Steffes Spotlight: Jeremy Navey

In August 2021, Steffes announced an expansion into the Southeast through the acquisition of a manufacturing facility in Shelby, North Carolina. With this effort to support our strategic vision, as well as innovation in the region, we anticipated immediate growth opportunities for customer production and the Steffes Team.

More than a year and a half later, our team in Shelby has grown to nearly 50 individuals, and we couldn’t be happier with the progress we have made and the quality and character of the individuals we now employ in the region.

Today, we are excited to feature one of them!

Jeremy Navey joined Team Steffes in June 2022 as a welder and made an immediate impact companywide and in the community. Not only is Jeremy a talented addition to our production team, he has also gone above and beyond to contribute to our caring and compassionate company culture and has found ways to share those traits with the community in Cleveland County.

Born and raised in Shelby, North Carolina, Jeremy took an early interest in welding. He spent many long days in the shop with his Papa – pronounced “paw-paw” in his wholesome Southern accent. After graduating from Crest High School, he enrolled in Cleveland Community College and graduated with a certificate in welding.

For the past 15 years, Jeremy has worked as a welder in industrial and manufacturing settings. When Steffes opened its Shelby facility, he jumped at the opportunity to work closer to home and cut down his hour-and-a-half daily commute.

“I only live about 10 minutes from here, and when I saw the signs going up, I decided to look into Steffes,” said Jeremy. “After I read about the company’s culture and values and realized how closely they align with my own, I decided to apply right away. I admire the company’s work ethic and collaborative spirit and knew I could make a positive impact here.”

Day-to-day, Jeremy spends his time studying blueprints, laying out positioning, aligning and securing parts to produce the best quality welds, and he enjoys developing his skills on both the manual and automated sides of welding. He has also helped onboard and train new employees, serving as a mentor and a friend.

“I feel like I’ve been a part of the Steffes family for years and admire the great work culture here. It’s inspiring to come in every day and to see everyone push for the same goals,” said Jeremy. “I love having the opportunity to learn from people every day. It’s challenging, but it’s also fun and rewarding. Every day at work is an opportunity for me to contribute to the growth of the company, and I hope to continue to grow with Steffes in the future.”

Jeremy also enjoys participating in events and activities hosted by the Shelby Care Team, a group of employees who volunteer their time to organize employee appreciation events and community outreach. In November, the Shelby Care Team held a donation drive to embrace the season’s giving spirit, and we were blown away by the generous nature of our employees. Our team secured donation commitments from local grocery stores and collected necessities that were delivered to the Cleveland County Rescue Mission, with a second crate delivered in December.

And you guessed it: Jeremy was the brains behind the operation! “My favorite project by far has been to lead the food drive as a Care Team member here at Steffes,” he said. “We have made a huge impact on our local community here in Shelby. The Cleveland County Rescue Mission was blown away by all the support and donations we provided to people in need. It was such an awesome experience!”

If you can’t tell from the snippets of our interview with Jeremy, his personality is fun and uplifting, and his positivity is infectious. Everyone enjoys his presence in Shelby, and he’s not very hard to find, especially considering he has been known to burst out singing in the shop!

Speaking of singing, Jeremy is quite artistically inclined. “Music has been a part of my life for as long as I remember. I really enjoy playing the guitar and piano in my spare time, and I also love to cook, grill, and smoke food,” he said. “I have found a new passion, and I love to see people react to my food! I make homemade bread and biscuits that I have mastered.”

Jeremy has been named the “Shelby Popcorn Guy,” a weekly treat popped for the employees at all of our facilities. He even catered a wedding recently for a fellow Steffes coworker. We heard it was fantastic and might have to hit him up for a company cookout in the near future!

Thank you for choosing Team Steffes, Jeremy! We are so happy to have you!