Davien Ellis has been promoted twice at Tria, rising to IT system administrator. As a DIY hobbyist, he has taken apart and repaired PCs, fixed refrigerators, and knows how to rewire a house.
What’s your favorite part of working at Tria?
Meeting the people has been by far my favorite thing. Whether they have technical issues or general questions, I have no problem helping. My whole work life before Tria was in retail, so I really enjoy being able to listen and talk to people.
Also, it’s easy to learn new things here because everybody is willing to teach me. At the end of the day, we’re all working for the same team and want to make sure that we’re all as successful as possible.
What accomplishment during your time at Tria are you most proud of?
Around the time I joined the company, Tria formed from a merger of three companies. It really pushed me to learn a lot in an accelerated timeframe. Coming out of the merger with a promotion was a major accomplishment for me.
Also, I’ve been working with HR on internal projects and reports. I see it as an achievement that HR asked me to assist them because it shows that I’m starting to get relied on to take care of things.
What’s an interest or hobby you pursue in your free time?
As a child I loved taking things apart and putting them back together in a different way. During high school and college, I would carry a screwdriver set with me so I could fiddle with things. As an adult, I began taking apart everything from PCs to older game systems to TVs. It got to the point where I ended up getting my appliance technician certification. I can fix a fridge. I can rewire a house. For home improvement projects, I generally buy the materials and do it myself. My family and I recently built a shed and deck on our own.
I still rip apart PCs and repair them, but now I do it as a hobby to learn what makes things tick, versus trying to do it for financial gain.
What is something that people would be surprised to learn about you?
I was working at Lowe’s when Tom Kenny [Tria’s president, IT & National Security Division] came in for help with a home improvement project. We ended up talking about technology. I said I had taken some computer science courses in college and wanted to get into the IT field. A few months later I started working here. I still can’t believe it happened, and it still feels like a dream that I work here.
How do you hope to grow in your role in the months or years to come?
Really just being a good worker. Making sure people understand they can come to me if they need assistance with anything. There’s nothing that I am afraid to help people with, whether I know what the answer is or not. I want to continue to show that I will take on any project that is given to me – whether in IT or any other area. I have no problem working to figure things out and making sure that people are satisfied with my work.
In terms of personal growth, I’m really driven to keep learning. I’m currently studying for my Security+ Certification and want to become an AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner.
How do you find purpose in your role?
The one thing that really keeps me going throughout the day is interacting with people. I think as human beings we should be able to freely interact with each other without fearing that we are bothering someone. I think the more we talk to each other, the easier things become. And I honestly think people end up feeling a little bit happier after having a good conversation. So I take it upon myself to make sure people are okay, as well as talking to anyone and everyone. If someone is open to a conversation, I am open to a conversation. I don’t want anybody to ever feel like they have nobody to talk to.
