Home > Careers > Career Profiles > Dezarae Jackson
Amsted Industries
Senior Manager, Compensation & Benefits
Chicago, IL, USA
When Dezarae Jackson goes to work every day, she’s able to make a profound impact on the lives of others. As Senior Manager of Compensation & Benefits at Amsted Industries, Dezarae is responsible for managing all financial benefits that an Amsted stakeholder could receive, which includes payroll, ESOP (Employee Stock Ownership Plan), 401(k) administration, and salary planning.
“I have the privilege of personally issuing ESOP payout checks to individuals, and it’s not just our high-level leaders. It’s people who’ve spent decades on the shop floor. Witnessing the positive transformation that it brings to people’s lives is the best job.”
Dezarae’s Amsted career began at the business unit level. She joined Amsted Rail’s Granite City, Illinois, team in 2015 as Payroll Supervisor for Shared Services Payroll. In 2017, she accepted a position as Payroll/HRIS Manager with ConMet’s corporate human resources team in Vancouver, Washington. And in 2021, Dezarae moved to Chicago to take on her current role at Amsted Industries’ global headquarters.
Having worked for three different entities in three different cities, one of Dezarae’s favorite aspects of working with Amsted is the uniqueness of the organization. But it’s not only the variety of industries that keeps her engaged. It’s also the opportunity to collaborate with ESOP participants, 401(k) account holders, human resources, payroll, tax, and accounting teams, and employees from all of the businesses, totaling thousands of individuals.
“I bring a positive energy with organization – and a dabble of pink. I think I’ve made a difference at all of the entities just being myself and feeling comfortable being myself.”
With a background in organizational management, Dezarae excels in running meetings, teaching, mentoring, and empowering others.
“I bring a positive energy with organization – and a dabble of pink. I think I’ve made a difference at all of the entities just being myself and feeling comfortable being myself.”
Dezarae’s motivation stems from her desire to share Amsted’s exceptional benefits with others, which drew her to the organization in the first place. Beyond just salary considerations, she evaluated the broader compensation package of benefits and growth opportunities, which ultimately influenced her decision to join Amsted Rail eight years ago.
Since then, Dezarae’s professional development has surpassed her expectations. She has become a Certified Payroll Professional through the American Payroll Association and completed courses at the Yale School of Business and Columbia School of Business, focusing on effective decision-making and team leadership.
Dezarae believes that anything is achievable at Amsted as long as you speak up and pursue your aspirations. Amsted’s commitment to employee development, its unique culture of ownership, and its diverse opportunities have allowed Dezarae to thrive in her career, and she believes it can do the same for others who dare to dream and work hard.