Daria DeBlaey

Reliability Engineer, Land O'Lakes

Reliability Engineer| Land O'Lakes

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What I Do

I work within the maintenance department to help develop new techniques to keep our machinery running reliably without over maintaining it, this includes developing ways to pinpoint and monitor specific crucial points of failure.
Why Engineering?

I wanted to go into a field that would be always changing, where I could make and impact everyday, and where I would be able to help people. Engineering just happened to fit the bill. I love that everyday I get to develop new ideas and lead a team that impacts hundreds of people within our facility everyday.
School Days

I went to UW-Stout where I got my Bachelor's of Science in Manufacturing Engineering.
My Day At Work

Previously I have worked as a custom fabrication Mechanical Engineer where I gained TONS of experience I use today. Today, I work within the maintenance department to help develop new techniques to keep our machinery running reliably without over maintaining it.
Best Part

Having the freedom to peruse ideas and new technologies. I love having a team that is not only willing to support my ideas, but look forward to hearing what I have to say when mechanical problems pop up.
Proud Moments

One of the things I am most proud of is working at my previous company where I was able to break social norms and be the only female at the company in any sort of technical position. I am also proud of the expertise that I have gained through a variety of difficult experiences I have gone through.
Challenges

One of my biggest challenges have been learning to speak up and push against "this is how it's always been done" norms. I also had to learn to be confident in my knowledge, when company seniors look to me for my opinion, I need to be confident and having a great company team backing me up really helps boost my self confidence.
My Family

I am the oldest of 6 kids, I have 3 sisters and 2 brothers and I have a 5 year old stepson.
Inspiration

My parents always pushed me to follow my dreams. I had uncles, cousins, and family friends who worked in the trades, maintenance, mechanics, and journeyman millwrights who all pointed out problems between Tradesmen and Engineers. I had experience working with the Tradesmen and I wanted to make an impact; so now I am an Engineer who works well with and works to bridge those relationships through my own work by showing everyone respect regardless of job title.
Hobbies

Hiking, kayaking, off-grid camping, crafting, reading, experimenting with makeup, getting my nails done (I said it! I love maintaining my femininity despite the field I am in!)

I grew up in rural Wisconsin, in high school I had been told by my student counselor that I shouldn’t take the welding or small engines classes because I am a girl in AP classes and in his opinion those tech classes were geared toward boys who otherwise would not be “smart enough” to make it in any other field. I STRONGLY disagreed with this opinion and with a lot of fighting my way in, I finally was able to take both classes my senior year of high school. I thrived in both classes, finishing the semester with over 100% in both classes and becoming the teacher assistant in the welding class the following semester. I wanted to work in mechanical design and manufacturing, so I was directed toward Manufacturing engineering at UW-Stout which is a polytechnic university (that means you learn hands on not just theoretical book work). I absolutely loved learning everything engineering, I did 2 different internships in the food and propane industries. After college, I took a job as a Mechanical Engineer at a custom fabrication job shop where I designed everything from conveyors to semi-truck parts and even reverse engineered worn out parts. Today I work in Reliability Engineering, I use the skills I have learned from all of my experiences to prevent break downs and if there is a catastrophic break down event, I work to prevent future problems by studying what went wrong this time.