#OneIES: Contract Administrator, Mary Shelby

Mary Shelby, Contract Administrator, started at IES as a 90-day maternity temp in November of 1996, she was then hired on full time in March of 1997. She had no prior office experience as she worked in the Horticulture Industry 13 years prior as a Greenhouse Manager of a five-acre wholesale nursery

“My first day as a temp, a man came to my desk, which was in a far corner of the building and asked if I was doing okay and welcomed me. When I asked someone who he was, I was told he was the President of the company. That one act spoke volumes of the business ethics of this company, and I knew that day I wanted to make this my retirement job. Twenty-four years later, I still feel the same.” Mary said.

Outside of work, Mary enjoys hiking, gardening, nature photography, and traveling. She visited the Scottish Highlands last year, and she was invited to this year’s President’s Club in Maui. She is also involved in our Community Action Team (C.A.T.) and supports many local non-profit organizations such as Arizona Food Bank; Valley of the Sun United Way; Treasures 4 Teachers; Beads of Courage, Cancer Foundation; Diabetes Foundation; Autism Awareness. Both with IES connected activities and on her own.

When asked how does working for IES allow her to achieve a work/life balance, Mary said, “Being a member of our IES Community Action Team has allowed me to do more volunteer work than I might be able to do on my own. It has been so much fun to bring teams together to help others and see their attitudes change about volunteering and come back for more.

As she continues her legacy at IES, Mary’s goals for the company are to think of the tasks we perform and how they connect to others. She says, “we all need to do our part to make the IES wheel turn smoothly.”