Deko Devins

By Ginger O’Donnell

Deko Devins, BS ’17, came to WashU with an interest in solar energy and a fierce spirit, having cut his teeth at the highly competitive Barstow School in Kansas City, Missouri. Through a series of mentors that included Phil Valko, AB ’03, the university’s assistant vice chancellor for sustainability, Devins shifted from a focus on solar-power research to real-world solar deployment just as the energy source was growing technologically and gaining traction in the market. 

Today, Devins is CEO of Azimuth Energy, where he leads the expansion of that engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) company, helping scale its efforts to design and build solar projects for commercial, industrial, utility, and institutional clients across the U.S. and Caribbean.  

“A lot of times, people wait until they’re in a position of authority to start acting like a leader. They think leadership means formal power or expertise. But leadership means leadership.”

Deko Devins, CEO of Azimuth Energy

What led you to WashU? 
I got my passion for solar around age 16. I had just taken physics and learned that I wanted to be an engineer. So I started looking into some of the world’s biggest problems. I found the approaching energy crisis and started to see the trend of technology. Solar power was not only this great concept — the cost of solar was dropping dramatically as the technology was improving.

Around that age, I started dating my girlfriend Sky (my wife today). Her dad, Sid, played a mentorship role. He’s one of several people who believed in me before I believed in myself. He did his medical residency at WashU, and he convinced me to apply. He was like, “Deko, I know you’re an engineer, but you’re also more than that. You think in different ways; you have this kind of entrepreneurial mindset.”

Sid saw that I would thrive at WashU before I did. Because WashU offers this blend: You’re exposed to great engineering, but you’re also exposed to business and entrepreneurship and the arts and sciences. And you’re surrounded by a really diverse group of people. 

What stands out to you from your time on campus?
Track was a big part of my life at WashU. After Sid, Coach (Jeff) Stiles was the next in my series of mentors. Stiles goes beyond a coach. He focuses on the person. We call them “Stile-isms”— these incredible one-off sayings. One of my favorites is “not for me, but for them.” Sophomore year, everything felt like a grind, and I was getting really frustrated. Stiles helped me realize that I was transitioning into a leader on the team. He was like, “This isn’t just about you anymore. It’s about the people watching and learning from you.” That really sank in.

You went from intern to CEO at Azimuth Energy in seven years. What insights can you share about leadership?
A lot of times, people wait until they’re in a position of authority to start acting like a leader. They think leadership means formal power or expertise. But leadership means leadership. You can be a first-year or a sophomore on the team and be a leader in that capacity — because you’re coachable, the best observer, or a great student, or because you ask good questions, find ways to help others, and execute all the things you’re asked to execute. I find myself reflecting as a leader in any role I’m in.

What other advice do you have for today’s students and future leaders? 
Know your worth. Do what you love — something that the world needs — and be great at it. And don’t be afraid of failure. Dedric Carter (WashU’s former chancellor for innovation and chief commercialization officer) taught me this. It’s one of my favorite lessons that I’ve taken with me. To get into WashU, you have to be almost perfect. But the people at WashU are your safety net. Go further than you should, do the hard thing, let yourself crash and burn, and let the safety net catch you.

With you, we can prepare students to be future-ready leaders.