Avionics Install Price Item Tech Specialist I Olive (Olie) Ulleg is a determined young woman. Growing up in Coloma, Michigan, in a blended family, she was one of 12 children adopted by her parents who already had a few bio kids, and she was one of the middle children in a large, happy, boisterous family.
“We lived on acres and acres of land with a heavily wooded area. It had been a pig farm, and there were still shelters for the pigs in the woods. We used to play in those woods and the shelters for hours and hours every day,” says Olie. “You know how kids who grew up in the city say they were able to play outside until the street lights came on? Well, we were able to roam around and play until we heard my mom ringing an old cast-iron bell. You could hear it from a long way off, and we had to head home when we heard that bell.”
The family moved south to Tekonsha, and that’s where Olie finished high school. Right out of high school, in 2013, she took her parents by surprise when she joined the United States Army.
“While in the service, I worked on hydraulics and pneumatics for the UH-60 Black Hawk and the CH47 Chinook helicopters. I worked in the back-shop area, overhauling brakes and flushing the hydraulic systems. I learned on-the-job. I knew I wanted to work on helicopters and wanted to be around aircraft, and I really liked it.”
Olie had worked with her dad on their cars and his truck. He was a truck driver who delivered fuel to barges in the St. Joseph, Michigan, area.
“He always worked on his own trucks, and I’d bring him his meals, hang out with him, and watch him tinker,” says Olie. I’d always been captivated by flying, and I dreamed of flying helicopters. I took flight lessons on fixed-wing planes in high school.”
Olie had also loved what she was doing in the service, but she suffered a severe injury and was medically discharged in 2016.
Olie studied wildlife biology at the University of Hawaii, but despite the beauty of the island, Hawaii was just too expensive. After being away from home and her family for 6 or 7 years, she moved back to Michigan, wanting to spend more time with her parents.
“Once, when I was driving with my mom, we noticed the aviation college, and something kind of hit me. As much as I’d loved studying wildlife biology, I realized I missed working with my hands.”
Olie started at Western Michigan University, working on her Bachelor of Science in Aviation Maintenance Technology. While there, one of her classmates told her about Duncan Aviation. She applied, and in 2021, she started working as an Accessory Tech.
“Although I didn’t want to do it forever, I really liked the work. We’re the support crew; we changed tires, broke down wheel assemblies, and did a lot of strut servicing for landing gear,” says Olie. “I learned to do capacity checks on main and emergency batteries.”
She also realized during that time that she had all the credentials and experience to test for her A&P. Through Duncan Aviation, she prepped for the tests. Additionally, Duncan Aviation paid for her testing, and she passed the exams.
After a year as an Accessory Tech, she applied for a position in Avionics Install, and she worked there for 2 years. She was still going to school part time at WMU, working toward her degree, too.
Olie absolutely loved working in Avionics Install. She was there for nearly 3 years, and there was a ton to learn. She felt like she got all the support she needed to do her job, and she was on a great team. She also really wanted to learn more, not just about avionics, but about the rest of the company. So, she took a job for a Price Item Specialist.
One of the things Olie especially liked about that position was that she learned “other side of things”—costs, availability, things that give her a bigger picture view of the entire department, of Provo, and of Lincoln.
“It was fun to learn and grow, and I love staying busy—this definitely kept me busy. Pricing is important to the company. We want to make sure we keep everything up-to-date so we’re not overcharging or undercharging for our services,” says Olie. “I liked having this role that helps us maintain good relationships with our customers, making sure all we do is accurate and transparent.”
Although it was a support role again, supporting the Sales teams who deal directly with customers, she was able to work directly with vendors. She built relationships with other team members throughout Duncan Aviation and with our vendors.
The next step in Olie's career was to join the Professional Development Team (PDT).
“I chose to join the PDT Department because I believe training is an integral part of an employee’s personal and professional growth,” she said. “I admire the many ways Duncan Aviation provides opportunities for team members to develop, including technical training, secondary education through college courses and the Tuition Reimbursement Program, the Apprentice Program for earning A&P certificates, and leadership training. I believe Duncan Aviation goes above and beyond many other companies in its commitment to providing employees with quality training and development opportunities. I also enjoy being part of a department that continually works to stay current and provide our team members with the latest and most valuable training opportunities.”
There are quite a few things that keep Olie at Duncan Aviation. She especially enjoys that the company is so Veteran friendly.
“I permanently injured my back and neck in the Army, and I’ve been living with the pain for 11 years now. I work around it, but because Duncan Aviation really backs up what it says—you’re not a number, you really are a person, and the people you work with really do care about you—I feel like my family is here,” says Olie. “I’ve never felt like I had to hide my pain or push through. Everyone has been really accommodating.
She knows she’s working, and what she’s doing is important, but Olie really enjoys coming to work every day, and she especially likes the people she works with.
“I don’t feel like I’m just punching a time clock. I feel like we all get along, and working feels a whole lot like I’m hanging out with good friends, working toward shared goals.”
When she’s not working, Olie is home with her partner Michael and their cats: Rune and Tarot. She enjoys woodworking, and they recently bought a house and are deep into renovating the kitchen.