30 at 30: Everick Spence
Executive MBA – Strategic Leadership Class of 2015
Director of Workplace Health and Safety at Amazon
Everick Spence, Amazon director of workplace health and safety, learned the value of education from his mother. Spence grew up in Jamaica in a single-parent home, and while his mother’s own educational opportunities had been limited, she emphasized its importance to her children.
“My mother barely has a sixth-grade education,” he explained. “But she understood the value of education, and saw it as an opportunity to change the dynamic of our family situation. For us, going to college wasn’t an option. It was a must.”
The Pursuit of Education
Spence immigrated to the United States in October of 1984. As high school graduation approached, he applied to three different universities, planning to pursue a degree in engineering. Within weeks of classes starting, he received denial letters from each.
“I was crushed,” Spence said.
Still, he remained determined to pursue his educational goals. His high school automotive mechanic instructor, seeing the student’s work ethic and talent, advised him to explore Nashville Auto-Diesel College, which was a fit for his strong technical skills. This was a defining moment in Spence’s career, and he thrived in his new environment.
“At Nashville Auto-Diesel College, I excelled,” Spence explained. “It really confirmed for me that I could succeed. I’d been turned down, but it wasn’t the end of the world.”
Following graduation, Spence went on to work as a mechanic, but his desire to learn remained, so he began his undergraduate career at Tennessee State University. Just before his junior year, Spence got married and transferred to Saginaw Valley State University in Michigan, where he completed his Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering. He went on to earn a Master of Science in Engineering from Purdue.
Scaling a Career Wall
Armed with a talent for leadership, a strong work ethic and an in-depth knowledge of his field, Spence’s career took off. He earned roles of increasing responsibility, until finally, his progress plateaued.
“About 20 years into my career, I hit the proverbial wall,” the Amazon director explained. “I could get technical roles. I could get operational roles up to a certain level. But other roles, I wouldn’t be considered for.”
Spence approached a mentor in his organization to discuss how he could shore himself up for continued growth. His mentor advised that building his financial acumen could unlock new doors and that an MBA would position him for long-term success.
From the Workplace to the Classroom
With his packed schedule, Spence knew that finding the right program structure was imperative. He needed a program that would allow him to prioritize his roles as a dedicated husband, the father of young children and family breadwinner, often working upwards of 60 hours per week.
Spence had previously taken a few continuing education courses at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, while working at Alcoa’s Tennessee Operations site in Alcoa, Tennessee. His positive experience with those courses inspired him to return to the university, and upon exploring the Executive MBA – Strategic Leadership (EMBA-SL), he knew he’d found the right fit.
“At the end of our first residence period, I knew I’d made a great choice,” Spence explained. “The instructors treated us as professionals, and the discourse was focused on helping us to understand how the theoretical concepts aligned with real-world experience.”
Real-World Application
As a seasoned professional, Spence appreciated that the EMBA-SL program focused less on traditional teaching methods and more on ensuring students could apply classroom concepts in the workplace.
“Rather than explaining that ‘One plus one equals two,’” Spence explained, “the content dove into ‘One plus one equals two. Here’s why, and here’s how it applies to your work.’”
This method of learning helped Spence feel confident tackling problems that had previously seemed intimidating. One member of the faculty in particular, accounting professor Priscilla Wisner, helped him feel confident in finance and accounting, which opened doors to a new career opportunity as a general manager.
“My general manager role required extensive understanding of the P&L [profit & loss sheet],” Spence explained. “And I found that my accounting fears were gone. I had an eagerness to dig in and to learn, and my financial acumen grew both personally and professionally.”
Spence’s talent for leadership, paired with his business acumen, made him a standout candidate for leadership roles. He was hired as director of continuous improvement, covering 13 locations across the U.S. and Canada, and later promoted to a role as site General Manager, managing a 4,400-acre paper mill. Today, Spence works as director of warehouse health and safety at Amazon, where he covers 48 sites and supports roughly 50,000+ team members.
EMBA Words of Wisdom
Signing off, Spence shared just how valuable this program has been in his professional life.
“Being able to speak the language of business fluently, participate and provide guidance have been some of the most rewarding aspects of the program,” Spence shared. “I’m finding tremendous application for the work that I did in the EMBA program every day.”
Throughout his educational journey, Spence has been appreciative of each experience. On his time at the University of Tennessee, he said, “It’s all been rich for me.”