For Mark Jones, manager in Community Engagement for DTE Energy, volunteerism and giving back is a way of life.
It’s always been that way – just “part of the fabric of Mark Jones” as he says – and it’s a side of himself he embraced in college when he pledged the Alpha Phi Alpha (APA), the oldest intercollegiate historically African American fraternity with a rich history across the United States. It was a natural fit for Mark because of the fraternity’s focus on serving the community.
“We help people across the across the country, across the world, with all kinds of issues,” Mark said.
This commitment to service is why it was such an honor for Mark to be given the Community Outreach Award – the first one ever awarded – at the fraternity’s annual Midwest convention this spring.
The award was in recognition of all Mark has done for his community, especially in his role here at our company.
“It’s not a testament to Mark Jones but to DTE for allowing me to be what I could be for the community,” he said. “My job allowed me to be recognized. DTE allowed me to be recognized.”
Mark has dedicated his career at DTE – spanning more than 20 years – to helping the communities where employees live and serve. His commitment to helping others is one that’s reflected in not just his work but in our company as a whole.
“We have a responsibility to make sure that nobody goes without energy if they need it,” said Mark. “By allowing us to help the community, it shows that DTE understands its responsibility. There had to be a focus on running our business efficiently and a focus on community service and DTE is the best in the country at that balance.”
Through his decades of service at our company, Mark is most proud of his work with faith-based organizations to help connect customers with the support they need.
“We started by engaging with the community by putting offices in four churches and developed those locations into one stop shops,” he said. “People could get access to energy assistance dollars, help with their planning and budgeting – even tax support. We did it in a way that was respectful, where anyone could come in and get help.”
Mark was also a champion of the recently passed Michigan Energy Assistance Program (MEAP) legislation, which doubled the funds available to income qualified households in need of energy assistance.
Throughout his decades of work with our company and years of brotherhood with APA, Mark has made a difference at every level, and the Community Outreach Award is just one meaningful symbol of this impact.
“I have family members that have been a part of APA,” Mark said. “It means a lot to me to be thought of positively by a group of people who really made a difference in this community and in this in this country. An organization with all these great men like Martin Luther King Jr. and Thurgood Marshall, made me feel special and appreciated and I couldn’t have done it without DTE supporting me.”