Trey Clegg began contributing to United Way when he started his first job out of college, working as an estimator at Brasfield & Gorrie. That was in 1995.
Today, he’s still there as Executive Vice President of Corporate Affairs and is also chairing United Way of Central Alabama’s (UWCA) 2025 Annual Campaign. In the 30 years since he started at Brasfield & Gorrie, Clegg’s affinity for this community, United Way and its many partners and programs has only grown. That’s come, in large part, from his early exposure on the job to some of the work that UWCA and its agencies do.
Within his first few years at the construction firm, UWCA partner agency United Ability — known then as United Cerebral Palsy (UCP) — was set to build a new facility off Lakeshore Parkway in Southwest Birmingham. Clegg said, his role as estimator meant he worked closely with the agency’s Executive Director Dr. Gary Edwards.
Throughout that process, Clegg found Edwards’ perspective and passion inspirational. Following completion of that project, UCP continued to be a client of Brasfield & Gorrie, and Clegg developed a deeply meaningful friendship with Edwards. He was later invited to join UCP’s Board of Directors and eventually served as its Chair.
UCP became a United Way partner agency in 1998, and well before its name change in 2017, had already proven to be one of Central Alabama’s most valued resources for children and adults with disabilities. With the new campus that Brasfield & Gorrie was helping to establish, UCP would transition into the multi-disciplinary, comprehensive facility that Edwards had envisioned.
“Through all of that, I really got to know Dr. E well, and he had a heavy impact on my life as a young person,” Clegg said. “He helped me understand how to look at life from others’ perspectives, especially those who have a disability or those providing care to someone with a disability.”
Throughout his career, Clegg has emphasized the value of building relationships with others. And as the leader of this year’s campaign, Clegg said he wants to focus on creating a record year in terms of outreach to the workforce in the six county UWCA territory.
“As Campaign Chair, the thing that I have been most hopeful for this year is that we touch more people in our community by exposing them to the great work of United Way and its partner agencies,” Clegg said.
The theme of this year’s campaign is “WHY WE UNITE.” To that end, United Way is asking people to reflect and express their personal reasons for supporting UWCA. What events in their lives have caused them to seek help – or to help others?
Clegg, who also previously served multiple years on a United Way Visiting Allocations Team, said he’s motivated to support UWCA because the organization is a lighthouse in this community.
“When someone’s life gets into the fog, they’re often confused,” Clegg said. “They may not know which way to go, but if they can see that lighthouse, United Way, they will know exactly where to go to get connected to supportive resources, no matter what kind of challenges they are dealing with.”