And that was really my first exposure to being in a gas operations organization. And I led a group of men that were about my father's age. And it was a very humbling opportunity. They knew way more about the business than I did. And I just asked a lot of questions. And I, you know, jumped down in the hole and got dirty a little bit with them not being afraid to ask the stupid question or the silly question. And it was a very rewarding experience, I learned a lot from those gentlemen, and I hold them close to my heart still to this day, because they really, they really, they grew me up, I always say like, they really taught me a lot. And from there, I, you know, really was just looking for another opportunity and wanted to utilize more of my engineering background and an opportunity became available at Consumers Energy. And so in 2008, I moved over to consumers energy and have had a wealth of opportunities here, the company has been really kind and really empowering to allow me to try different things. I got involved in pipeline integrity. So inspecting our transmission pipelines. That was that was a lot of fun got to do with that was engineering work and operations work where you got to work alongside the the transmission folks in the field, and I learned a lot from them about our transmission system and how it all worked.
Again, it was another humbling opportunity, because as an engineer, you know, you learned the basics, I would say you learn how to problem solve, you kind of learn how to, you know, do the math and science of it all, but you don't really know the real work until you get into it. And when you talk with those folks that are in the field, they just are so knowledgeable. And I asked again, a million questions of them and learned a ton. And from there, you know, I thought in regulatory compliance, so responsible for our guests code, compliance responsibilities, so our regulators, our Michigan Public Service Commission, and making sure that we are following our standards, and all the regulations and rules that come along with running a utility operations business. In that role. I didn't have a big organization, but I got to work alongside gas operations. But it was really a time where I had to influence those that did not report to me. So I had to influence the operations organization to kind of fought to follow our rules and standards. Even though they were not in my chain of command, per se. They were they were in a whole nother organization. So it really took a lot of influence and partnering and collaboration and communication. But again, another opportunity where I learned a lot and then from there I ultimately moved into back into operation. So sort of where I started at DTE and the field I ended up coming. Coming back home Consumers Energy has truly given me a home here that I'm was the first executive director to lead the gas distribution team back in 2017. I had so much fun with that role I learned I actually traveled to 18 of our gas distribution service centers met the union leadership met the field leaders met the crews really got to hear from those closest to the work and how we can make things better. It was a lot of fun. After that, I went on to guess construction and Transmission operations, and was the first executive or female field leader or not field leader, I'm sorry, first female executive director of gas construction and transmission ups. And that was we were responsible for all our main replacement work service replacement work to improve the integrity of the gas pipeline system. And then also transmission and storage, so maintaining our largest assets of our transmission and storage facilities across the state of Michigan. And then fast forward to December of 2020, where I had the amazing opportunity to join the energy services team, which is in the customer experience, organization, and I have not done anything in the customer area. So I was very honored to be selected for this role, and learn a lot more about our customer products and a whole nother side of the business that I just hadn't been previously exposed to.
Bill Krieger (Host)
So as we talk, Julie, I'm hearing a lot of the word first, right, first female executive director in a couple of different spots and gas, I have to suspect that even at DTE, there probably weren't a lot of female field leaders and the operational areas, especially in gas. And so you know, I have to ask the question, and here's why I'm asking you because, you know, it's no secret people who know me, I'm a middle aged white guy, right? It's very, not very often that I can say I'm the first to have done anything. So when I do a job, or when I have a position, I look at it, as you know, what, what am I doing for the people that work with me? What am I doing for the company? And what am I doing for me? It's kind of like that. But I think you had this added dimension of being the first female first woman to do these jobs. You're kind of representing females in general, whether it's something you want to do or not. That's really how it is. So how did that really impact you as you were looking at these positions and doing these jobs?
Julie Hegedus
Yeah. So when I think back about that first field later job that I had at DTE, I was the first female there in the in the history of the company in that role, it was called pressure operations at the time, and they had never had a female there. And in fact, they, they called me the skirt. It was and it was not exactly that a nice comment, right? It was not exactly a welcoming comment, they didn't really want me there to be honest with you. And they felt like I didn't really know anything. And I was just there to tell them how to do their job. And I really took a different approach. I really value the union workforce. I grew up in a strong UAW strong household. My dad retired from Chrysler after 37 years. And he was very proud of being in the Union. And that put a roof over my head for 20 plus years. And so I have a lot of respect for our union workforce, they do some amazing work. And they're so dedicated to our customers, and really just doing a good job. And so I took approach, really, when I joined that role of I don't know everything you guys, you guys know more than I do. I'm here to just learn. I'm here to help you. I'm here to help remove barriers. I don't even know what those barriers are yet, but I'll figure it out. And probably you'll tell me, right? And so that's why I just asked a lot of questions. What are you struggling with? What is what makes your job really complicated? How can I help? What do you need? And asking those questions, it really kind of took those folks off the defense and on to more like, she's not here to tell me how to do my job. She's here to help. Hmm, maybe I should talk to her. So they kind of broke down a lot of those barriers with those with me, and those folks. And I'm glad I did that. I'm glad I took that approach. It really just opened me up to the challenges that they were having. I mean, their equipment was really outdated, they needed new equipment. So I made business cases to advocate for better equipment and better tools for them. So I helped them get the things they truly needed to be successful and operate the guest system business, in the field. And, and then when I think about like being the first, I was very nervous about being the first executive director of guest distribution, I kept thinking, I don't know anything about this role. Like even though I was a field leader, at one point, it had been such a long time it had been over a decade between the two roles. So I had thought, What do I know about gas operations? And then I thought, you don't know everything. So you're just going to ask your questions, and you're just going to be curious. And so I think that is the most important thing to do when you take on a new role. A lot of folks think you are the leader because you know everything well I actually feel the exact opposite. You're the leader because you ask all the right questions and you lean on your people that know the most about the work and are closest to the work because those closest to the work truly know What's really going on in the organization and how to make a difference for our customers so that taking that humble curious approach would absolutely be like my advice to anyone being the first in any role that they get asked to do or get the opportunity to be selected for, I think, just being curious is a really great skill and, and not to be afraid, just don't be afraid to take it, I was so afraid to take that guest distribution role. I thought, Oh my gosh, there's like far 500 people in this organization. They're gonna eat me alive. And but I knew I had to face that fear to, I knew I had to take the role because I was afraid. Because I knew I would grow in my leadership so much by taking a role that I was that afraid to take.
Bill Krieger (Host)
So something I teach my kids is don't let fear dictate the decisions you make in life. It's good. It's it's good to have a healthy amount of fear about certain things. But now when it comes to taking risks like that, so Julie, I want to go back a little bit in you were talking about the UAW and being a UAW kid, shout out to local 652 here in Lansing, my dad was a member of that local, he worked for General Motors for 30 years and retired out of they're very similar. But I got to ask this question. So I remember as a kid, we'd sit down at the dinner table, and my dad would come home when he wasn't working. And we would be eating dinner. And he would use a lot of very colorful language that I won't repeat on a podcast. But he would talk about those engineers that would come down there and tell him how to do his job. And he would try and show them that, hey, we could work together as they want to hear it. They just here's how we're going to do it. And then he would stand by and let it fail, because he knew that's what was gonna happen. I'm pretty sure you probably saw some similar things with your dad. And if you did, how did that shape? The engineer and supervisory that you became?
Julie Hegedus
Yeah, I mean, my dad has been a huge supporter of mine. He encouraged me to go to college, he never went to college, he only had a high school diploma. And certainly, he got his truck driving license and was very proud of that. And he was very much union strong. And and I definitely learned a lot of life lessons from him on that. One of the things I would say he taught me was to get out of the office, like, don't think you can engineer something from the office, like go talk to the people that are closest to the work. And I remember a time when I was in pipeline integrity. And I was a, I was a young engineer, I'd only been I had been at DTE for just five years. So I did. And I was only here for maybe a year or so I was still like in my 20s. And really just still learning a lot about our business. And I remember getting a project to relocate a pipeline. And I remember thinking, Okay, I gotta design this pipeline relocated to a different location, I remember thinking, I'm not really sure if this is going to work. And I thought you don't want Let me see if I can get a hold of the welders. So I called the field leader for that area. And I said, Can I come out the field and talk to your welders? I said, I want them to look at my print. I want them to take a look at it. And he's like, you want to talk to my guys? And I'm like, Yeah, do you care if he's like, no. But he was kind of shocked and and I'll never it was Carl browning, who was the field leader at the time and our gas transmission, operations business. And I remember him thinking, Okay, they're at Lake orient city gate, go see them, goes to me gave me a couple of the names of the guys that were his welders out there. And I met them out there. And I remember them thinking, why are you here? And I laid out on the back of their truck, I laid out of my prints. And I said, this is what I'm thinking about this design. And no, it's got to be relocated. I said, I'm not really sure if this is right, I said I'd love for your insights to take a look at this. And they looked at it and they were like, Julie, it's all wrong. And I'm like, Oh my goodness, it's all wrong. And they're they were very direct with me and honest and they were like yeah, you're gonna get it all wrong if you do it this way. So they literally wrote on my drew on my print, like the way it helped me and our way it should be to help me get it right. And I remember thanking them profusely and I laughed and Carl shared with me afterward that that opportunity that instance of me like pulling that printout on the back of a pickup truck. They were just incredibly shocked that I did that and very grateful that I did that and I was so grateful because I could have got it totally wrong. And but it's it's really being vulnerable to say you don't know everything you gotta ask those that know the the know more than you and and it doesn't matter. You know where you're at in the organization, what level you are at the stripes don't matter when you're Trying to get the job done right. And so I remember my dad telling me get out of the office, you can't engineer a project from the office, like, you're never going to get it right. And I always had that in my head. So I was often out in the field asking probably a lot of silly questions like that. And from there, it ended up in a better project in the end, because those welders were the ones that had to weld that pipe. So and it was done, right, because they had a say, in the design. And I'm really grateful for those folks that allowed me to ask those silly questions. So I would say I learned a lot from that.
Bill Krieger (Host)
Oh, in the end again, yeah. You know, I don't I don't think that there are silly questions. But it's, it's great. And I like the way that you're not afraid to say I don't know. Because if you can't, if you can't say I don't know that no one's going to raise their hand and say, Well, let me let me show you right now. They might say something off the cuff or whatever, but they're always going to help you at least, that's been my experience. So you've had quite a career here, Consumers Energy and starting out at DTE. You've done a lot of things. Something the audience hasn't heard, though. And I'm going to let the cat out of the bag here. You've married you have five kids?
Julie Hegedus
Do I do? Yes, I am. How's that work? Julie? Yeah, it's true. You You got it, right. So I am married to an amazing husband, 14 years, Gary hegedus. He has been my rock and my biggest cheerleader and biggest fan. to support me in all these different opportunities that I've had. We do have five children. So he has three, I have three step sons, but they're mine. But three from a previous marriage, and, and then we have two together between the two of us. And so we have five and they range from 32 down to eight. So it's a big range. And I have three daughter in laws from that because we have four boys and a girl. But after four boys, I didn't even think we could make a girl. But Nina came along and changed our world. We still laugh about going to the ultrasound appointment and asking when they told us that it was a girl we said Are you sure we don't make those? And she thought, oh my goodness, these people are crazy. But we said we should check again. And she was like em 99.9% sure it's a girl. And yeah, Nina blessed us eight years ago. So and I now have our family is growing. It's just continues to grow. So I have three daughter in laws from the three older boys. And then I now have four grandchildren, which is amazing because I have an eight year old and I have grandchildren. I was very blessed with two grandchildren this year 2020 social distancing did not exist for everyone. I can tell you that. So we had two grandbabies. This year, we have three grandsons. And then our first granddaughter came this year. So Oliver, and Emma graced us this year in March and May respectively. So we are a very big family big, loud and crazy blended American family so and I love it. I wouldn't have it any other way. The house is always bustling with some activity. There's always lots of food eating and things like that going on. I am Italian and Lebanese. So I love to cook. I am often making, you know, some Lebanese dish or some Italian pasta dish. I love making homemade meat sauce for the family is like freezing it and giving it to everybody in their brother across the neighborhood. I just Yeah, I love having a big family and I never expected all this. I never expected to have this huge family and, um, but it has been it's been very good. It's been very joyous. And having these grandbabies around, and so fun. I get to have a little baby snuggles and then send them on their way. Yeah.
Bill Krieger (Host)
Sometimes it's the best part although it's sometimes difficult to send them on their way my granddaughter will be three in December and my son his family were visiting a few weeks ago so it was just amazing. I never you know it's funny like my whole life I there's like these milestones where there were these people that I would giggle at like the people who are fresh freshly made grandparent's and, and all that I get it now like I totally get it.
Julie Hegedus
Yeah, it is. It is a joy that I never knew either. And I mean, it's such a joy to have a child but and to watch them grow. But to have a grandchild and to snuggle on that grandchild and now the little two babies are getting to the point where they recognize you and when they see you they get excited and so it's so just heartwarming to see their reactions and love on them so much. So they are going to be Uber spoiled, but that's okay. Cuz that's the grandmas role, right? This just boil the heck out of
Bill Krieger (Host)
that is definitely what you're supposed to do. And if I'm hearing everything correctly, you are who you are in successful as a result of your large family and not despite your large family, right, because I think some people look at it, like I was successful in spite of all of these things, but it sounds like your family kind of helps you be that person.
Julie Hegedus
Absolutely. I mean, my, between my husband, I mean, he is a very active father in the kids lives. He is often running them to sports and different activities, he'll get dinner started. And help me clean up at the end of it all. He also, you know, make sure that I'm covered during when I have lady meetings or something going on that I've got to be at. But I also have an amazing support system with my mother in law. My mom and my stepmom, I have literally three moms in my life. And I'm very blessed to say that I do. My mother in law has really helped me raise the two little ones, Marshall and Nina, since they were really 12 weeks old when I went back to work. And I could not do what I do without that support. And if it's not my mother in law, it's my mom covering for something or helping us with, with an event that we've got at night. And the little ones need to be watched and or it's my stepmom covering something as well. So I am just really grateful I even have two amazing sister in laws that support us as well. I really believe it takes a village to be able to do all the awesome things we get to do as women, and you can lead a large organization or an operations organization or an engineering organization or whatever it is that it brings you enjoy. I really think you can do it. But it is really important to not be afraid to ask for help. There are times where I want to do it myself. But sometimes I need to just say, Mom, I need you to cover this or I need you to take them to a doctor's appointment, or I need you to take them to the dentist or something because I can't be in two or three places at once. And, and so we spoil the heck out of the grandmas because they are so good to us. So Mother's Day, I have a full, they get lots of gifts and lots of love. And we make a big deal out of it. Because every other day of the year, they really support me and enabled me to do the things that I need to do here. And and I love that. And like next week we're going on vacation and I'm taking my mother in law with me because not because I need her to like watch the kids or anything but more because I want to just spoil the crap out of her on vacation. And she's so excited because we she's never been know where we're going. And I'm it's we're just going up north but it's near and a new town near Trevor city. And she's excited to go explore a new town near diversity and I'm excited to take her with us.
Bill Krieger (Host)
That just sounds like a lot of fun as well is a lot of support for you. And so I think what I hear is, you know, truthfully, you can you can do it all. But you can't do it all by yourself that you need that support system, whether it's work or at home, whatever position you're in, to think that you can just do it by yourself and not rely on other people. Could be a large mistake.
Julie Hegedus
Yeah, I think you you need to have that support system, certainly. And if you don't have that support system, you need to be okay with saying no to some things. Because often I think as women and mothers, we want to say yes to everything. And saying yes to everything just spreads us too thin. And then it just increases our stress level. And then we end up with you know, in a potential panic attack or something's going on. And then we're not taking care of ourselves. And so sometimes taking saying no is the best way to take care of ourselves. And I know there's been times where I've said no to opportunities that have come my way. And sometimes I have guilt around saying no, but I said no, because it was for the right reason and for the good of my mental health or the good of my or the good of my family because I needed to be able to be with them or something and it's okay to say no, just because you say no doesn't mean you're gonna say no to everything. It just means you're saying no, no that thing right then and there. And so I think about that often if you don't have that village like I mean I'm very blessed to have one and I encourage anyone to you know, Lina neighbors even I've had neighbors like randomly washed my kids when I've needed to and neighbors are so gracious and happy to do it because I had some neighbors at my previous house that already raised their children and they were so happy to watch the kids for a couple hours and and bust out some old toys and play with them. And that I was really grateful for too but not be afraid to just think of like your immediate family. Be open to like even a friend you might have a friend that you're really close to that's like a member of your family, and they might need the support sometimes in a different time, and you can help them at a different time. I know a girlfriend of mine and I trade often on babysitting services, I'll watch your kids for this night, if you watch my this night kind of thing, and then you get to do all the fun things you want to do in your life while still having and then the kids have a blast because they get to play with their friends. So it's a win win for everyone, but not to be afraid to ask for help. And then also say no to those opportunities that maybe just aren't the right fit, or the right time for you.
Bill Krieger (Host)
You know, to be awarded by the energetic women's conference as a maverick is incredible. But those of us who know you didn't need to see an award to know how incredible you are in the great work that you do. So it's very much noticed and appreciated. And we're getting close. I hate to say this to the end of the podcast Time flies when we're having these conversations. But before we go, is there anything that you would like to leave the audience with?
Julie Hegedus
Yeah, this has been an amazing opportunity. Bill, I feel very grateful to spend the time with you today. For the audience, I would just say, you know, really not to be afraid to take opportunities that scare you not to be afraid to ask for help, really face that fear wherever it comes your way. Because you just don't know when you get beyond that fear, what door might open, what opportunity might present itself how you might grow as a leader or as a person. I feel like I've grown so much to my leadership in these last few years. And it's because of facing my fear around getting up in front of a crowded room or getting up in front of a bigger audience to share a message and I freely face that fear. And in doing that it's really pushed me to be better pushed me to be a better leader. And so I encourage our audience to really face their fear throughout their lives, whether it's personally or professionally because you just never know what magic might come out of facing that fear.
Bill Krieger (Host)
Alright, incredible words from an incredible leader. Thanks again, Julie for taking the time out to be with us today. And I look forward to talking again. Thank you so much, Phil, and thank you to the audience for tuning in today. Remember, you can subscribe to this podcast on your favorite podcasting platform. And be sure to take a few minutes and fill out our survey to let us know how we're doing that can be found at HTTP, colon slash slash bi T dot L y slash me dash y o u dash us and remember to tune in every Wednesday when we talk about the things that impact your personal well being