Heather Cotey (1968 - 2021)
Committee Member (Deceased)
CAREER SUMMARY
Ms. Cotey was Vice President and Corporate Administrator for OTIE (formerly TN&A), an engineering company with 420 employees. She headed the Administration and Human Resources departments. Ms. Cotey was a human resources generalist with specialized knowledge in complex employee benefit packages, employment policies and regulations, problem resolution, and the overall development of human resource functions.
Ms. Cotey applied her strong problem-solving abilities, effective written and verbal communication skills, and project management capabilities to promote the growth and advancement of the company. She was particularly skilled in cost control of processes and systems within her areas of responsibility.
Ms. Cotey had over 20 years of experience in human resource management, corporate administration, and office systems development. Her expertise included the assessment, development, and implementation of office processes and functions, including office design and layout suited to optimize office space and efficiency.
ACHIEVEMENTS
In addition to her outstanding service for the company, Ms. Cotey volunteered a significant amount of her time and energy in support of several local charitable organizations that benefit the disadvantaged and needy. A short summary of her volunteer work included:
Community-Based Mentor for Big Brothers Big Sisters of Milwaukee, where she was matched with a child that she met with weekly to help improve the child’s educational expectations, attitudes toward risky behavior, and social skills. Through community-based mentoring, a child experienced a wide range of new, fun, and educational activities and gained an enriched perspective of the world.
Board Member for “The Turkey Club”, where she assisted with fundraising for raffle and silent auction items for events. The Turkey Club was founded in 1978 to raise funds for the purchase and donation of turkeys at the Thanksgiving holiday. The club donated more than 2,000 turkeys to over 30 food pantries and meal programs in Southeastern Wisconsin each year.
Volunteer activities for the Hunger Task Force, including collecting food donations and engaging with attendees at various events in Milwaukee. Hunger Task Force was Wisconsin’s premier anti-hunger organization that had been feeding Milwaukee since 1974. Hunger Task Force was a 501(C)(3) organization with most of its budget raised through solicitations from foundations, corporations, labor unions, and individuals.
Ms. Cotey’s community service and volunteer spirit demonstrated her commitment to supporting human dignity and reflected the same drive for fairness and service to the personnel at the company.
Ms. Cotey’s commitment to voluntarily serve the community matched the mission of the TN Engineering Scholarship, and her energy and efforts served as an example to many.