2021 Mejores mujeres en HVAC

Some view the HVAC industry as a male-dominated industry. However, many women wake up every morning and play a role in changing that perception.

Women in HVAC

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The ACHR NEWS wanted to highlight and honor some of those individuals, so we have created the Top Women in HVAC list. All of these women have made a mark on the HVAC industry and continue to do so. While they serve in different areas of the industry, each is making a contribution to both improve the industry and make it a more welcoming career for females.

The ACHR NEWS plans for this to be an annual list.

“This is a great collection of women,” said Kyle Gargaro, editorial director of The ACHR NEWS. “Although we could only honor 20, we received over 400 nominations. It gives us great pleasure to honor these individuals for the important roles that each play in the HVAC industry.”

Title: CFO & Multi-Business Manager

Company: Sky Heating, AC, Plumbing & Electrical

Educational Experience: Bachelors in Accounting & Business Administration, although I have gained more educational experience through being in the industry for 23 years. I have also attended many trade-based trainings through BDR, Nexstar, and Service MVP that have given me a well-rounded background.

Industry Work Experience: I started my career in the trades back in 1998. I began working for a large commercial general contractor while I was still in college.

I moved on several years later to work for a design build structural steel company where I assisted in taking the company from 17MM to 64MM, operating in five different states over the course of seven years. When that company was bought out by an international company in 2007, I left my position there and joined the residential building market, not fully realizing it was in the worst possible time.

My residential building career was short lived due to the crash of the market, but I went on to join an amazing team of drywall professionals in commercial construction in 2008. After being there for three years, I realized that I needed more flexibility as a single mother with two small children, so this became the birth of Bottom Line Accounting Services, which is a company that I started with the dream to appeal to trade-based businesses.

What I realized working with many trades is that there is a strong need for processes, procedures, and proper accounting within many of these small businesses, and also, to combat embezzlement. I specialized in Forensic Accounting for many of the businesses I served — digging through very bad sets of books and uncovering to owners one of the many reasons they weren’t making money. I did this happily for years, but when my (now) husband suggested that I just have “one” job (because I could never say no to a business owner needing help), I interviewed with Travis Smith and joined the team at Sky. After meeting and working with Travis, I knew he shared my same long-term vision that I had affirmed to myself almost 20 years prior.

Organization Affiliations: BDR, Nexstar Network, Service MVP, Masters of The Hustle

Achievements: Nexstar Operational Excellence, Nexstar Marketing Mastery, Nexstar Training Mastery, Nexstar Leadership for Senior Leaders, OSHA 10, OSHA 30, OSHA Confined Spaces, Forklift Training, High Space Training, Service MVP Marketing, CPR

What caused you to/when did you to enter the HVACR industry?

I joined the HVACR industry officially in November of 2015. I interviewed and accepted a position with Travis Smith of Sky Heating & Air Conditioning. What his vision was completely aligned with something I could sign on to. I interviewed him as much as he did me.

What has been the most rewarding aspect of working in HVACR?

The people. I love the trades and love my employees. The reward is watching what I so truly love, happening day in and day out.

I previously helped many trade-based businesses when I was operating Bottom Line Accounting Services. Through the growth we’ve had at Sky, I have been able to connect and nationally help many other of our trade partners throughout the country as they have seen what we are doing and have reached out. Some have been on-sites and others have been through sporadic communication. We host companies at our shop and review their businesses and offer advice often.

Describe the proudest moment in your career.

The proudest moment would be two things. First, realizing that I had made a significant impact on the industry across the country by bringing awareness to many companies on the importance of proper financial data so that those companies can effectively manage their business and understand how profitability happens.

And the other being that, with the team we have in place, we pioneered an untouched market, going 100% private label Aug. 1, 2019, and we never looked back.

What challenges do women face in this profession? Can you give a personal example?

When I started in the trades, I fell in love with the industry. Salt of the earth people doing a job well done. It became my passion, but I was told (23 years ago) that women were not respected in the industry and it would be a tough road.

Hold my beer. That was my mindset. And I was treated unfairly for the first 10 years of my career, but I didn’t see it as a game changer. I saw it as a roadblock, and I refused to give up. I was underpaid and undervalued for that 10 years. I was part of the management team, but I was paid significantly less. I cared, but I also knew what I was up against. I didn’t “generate revenue,” so somehow that translated to lack of value. What most trade-based businesses don’t understand is that accurate financials and efficiency lead to better management of a business and greater profit.

How can we increase the number of women in HVACR?

Schools and education. We have constantly seen the push for kids to go to college for decades. For the most part, 18-year-olds are too young to know what they really want to do in school and have not been presented with all of the options available to them. I think many have no idea about a trade-based career. If we can get into the schools with a bigger presence and present alternative options to graduating seniors, we would see a higher return on people entering the trades.

What does your day-to-day job entail?

I start my day by making rounds to check in with all employees, and then I sporadically sit in on our daily department trainings. I go where the business needs me. No day is ever set in stone. I roll with it. Mondays are always a bit more chaotic, as we have the weekend overflow that needs to be addressed and delegated. Each department gets training every week.

What drives/motivates you every day?

My team. Don’t get me wrong, I love to work, but seeing my team work in unison is an epic thing. Seeing their buy-in to our mission, vision, value, and culture statement drives me.

What remains on your HVACR bucket list — what do you aspire to do that you haven’t accomplished yet?

I have been working for some time on putting together a financial management course for employees and their family members. What I have seen today is many people have no idea how to manage their money, budget, or plan for their futures. They don’t teach this in schools anymore. I want to empower my employees to understand their finances and feel confident that they can not only pay their monthly bills, but that they can feel financially free, rather than strapped working for a paycheck. The education on this is huge and very meaningful to me. I care about every single person working for Sky, and I am always an available resource to them on a personal level to achieve financial freedom.

What advice do you have for prospective females who are considering entering the HVACR field?

Girlfriend, do it. If this is something you are passionate about, I guarantee there is a company today willing to take that chance on you. Find the right company and stick it out. Sometimes it’s rough because you have to prove yourself, but never give up. If this is your dream, there is a company willing to make it happen for you. Not the case when I entered the trades, but it is now, so the sky is the limit. Never sell yourself short. Women have been paving this road for a while now. The industry has changed due to many women making their mark on the industry.

Title: Vice President

Company: MacDonald Miller Facility Solutions, LLC

Educational Experience:

Industry Work Experience: Over the past 30 years, my experience within the industry has spanned project management, operations, estimating, procurement, facilities, sales, pre-construction, management, and executive leadership responsibilities across the business.

Organizational Affiliations/Achievements/Awards: MCA Western Washington Board of Education; MCA Western Washington Senior Instructor; MCA Western Washington Instructor of the Year 2013; MCA Western Washington DEI Task Force Committee Member.

What caused you to/when did you to enter the HVACR industry?

The short story is that when I went to college at the University of Puget Sound, construction was never my intended career, but it was a way to help pay my way through school. I worked for a general contractor doing a variety of tasks ranging from accounting to ordering concrete. One day on the jobsite, the superintendent from our mechanical subcontractor, MacDonald Miller Company, asked if I would be interested in interviewing for a project manager position they were trying to fill. He said that he saw something in me that he thought would be a great fit for the role. That moment was the catalyst of when my career path pivoted to the mechanical construction industry. I took the interview, accepted the job offer, and never looked back.

What has been the most rewarding aspect of working in HVACR?

What I find rewarding is the span of opportunities and the unique complexities of our business that drives collaboration and innovation. I am passionate about bringing people together and being able to creatively find solutions to the many challenges we face.

Describe the proudest moment in your career:

That is a tough question to answer; I cannot pinpoint a specific one. My proudest moments all surround the teams I have had the fortunate opportunity to build and the individuals I have been able to mentor and witness their careers develop. Each time I see one of my teams achieve a goal that they and others thought was unattainable, and I see the sense of accomplishment shine within each of them — those are the moments I take pride in. Ultimately, I take pride in developing people and building high-performing teams.

What challenges do women face in this profession? Can you give a personal example?

The challenges that women face in this profession are broad. It is still a very male-dominated field. I could share many stories and perspectives, but at the core is the sheer lack of diverse representation throughout the industry. As such, old beliefs and cultures still linger, and those in charge are hesitant to place women in technically focused roles or leadership positions. They have not experienced the true impact of what a cognitively diverse team can achieve.

I entered the industry at a time when there were very few women in roles that focused on the technical, engineering, management, or operational aspects of our industry. I recall for years being the only women at the project table as the representative for a company. The limited number of times when this differed would typically be women representatives for the architect or owner.

Decades later, I can say that our industry is changing, ever so slowly, yet I remain optimistic. I see bright, intelligent women coming into the industry in greater numbers than ever before, filling roles in project management, estimating, engineering, procurement, and the trades. Individually, they are making a statement with their talents, and collectively, an impact on what our future has in store by expanding representation and bringing cognitive diversity to our firms.

How can we increase the number of women in HVACR?

We must provide a clear pathway for women to explore the broader spectrum of roles and identify career ladders in our field. We should turn our focus on attracting people from other industries with transferable skills to fill those gaps in the mid-level positions across our businesses. Looking out beyond today, to fill our talent pipeline for tomorrow, we should connect with younger kids to give them a lens into the STEM elements of our craft and business.

By providing visibility of accomplished women in various professional facets, we can clearly show that diverse opportunities exist: “If they can see it, they can be it.” We need to open the door and get rid of the ceiling and floor to truly welcome women into the industry.

What does your day-to-day job entail?

Currently, I sit in a lot of virtual meetings!

I am responsible for the overall estimating and procurement functions for MacMiller. The estimating team is responsible for developing $1.5 billion in estimates across our business units annually, while the procurement team is responsible for managing a supply chain of $150M in materials/equipment to support our operations. I have very accomplished managers overseeing those departments, so my day-to-day job tends to focus more on working through unique challenges that arise, leading corporate initiatives, driving strategic plans, and continuously looking for innovative solutions to improve our products and services for our customers.

I am also involved in mentoring our future leaders and deliver various education/training sessions across the MacMiller business.

What drives/motivates you every day?

I love a challenge and people. At my core, I am a competitive person who has a high drive to succeed. I am passionate about developing people and building teams to achieve great things. I enjoy being surrounded by forward-thinking peers who continually challenge one another to do better and be better. That’s what motivates me every day.

What remains on your HVACR bucket list — what do you aspire to do that you haven’t accomplished yet?

The aspirations I have for the future remains unchanged: I want to continue to pave a path so that others can imagine the possibilities and strive to achieve them. My personal goal is to be on the board of directors for the company and on the board of directors for associations within the industry. My greater industry goal will ultimately be achieved when the faces alongside me on those BOD’s are truly diverse from all perspectives. Those are my bucket list aspirations.

What advice do you have for prospective females who are considering entering the HVACR field?

There are a lot of great career opportunities within this industry. Find a mentor who can help guide and provide perspective in your journey. Explore, don’t be afraid to fail, be your authentic self, be confident, have a voice, show and be the potential you have inside you. Find your passion and have fun!

Title: Director of Sales and Operations

Company: Progressive Heating, Air and Plumbing

Educational Experience: Bachelor’s of Science in Psychology and Masters of Business Administration

Industry Work Experience: 14 years in the trades

Organizational Affiliations/Achievements/Awards:

What caused you to/when did you to enter the HVACR industry?

I entered HVAC in January of 2007. I was working on finishing my bachelor’s degree and gas prices went through the roof. A friend of mine worked at a local HVAC company in their telemarketing department and told me they were hiring, so I took a part-time job telemarketing to offset the increase in gas prices.

What has been the most rewarding aspect of working in HVACR?

HVAC is constantly evolving — not just by equipment and parts, but the way we communicate with our customers, and the way we interact with our suppliers and our team members. It is fun and rewarding to be a part of a company that is forward thinking and is not stuck in what we “used to do.”

Describe the proudest moment in your career.

I don’t think there is just one proudest moment in my career. However, there are two things that consistently make me proud. One is helping to develop and grow our team to be more confident in their job, take on more responsibilities, and feel good about the progress they have made. I am always excited to see how well our team performs when asked to step up and into other challenging positions.

Secondly, I am extremely proud of how involved we are in our community. The owner of our company truly believes in investing in children, people that are less fortunate, and a diverse amount of causes. Not only do we donate to several local nonprofits, but we show up. We do what we say we’re going to do, and it is an honor to know that the community can rely on us to do just that.

What challenges do women face in this profession? Can you give a personal example?

A lot of times, women enter the trades in an administrative capacity, so they tend to get branded as receptionists or assistants. Women are just as capable of doing anything in HVAC. They just have to be trained, the same way men do. The trades tend to have an old-school way of thinking and a lot of leaders don’t necessarily consider that a woman would actually want to be a technician, installer, etc. There can also be a lot of “man-splaining,” which some women can take offensively — however, I believe that most of the time men mean well.

Although I have worked in almost every aspect of HVAC that does not touch systems (telemarketer, CSR, bookkeeper, dispatcher, sales/install coordinator, marketing, management), there are still times that people dismiss me and think I don’t understand technical verbiage. Rarely does that happen in my company, but if it does (usually with vendors that may not understand my seat at the table), I agree that while I have not been a technician or installer, I do have a good bit of knowledge on what CFMs are or how to read nomenclature, for example.

How can we increase the number of women in HVACR?

I believe we need to stop seeing women solely in the administrative role and ask questions about what they are interested in. My company trains people with no experience to go into the field and install equipment, and while we do not have any women employed in technical positions right now, I know if someone applied to learn and had the mechanical aptitude, we would train her.

The other thing is to find a way to educate kids in school that these options are available not just for men, but women too. Lots of times, schools have initiatives to learn more about the trades, and if your local schools do, get involved!

What does your day-to-day job entail?

I lead the sales team and help facilitate anything they need to sell equipment from the initial conversation in the office to setting the customer up for success, to hand over to our service department. The operations part of my job includes being the admin and facilitator for the software our company uses (ServiceTitan), as well as implementing processes and procedures that our team uses day in and day out. Lastly, I also make our marketing decisions — anything from online advertising to social media to nonprofit activities. My responsibilities have a wide scope, but it keeps my job fun because there is always something different and interesting to do.

What drives/motivates you every day?

The biggest blessing I received from my parents is work ethic. It’s in my bones, and I don’t know any other way to be. I earned both of my degrees while having four small children at home and working full time. I wanted to show them that the only thing that defines a person, is themselves, not their circumstances in life. Things can always change — if and when they change depends on what you are willing to sacrifice to make that happen. I wanted my kids to know that they could do literally anything they put their minds to. Now, what motivates me is making a difference. That’s it —just making a difference wherever I can.

What remains on your HVACR bucket list — what do you aspire to do that you haven’t accomplished yet?

I am very fortunate to work for an owner that has invested in my growth and believed in me over the years. I am blessed to work with a team of very professional and talented humans that make me look forward to going to work every day. As far as what’s left on my bucket list in HVACR? Well, that’s between me and the fence post.

What advice do you have for prospective females who are considering entering the HVACR field?

When you become experienced in the trades and have a good work ethic, you will always have a job. The trades are constantly looking for good people. It’s honest and hard work, but very rewarding to know that you are helping people every single day. The company can remain as small or grow as big as the leaders in the organization, so you don’t ever have to be stuck. By working for a small business, you are supporting your community by helping your neighbors and friends to solve their HVAC and indoor air quality problems — while also helping your team members to succeed in their jobs and support their families.

Title: Vice President, Engineering & Technology Residential HVAC and Supply

Company: Trane Technologies

Educational Experience:

Industry Work Experience: My career began over 23 years ago in the pulp and paper industry, working as an engineering intern supporting kraft paper manufacturing. Upon graduation, I joined Bechtel as a design engineer working in the nuclear energy industry, primarily focused on mechanical design in direct support of environmental remediation programs. My technical career at Bechtel prepared me well for the Professional Engineer’s Exam, and I became a licensed PE with a specialization in heat transfer and fluid flow. After gaining my PE License, I joined the Department of Defense and the U.S. Air Force as a program engineer in ground support equipment. During my time with DOD, I became a subject matter expert in welding and worked across the U.S. performing weld examination and analysis. In 2006, I decided to make a change, and I joined Trane as a quality engineer. I have spent the last 15 years of my career as part of our commercial, transport, and residential businesses, putting my technical passion to great use leading engineering teams to build world-class HVAC systems.

Organizational Affiliations/Achievements/Awards:

What caused you to/when did you to enter the HVACR industry?

I entered the HVACR industry in 2006 when I joined Trane as a quality engineer in the commercial HVAC business. The science of heat transfer and fluid flow has always been a favorite interest of mine, and I have been able to utilize these skills in all of the engineering roles I have held. However, HVAC is the industry where I believe this science makes the biggest impact on our world. I wanted to positively impact the lives of others through design of sustainable, efficient, and comfortable solutions for years to come.

What has been the most rewarding aspect of working in HVACR?

The most rewarding aspect of the HVACR industry is the ability to positively impact our planet. We have the unique opportunity to work in a space where we can improve energy efficiency, environmental comfort, indoor air quality, and reduce our carbon footprint. There is no other place I’d rather be.

Describe the proudest moment in your career.

The proudest moment in my career came when I led a team to significantly improve energy efficiency of a commercial air handler. The project was a huge success, reducing energy consumption for our customers through variable-speed technology. It was a fantastic opportunity to work with some very bright engineers who helped to make a positive impact on our customers.

What challenges do women face in this profession? Can you give a personal example?

As a mechanical engineering student, I quickly learned that I was often the only one in the class who looked like me. Many years later, I think the progress toward gender parity has improved, but there remains a journey in front of us. It can feel intimidating when the majority of those who are your peers don’t look like you do, and I think this can lead to a sense of not belonging. Many women I have mentored over the years have expressed this fear, and many continue to work to feel a sense of belonging. I can remember a time, several years ago, when I was the only female in a room full of males, many who were much more experienced than me. Though I was well prepared to present my project, I worried that maybe I didn’t belong. My manager must have noticed the look on my face, because he asked me to step outside the room just before my time to present. He said, “You deserve to be right where you are. There is no one in that room any better than you are. So, go in there and do a great job!” His kind words stuck with me, and it is managers like him that help us continue the positive journey.

How can we increase the number of women in HVACR?

One of the best opportunities we have to introduce women to the HVACR industry is through partnerships with organizations that promote science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) education. Through these STEM organizations, we have the ability to reach females early in their educational careers and showcase career opportunities in our industry. From licensed technicians to lab operations to design engineers, the sky is the limit. I enjoy visiting elementary, middle, and high schools to talk about my career in HVACR during National Engineer’s Week, and I hope to inspire the next generation of engineers, scientists, technicians and lab operators.

What does your day-to-day job entail?

I am responsible for engineering and technology design and development for our residential product portfolio. My day-to-day job is primarily focused on enabling my team of engineers, project managers, designers, scientists, and lab operators to deliver world-class HVAC products to our customers. My typical day consists of talent development and coaching for the engineering leaders in my organization, developing and executing long term technology strategy for our products, and providing technical leadership and insights for our business. While that sounds like quite a lot of work, the most important duties of my day are being a mom to my high school senior son and college senior daughter and raising nine furry Siberian Huskies with my husband. Maintaining a comfortable indoor climate is very important at our house with all that fur!

What drives/motivates you every day?

I am driven by a passion to make this world a better place and to be of service to others. I don’t consider my day a success unless I succeeded in helping my team move closer to achieving their goals. I have always said that I have never worked a day in my life because I absolutely love what I do. When you live your passion, your career is an adventure.

What remains on your HVACR bucket list — what do you aspire to do that you haven’t accomplished yet?

I aspire to take HVAC technology to the next level and deliver products that surpass expectations in the area of energy efficiency and sustainability. With the evolution of technology at a record pace, there is much that is possible, and I want to make a positive impact in improving our carbon footprint as an industry.

What advice do you have for prospective females who are considering entering the HVACR field?

If you want to make this world a better place and leave a lasting impression for generations to come, there is no better place to be. Accept new challenges, be a role model to encourage other women to chart the course, and live your passion.

Title: Business Development Manager

Company: Lennox Industries

Educational Experience: B.B.A. Marketing

Industry Work Experience: 9 Years

Organizational Affiliations/Achievements/Awards:

What caused you to/when did you to enter the HVACR industry?

I entered the HVACR industry in 2012 after graduating college. I was initially looking for a job in marketing, and Lennox recognized the contribution that a young, energetic, and curious new college graduate could make. After my initial role in customer service, I learned how the business functioned from many different perspectives and that led to moves within our stores, sales, and now a very critical function of business development.

What has been the most rewarding aspect of working in HVACR?

The most rewarding aspect of working in HVACR has been mentorship. I’ve been able to contribute to the mentoring and professional development of new college grads through our Graduate Sales Academy Program. As an alumna of this program, being able to onboard new employees, help individuals develop new skills, and watch them grow has been a role I’ve embraced and look forward to yearly.

Describe the proudest moment in your career.

The proudest moment in my career is winning the 2020 Pacesetter Award. This award was presented by our CEO to the residential business development segment in recognition and appreciation for outstanding sales leadership and contributions to our record-breaking results in 2020. In the midst of a pandemic, being able to deliver 120% to our sales plan and create a new virtual way of selling with my team will go down in history.

What challenges do women face in this profession? Can you give a personal example?

Being dismissed or overlooked are some challenges women face. We work in a male-dominated industry, and oftentimes women’s voices are silent and opportunities are missed based on stereotypes. For example, balancing work and family life are often considered during promotions. Women want the top jobs; we just don’t get them because of unconscious bias. We can change this behavior by working with a mentor in the industry, speaking up about discriminatory practices, and supporting fellow women in the workplace.

How can we increase the number of women in HVACR?

We increase the number of women in HVACR by creating STEM-like programs within organizations and manufacturers to help young ladies and women learn about this industry and what it has to offer. Another way to increase would be evangelizing HVAC to other women as a profession. If more women see women in the profession, they will be more apt to take a chance on making a career in this field.

What does your day-to-day job entail?

My daily job consist of coaching and driving success within business development. I indirectly manage 30 territory managers across five states, and we collaborate with contractors to create and deliver unique tools/resources. I’ve created programs to implement growth, drive mix, and improve conversion within local markets. There’s also cross-functional collaboration with other departments within Lennox to drive our sales initiatives while continuing to develop new skills and remain world class.

What drives/motivates you every day?

My husband and I recently became first-time parents to the happiest baby girl. Every day, I’m motivated by her to be the best version of myself. I want to be the best example and leave a legacy where she’ll be proud of my accomplishments and sacrifices made to give the best opportunities for success. I’m laying the ground work so others can follow my path — not only my daughter but women, especially women of color, that will come behind me.

What remains on your HVACR bucket list — what do you aspire to do that you haven’t accomplished yet?

Vice President of Marketing remains on my bucket list. Our industry is constantly changing and the internet of things and technology plays a major role in how we market and strategize our position to B2B and B2C, and I want to contribute to what the future entails. While on my journey to VP, I aspire to represent Lennox as one of the first African American, female district managers and be an inspiration to others who will follow. Diversity and inclusion efforts have been gaining traction and workforces are becoming increasingly multiracial, and I look forward to being a trailblazer and leading the change.

What advice do you have for prospective females who are considering entering the HVACR field?

The HVACR industry offers endless opportunities, whether they are corporate or in the field, to develop yourself as a professional and continuous learning. I would encourage prospective females to embrace everything the industry has to offer and don’t be afraid ask questions you don’t know the answers too. Our industry is referenced to being “hands-on,” but there are many options for women to enter the field as a technician, engineer, and/or business owner. Everyone starts somewhere, and building your skills in different areas will open more opportunities. As long as people occupy a space, there will always be a need to condition it.

Title: Owner/President/CEO

Company: IERNA’s Heating, Cooling & Plumbing

Educational Experience: Degree in Business Management

Industry Work Experience: 18 years as an HVAC owner and operator. NATE Certified, EPA Certified, and BPI Certified.

Organizational Affiliations/Achievements/Awards:

What caused you to/when did you to enter the HVACR industry?

Upon realizing that the HVACR industry offered a solid career opportunity, I entered the industry in 2003.

What has been the most rewarding aspect of working in HVACR?

For me, I find it rewarding to both witness and be part of an industry that has evolved, advanced, and experienced so much growth. It’s rewarding to be on this journey within an industry that has blossomed into so much more than a piece of equipment that sits outside of your home.

Describe the proudest moment in your career.

Reflecting on my career from inception to today, I would have to say that I am rather proud to have finally established a healthy work-life balance that we all strive for within this industry.

What challenges do women face in this profession? Can you give a personal example?

I am of the belief that women do not face any different challenges in the HVACR profession than they do in any other profession. If you are interested in a career in HVACR, don’t let gender challenges or stereotypes get in your way. If you want the job — get it. If you want to be successful in the HVACR career — put the work in and do it.

How can we increase the number of women in HVACR?

Through education, outreach programs, mentorships, and networking organizations.

What does your day-to-day job entail?

Simply put: Whatever it takes.

What drives/motivates you every day?

Challenges, empowering people, helping others (customers, staff, colleagues, our community), self-mastery and growth, creative opportunities and learning.

What remains on your HVACR bucket list — what do you aspire to do that you haven’t accomplished yet?

Today’s consumer plays a major role in the public perception of our brands, as well as their actions such as a purchasing decision. The ability that today’s unaccountable society has to apply pressure or punish a business for any sort of perceived wrong doing is alarming. I aspire to successfully outsmart cancel culture as it pertains to the consumer-business relationship; and the enduring battle to maintain or reshape the prevailing narrative through which we live or lives — a battle that, over time, is bound to have major, negative implications on service-based companies.

What advice do you have for prospective females who are considering entering the HVACR field?

Establish a mentor for yourself. Shadow others as often as possible. Learn your skill, be anti-fragile, contribute to the industry, take lots of small risks, and work hard.

Title: Global Application R&D Manager, HVAC&R

Company: Arkema

Educational Experience: Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology

Industry Work Experience: 7 years at Arkema

Organizational Affiliations/Achievements/Awards:

What caused you to/when did you to enter the HVACR industry?

As first year ChemE grad students at Georgia Tech, we received a short list of open project titles at the beginning of our first semester. We were supposed to do our due diligence and conduct research on potential advisors. It was mandatory to talk to at least six faculty members and get their signatures on a form, which was submitted with projects ranked from favorite to least favorite, and then the matchmaking process began.

There was a lot of thought and strategy that went into the ranking, because if we didn’t get our top choice, it meant that we might end up with a project that didn’t interest us or not have an advisor nor funding. I wanted to work for my advisor, but I wasn’t sure about the projects that he had available that year, as I was hoping to work on “sexy” research topics such as energy conversion/storage or nanotechnology.

Upon my first meeting with him, he went into detail on what the two available projects were.

One project caught my interest, which was exploring new working fluids for absorption refrigeration with the ability to recycle low-grade waste heat and covert it to useful cooling energy. Fortunately I was matched with my top choice, and here I am working in the HVACR industry many years later.

What has been the most rewarding aspect of working in HVACR?

We see on the news and experience the impact of climate change in our daily life, which is concerning especially for the future generations. The impact of global warming is dire, and being able to do research to replace the high global warming potential refrigerants with environmentally friendly and safe yet efficient fluids is really cool. Research and product development is what I’m paid to do, but knowing that the outcome of my work can also help the environment is very rewarding.

What drives/motivates you every day?

The fact that I’m working on an important yet challenging issue that can make a difference for our environment motivates me. Also, being an engineer, I love solving problems and I don’t stop until I find a solution or answer. While the process may not be so fun, the results are very rewarding.

Describe the proudest moment in your career.

I would say being offered the vice chair and incoming chair position of ASHRAE Standard 34, Designation and Safety Classification of Refrigerants, is my proudest moment.

I remember my first ASHRAE, which was my first ever business trip two weeks into the job. At the time, I was not comfortable sitting at the table and I actually refused to sit at the table when my colleague invited me to sit next to her. Then I started attending Standard 34 meetings and it was awesome to see all the action taking place, but also intimidating and intense at times. I was very comfortable sitting on the sidelines observing and taking notes.

Soon after, both my internal and external colleagues started suggesting that I take on larger roles and eventually had to corner me to get an answer from me. I have to thank my very persistent and supportive colleagues/mentors who believed in me and didn’t take no for an answer for where I am today.

What challenges do women face in this profession? Can you give a personal example?

As an engineer by training, I’m used to being in an environment with more men than women. But even for me I feel like the HVACR field is next level and a heavily male-dominated industry.

I get to enjoy the lineless and empty restroom experiences at the AHR Expo and ASHRAE, which also means most times I’m the only female in business or technical meetings.

When you’re the only different looking person in the room, you start questioning if you belong there and may forget that you are an equally deserving important person whose voice is valued.

There’s also the unspoken pressure where you feel like you need to prove yourself to others.

Fortunately, each and every one of the few women whom I encountered when I entered the field were highly respected boss ladies that were running the meetings and driving the discussions in a room full of men, which made the transition into the industry so much easier for me. I’ve also been surrounded by great supportive mentors, both men and women, but not everyone has been as lucky. I’ve certainly heard a few stories from other women about the awfully rude and gender-biased comments made towards them. We need more male mentors and allies that are not only mindful and aware of the situation women face, but also ensuring that the very few women in the room feel empowered and are given equal opportunity to speak and grow.

How can we increase the number of women in HVACR?

I don’t think most people are aware how big the HVACR industry truly is and that there’s so much more beyond their home a/c. It’s only after you become part of the industry when you realize that there are so many diverse professions within the field. I also think our female students may not even consider entering the HVACR field, thinking that it’s only for men.

One way of encouraging women to pursue a job in HVACR would be through student outreach such as info sessions or career talks at career fairs.

ASHRAE members have had mixers with the YEA (Young Engineers in ASHRAE) community, which is another good opportunity to retain students that are already interested in the field.

What does your day-to-day job entail?

I would say my week-to-week or even day-to-day could look very different depending on what I’m working on. Activities closer to my research roots would be writing papers and giving presentations at conferences that highlight our research and product development efforts while I also look for new ideas to bring back and work on. I’m also deeply involved in technical exchange and evaluation of our developmental products at the customer or partner level as well as research campaigns funded by industry organizations such as ASHRAE or AHRI.

When we’re submitting a new refrigerant application to ASHRAE 34, I’m in project management mode, making sure all different sections of the package are on track to meet the submission deadline while flexing my Microsoft Word skills.

The HVACR regulatory landscape is really complex and continues to evolve, so part of my role is understanding the different factors impacting the transition timeline and also being part of standard development bodies that allows safe implementation of next generation refrigerants.

What remains on your HVACR bucket list — what do you aspire to do that you haven’t accomplished yet?

I’d like to see a refrigerant that I worked tirelessly for from the very early developmental stage become a mainstream refrigerant.

What advice do you have for prospective females who are considering entering the HVACR field?

There’s so many opportunities and career paths in this field, whether it’s technical, business, operations, or regulatory, so don’t let the fact that it’s a heavily male-dominated field discourage you. All you have to be is the amazing engineer (or non-engineer) that you are.

At ASHRAE, I see a lot of engineers who have been in the industry since the ozone-depleting CFC era and continue to be involved even after they retired from their day job. There must be something truly special about this field, right?

Title: Commercial Refrigeration Mechanic

Company: Krohn Refrigeration Inc.

Educational Experience: I completed my apprenticeship with the state of New Jersey through Mercer County College in 1986. Later I completed an AA and AAS degree at Brookdale Community College. I hold a master HVACR license. I am also a certificate member of RSES.

Industry Work Experience: My chief job is working in the field as a commercial refrigeration mechanic. I also work in the office paying the bills, doing payroll, and taking care of the taxes. I have worked for Krohn Refrigeration Inc. since 1982. Most of our work is commercial. We work on everything from small reach-ins to large walk-ins, ice machines, rooftops, split systems, and fabricating ductwork. We work in a lot of schools, stores, a few restaurants, and pharmaceuticals.

Organizational Affiliations/Achievements/Awards:

I have been a member of RSES pretty much since I started working. We were very active with the chapter. We also chaired the refrigeration/AC contest for the N.J. VICA (now Skills USA) competition for many years.

What caused you to/when did you enter the HVACR industry?

I always liked working with my hands. When I met my husband, I used to go out on jobs with him on my day off from my job. I loved the work right from the start. I loved the satisfaction of fixing things. I also liked how we put a system together and created something from nothing.

Describe the proudest moment in your career.

I think one of the jobs I am most proud of was a store which we helped get up and running. There were 17 remote systems, with most having greater than 150 feet of piping. Figuring out how to run the pipe, running it, and getting all the units to fit into the given space was a huge challenge. It was very satisfying to get it done.

What challenges do women face in this profession? Can you give a personal example?

There are many challenges to this job. As a woman, you will face preconceived ideas of what a woman is capable of doing. It is not as bad as when I started, but I still run into it sometimes with someone new. I’m barely five feet tall, so I don’t look like the typical mechanic. Man or woman, this is a tough, physical job. You have to be able to work in the heat and in the cold. You can’t mind getting dirty or sweaty. You need to be able to climb extension ladders and carry things at the same time. Besides the physical part, you need to want to always learn. The industry is always changing. In order to troubleshoot, you need to be logical and be able to think through the problem. You really need to understand how a system works in order to be able to figure out why it’s not working. I’ve always thought that this job is the best for learning how to fix anything. You work with piping, electrical, and drain problems. Sometimes you have to be creative to come up with a solution. If one is willing to work hard, size or gender doesn’t matter — you’ll be able to succeed.

How can we increase the number of women in HVACR?

I would love to see more women HVACR mechanics. I’ve been doing this for almost 40 years, and I’ve only run into a couple over the years. I think if more women were made aware of the opportunities in the field, we could get more to try it. Nowadays the schools seem to try and point everyone to college. We have a shortage of good mechanics in all the trades right now.

What does your day-to-day job entail?

Every day is different. Usually I start off with paperwork and then scheduling for the day. Some days I get right out on jobs, and other days I do some office work first. Even if you start out with a plan in the morning, things can change quickly. Some days can be very challenging, but it is very satisfying to meet the challenge. When I can make a customer happy by fixing their equipment, it feels good that I was able to help them.

Earning the respect of my customers and peers, having a good relationship with them, and making them happy are probably the most rewarding aspects of the job.

What remains on your HVACR bucket list — what do you aspire to do that you haven’t accomplished yet?

Keeping my customers happy and my employees working is very important to me. My in-laws started this business in 1951, and I want to hand it off to the next generation when the time comes.

Title: General Manager

Company: Arizona’s Dukes of Air

Educational Experience: Degree in Business Management

Industry Work Experience: 15+ years

Organizational Affiliations/Achievements/Awards:

What caused you to/when did you to enter the HVACR industry?

My husband John and I were born and raised in the Midwest, and the general vibe of trades, including HVAC, was very different there. When we moved to Arizona, we really wanted to make a positive impact in the industry and our community by being the local, go-to, trusted air conditioning and heating company. Our mission statement really says it all: “We will revolutionize the perception of the HVAC contractor, one customer at a time, through our unyielding commitment to developing a culture of excellence within our organization. We genuinely believe in doing what is right and gaining customers for life, not just a job!” John and I started Arizona’s Dukes in 2012 as a one-van operation and have grown it to over 40 employees.

What has been the most rewarding aspect of working in HVACR?

I love having the ability to reinvest in our community — supporting local charities, schools, and organizations. We recently assisted a Mesa police officer who was struck and severely injured while attempting to remove debris from the highway and, 10 months later, was still dealing with the lingering injuries. Not only was Officer Stoddard dealing with his recovery, but the HVAC units in his home had stopped working and the scorching heat of the Arizona summer was upon us. I knew something had to be done, so our team worked with Trane to have two replacement units donated, and Dukes of Air donated the labor to install the HVAC units. It is these feel-good moments that touch my heart and allow us all to feel proud and privileged while supporting our community.

Describe the proudest moment in your career.

I can’t really dial this down to one specific moment, so here are a few. It’s the moment your employee tells you they finally have the funds to purchase their first house and you realize that you helped them meet that goal. Or the first time you see a parking lot of orange trucks and it makes you take a step back. A step back to reflect on starting with one truck and working around the clock to turn that one truck into 30 trucks. It’s the moments you can say “Wow — we did this!” Those are the proudest moments.

What challenges do women face in this profession? Can you give a personal example?

A personal example of a challenge that I’ve faced in the field was handling a difficult customer who struggled to comprehend my knowledge in the industry. No matter what I said, he wasn’t hearing it and demanded to talk to my husband. John (my husband) shared the same information that I had; however, this time the customer agreed completely and was satisfied with the answer. This doesn’t happen often, but when it does, it’s frustrating.

How can we increase the number of women in HVACR?

Awareness. It is true that the industry is heavily dominated by men; however, there are more women today than five years ago in our market. I believe it all starts in our high schools and the awareness that we create. Although climbing in attics or onto rooftops might not be for all of us, it’s an industry that is needed everywhere, and one where men and women will always be needed.

What does your day-to-day job entail?

Every day is different. It’s all about juggling hats and prioritizing what needs to be accomplished to ensure that we are taking care of our customers and our team.

What drives/motivates you every day?

I am driven by my team and the positive customer reviews. It’s the success stories of our installs or the customers day that we made by fixing their broken a/c timely when its 115° outside. It’s the dollars that we contribute to our community. You must wake up and be excited for your day.

What remains on your HVACR bucket list — what do you aspire to do that you haven’t accomplished yet?

Be the first company that the community thinks of when they need HVAC in our market.

What advice do you have for prospective females who are considering entering the HVACR field?

The sky is the limit, and the opportunities are endless. No matter where life takes you, chances are you will need a/c and/or heating in every part of the country. Your services will always be needed. I feel proud to have started an HVAC company from the ground and turn it into a multimillion-dollar revenue generator.

Title: Emerging Markets, Senior Product Manager

Company: Mitsubishi Electric Trane HVAC US (METUS)

Educational Experience: I earned my bachelor’s degree from Vassar College. My master’s degree is in environmental engineering from Columbia University.

Industry Work Experience: My first job after receiving my master’s degree was in the field with Positive Energy, a building science consulting engineering firm in Austin. Starting as an energy rater, I went through hundreds of buildings, hanging from attic rafters and inching through crawl spaces to understand how buildings work. My field experience and then learning to design for buildings resulted in a deep appreciation of their complexities and for the skilled trades that develop them. This breadth of experience was put to good use in 2016 when I joined Mitsubishi Electric's performance construction team, which provides support to builders, architects, engineers, contractors, and developers nationwide to realize their high-performance building goals. Now, as a senior manager of emerging markets on the product management team, I have shifted focus to contributing to the development of products that are integral to low-load, healthy, and comfortable buildings.

Organizational Affiliations/Achievements/Awards: It is infinitely easier to be a critic than a creator. If you want something to change, then you have to get involved. I’ve served as a voting member on ASHRAE’s Technical Standard Committees 62.2 (Residential Ventilation and Acceptable IAQ) and 227P (Passive Building Design), and I’m also a PHIUS Certified Passive House Consultant (CPHC). I participate in an ACCA Manual S working group and serve in an advisory capacity to the U.S. Department of Energy’s Building Technologies Office initiatives, which focus on modular construction, low-load buildings, and advanced construction technologies.

What caused you to/when did you to enter the HVACR industry? What has been the most rewarding aspect of working in HVACR?

I literally couldn't sleep at night for worrying about unbridled resource consumption and waste generation. It motivated me to go back to school for environmental engineering. Reducing energy and water use in our built environment is a big piece of the puzzle we have to solve. I find contributing to the development of solutions that are equitable, practical, and result in healthy, efficient buildings to be very rewarding.

Describe the proudest moment in your career.

I have two. The first one is when my two teenage boys see a fast-developed building or structure and recognize how it was built inefficiently or ineffectively. We’ll often be driving down the highway and one of them will point out a development that was built without intention. For me, the work I do is also for them and their future built environment.

Secondly, in 2020, I was part of the project team that developed the Credit Human Headquarters (a regional credit union) in San Antonio. This building is a true testament of what teamwork and low-impact, sustainable development should look like. Every system, every material of the building was thoughtfully considered and selected to minimize (or generate) energy. It’s just an amazing building.

What challenges do women face in this profession? Can you give a personal example? How can we increase the number of women in HVACR?

The reality is we need to increase everyone working in HVACR — there is a labor shortage. That said, women are often faced with preconceived notions about who should take care of infrastructure. Stereotypes are difficult to break down, but I also find that some of these beliefs are internal. As women, the best thing we can do is show up unapologetically and confident in our skillsets and interests. If you’re determined and hardworking, I find people are generally accepting — it’s about finding allies, not adversaries.

What does your day-to-day job entail?

My job is truly a hybrid role — every day can look a little different. I mainly work in three areas: actively supporting product development, project management for specialty, high-performance applications, and engaging with the industry through training. On any given day, I could be serving as a project manager consulting with several trades teams, sitting on a committee meeting, or working with our products team on equipment for indoor air quality.

What drives/motivates you every day?

I hold the belief that we have to be better stewards of our resources. In addition, I love working with people. Working with like-spirited people towards a similar goal — that’s what gets me up in the morning. I genuinely feel like I’m fighting for a better future for my sons with the work I do. We owe it to the next generation.

What remains on your HVACR bucket list — what do you aspire to do that you haven’t accomplished yet?

I want to continue contributing to the evolution of our industry. In particular, I want more professionals to value experiential field knowledge more equitably. I think this is the key to getting more skilled trades into the industry. We need to realize there’s a wealth of knowledge that can only come from field experience. When combined with traditional training and education, we can truly advance the products we make and the buildings we develop.

What advice do you have for prospective females who are considering entering the HVACR field?

No. 1: women need to support other women. Secondly, we are master problem solvers. The HVAC and construction fields require this type of thinking. If you believe in the work and you love it — you can do it!

Title: General Manager

Company: AMHAC (All Makes Heating & Air Conditioning Corporation).

Educational Experience: MBA, Boston University

Industry Work Experience:

Organizational Affiliations/Achievements/Awards:

What caused you to/when did you enter the HVACR industry?

I began my career at AMHAC in 2009. With the economy in a deep recession, and high unemployment in 2009, I was laid off as an insurance sales manager, and I half-heartedly answered the call to an entry-level customer service position. Throughout each stage of my career, I made an effort to think big, working not only to learn items related to my current position but also to acquire an understanding of the entire business and the industry. I was guided by the president of AMHAC along with a few of AMHAC’s top influencers who believed in my potential.

What has been the most rewarding aspect of working in HVACR?

My career has allowed me to work in a variety of settings, competences, and interact with highly influential people. I have been able to enjoy a variety of positions throughout my career within customer service, accounting, sales, and management. I have the ability to travel to seminars across the county, interact with distributors at events, and interchangeably work from home, be in the office, or spend time visiting clients homes.

Describe the proudest moment in your career.

At the beginning of 2020, I sat with AMHAC’s sales team and mapped out individual sales goals that ultimately aligned with AMHAC winning Carrier’s President’s Award. It was the epicenter of the pandemic, NYC, the height of COVID-19, and 75% of our staff were laid off. We eventually rehired all our employees, each one returning to work without protest, and we also ended up hiring new employees. Our sales engineers implemented a new sales proposal app, and we won Carrier’s President’s Award for the first time in AMHAC’s 60-plus-year history. While I do often emphasize the importance of winning awards, it wasn’t the award I was most proud of but the feeling of victory that united us. My team entrusted me to lead them, and we all relied on one another to fulfill each person’s individual duty, which ultimately led to our success.

What challenges do women face in this profession? Can you give a personal example?

Unfortunately, because of the lack of women in the industry, we don’t have many mentors to measure a successful career. Since most women are introduced to the HVACR world through a family business, the roadmap to success does not always leave consistent clues to follow. We need to start with letting young women know there is tremendous growth opportunity in the industry, especially since we all are challenged every day by the drain in our labor force. We must interact with more high schools about the skilled trades as a debt-free career option. The industry itself is high in demand as HVAC systems are everywhere, and the jobs can’t be outsourced, removed by automation, or decreased in demand — even in economic downturns or pandemics. Secondly, the female market is an underdeveloped opportunity, possibly the No. 1 opportunity for women. For those who really understand their buyer power, what better way to appeal to this market than to have another woman sales rep or service technician show up at a house call?

How can we increase the number of women in HVACR?

Having more women in positions to recruit and hire is a great way to start. You attract what you are, and the recruiting process is where you sell your company and what it can offer. The more women in the recruiting phase, the more women they can attract. As a women, be an inspiration, a success, and courageous, and people will naturally ask what you do for a living. One conversation at a time.

What does your day-to-day job entail?

I am either repairing or preparing, fixing today because someone did something wrong yesterday, or I am preparing for tomorrow because my team is doing something right today. My morning routine always begins with reading emails and the previous day’s service reports. I also examine the distribution of labor in both our installation and service departments. I focus my daily agenda departmentally. One day’s focus will be on marketing/recruiting, the next accounting, customer service, and weekly frontline staff meetings (service and install). I try to group my attention departmentally so we all learn through teams, and I can hold individuals accountable to the team. Throughout the day, I send hundreds of emails to vendors and or other partnerships AMHAC has formed. I always find time to speak to a customer (happy or upset), to keep my ears close to the streets, and to give surprise recognition to staff with a job well done.

What drives/motivates you every day?

I believe in God, and the best way I can express His greatness and display my gratitude is through a strong vision for my life by setting and achieving tough goals and becoming the very best version of myself along the way.

I became an American citizen in my early 20s (I was born in Canada), and since then I knew I had absolutely no excuse to not become a success. I am driven to achieve beyond expectations for my own sake and everyone else’s. I have a team of 50+ employees that need to be proud of who and what company they work for. With competition so cutthroat, a company must bring more than money to the table, and the leader must inspire greatness and create a culture of teamwork and belonging.

What remains on your HVACR bucket list — what do you aspire to do that you haven’t accomplished yet?

I would accept the challenges involved with AMHAC acquiring another small company to obtain new talent.

What advice do you have for prospective females who are considering entering the HVACR field?

Find a mentor who is willing to guide you. Outwork, outperform, and educate yourself in every area you wish to hold a position. At this time in HVACR, as a woman, you will have to work twice as hard to gain the same respect as a man, but don’t take it personally. Be consistent and dependable, and eventually your work ethic alone will rise above 90% of the talent out there.

Title: Senior HVACR Instructor

Company: Orange Technical College - Westside Campus, Air Conditioning Contractors Association of Central Florida - Second Year Instructor

Educational Experience: Orange Technical College - Westside Campus (HVACR Program), Valencia Community College (AS - Industrial Management Technology and AA - Engineering)

Industry Work Experience: Oriole Air (Helper), Del-Air (Installer and Service Technician), Facemyer A/C and Heat (Dispatcher, Service Manager, Install Manager)

Organizational Affiliations/Achievements/Awards: Skills USA Co-Lead Advisor. I am a member of Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society. I have many certifications from training classes I have attended, as well as certifications with HVAC Excellence in air conditioning and heat pumps. I am a proctor for both ESCO Institute and NATE.

What caused you to/when did you to enter the HVACR industry?

My father was the reason I entered into the HVACR industry. When I was growing up, he owned his own HVAC business. One summer weekend, while I was bored at home, he took me to a new residential construction project. It was hot and he was running duct work. At 12 years old, I was able to climb through attics quite easily compared to him. He handed me one end of the duct and said, “Go that way and don’t fall.” I enjoyed the work so much that I continued to work with him every chance I could.

When I attended high school, I decided to join the dual enrollment HVACR program. A dual enrollment program is a program the allows a high school student to take a technical class for half the day while taking high school classes the other half. Because of the dual enrollment program, I was able to obtain a career in the HVACR field.

What has been the most rewarding aspect of working in HVACR?

The most rewarding aspect of HVACR is the feeling of accomplishment when a service call has been completed to the customer’s satisfaction. After all, this industry is about customer service. I was taught that every jobsite you are on, when you leave, it should look like you were never there. I remember when I was a service technician for Del-Air, I had a job at a residential property and the customer had white walls and white carpets. While I was waiting on the vacuum, I took the time to clean the soot off the walls and carpet. The customer was so appreciative that they called the office to compliment that I took the time to clean it.

Describe the proudest moment in your career.

The proudest moment in my career as a technician was being able to repair a customer’s system even though the customer doubted my abilities.

The proudest moment in my career as an instructor was watching a student grow from high school to adult. He graduated the HVACR program and was the only applicant of 70 to be chosen to work for Lennox. He was top of their program and won the FCATE award for Outstanding Post-Secondary Student of the Year.

What challenges do women face in this profession? Can you give a personal example?

The hardest part of this profession is the fact that I am a woman. When you think of HVAC technicians, plumbers, or electricians, you think of men. I had a customer refuse to let me work on her system because I was young and a woman. I currently have a student on internship and she is getting the same reactions that I was getting in the field years ago. It is rare to see women working in these fields, but from those that I have worked with, they are more detailed and organized in most cases.

How can we increase the number of women in HVACR?

I think to increase the number of women in HVACR, the industry should promote women working in the field, like this article does. Trades need to be promoted to the high school levels. There are so many great programs available to high school students. Knowing what you want to do with your career at an early age will only happen if you are exposed to all career opportunities while you are young.

What does your day-to-day job entail?

Every day varies. I have 12 levels of students from 7:45 a.m. to 2:25 p.m. When ACCA/CFL begins, I will have night class two nights a week. When I finally get home, I work on studying for my Class B License.

What drives/motivates you every day?

One of my biggest motivators is the passion I have for my trade and using that passion to prepare students to enter into a career or reach their own personal goals.

What remains on your HVACR bucket list — what do you aspire to do that you haven’t accomplished yet?

First item on the bucket list is getting my Class B Licensure at the end of September 2021. Then, like anyone else, be a millionaire. My ultimate goal is to be known in the HVACR industry as one of the best.

What advice do you have for prospective females who are considering entering the HVACR field?

The best advice I can give any female is do not listen to the negatives that you may hear. For example, you will hear, “you’re a girl,” “you don’t know what you’re doing,” etc. Ignore it! If you enjoy troubleshooting, working with your hands, don’t mind getting dirty, and you are willing to learn and work hard, go for it.

Title: VP & Chief Sustainability, Government and Regulatory Affairs Officer

Company: Johnson Controls PLC

Educational Experience: BS, Chemistry Saint Joseph’s University; JD Columbia University School of Law

Industry Work Experience: My background is both in government and in business. I started my career as a AAAS Congressional Fellow working for then-Senator Al Gore. In the Clinton Administration, I served as deputy assistant to President Clinton and as chair of the White House Council on Environmental Quality (first woman to chair this office). Later I served as Secretary of Environmental Protection for the commonwealth of Pennsylvania and Chair of the Pennsylvania Energy Authority. I was in the cabinet of then-Governor Ed Rendell. I also ran for public office and was the Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate from Pennsylvania in 2016. In the private sector, I’ve served as a VP & managing director of Natsource, where I led the development of new investment vehicles in renewable energy; operating partner at Element Partners, a private equity firm focused on growth stage investments in clean tech companies; and as SVP & managing director at Weston Solutions, where we redeveloped brownfield properties and designed and built microgrid systems. I’ve also served on a variety of boards focused mainly in the clean electricity space, including as a director at NRG and Iberdrola (now Avengrid).

Organizational Affiliations/Achievements/Awards: I am honored to be the recipient of three honorary doctorates (from Dickinson College, Clarion State University, and Muhlenberg University). Among the recognitions I’ve been privileged to receive are Woman of the Year in Energy and the Environment by the WCEE (Women’s Council on Energy and the Environment); Global Leader for Tomorrow by the World Economic Forum; Lifetime Achievement Award by Citizens for Pennsylvania’s Future; and the Ansel Adams Award of The Wilderness Society. Today I am privileged to serve on the board of the Carnegie Mellon Scott Center for Energy Innovation, the Alliance to Save Energy, and the Keystone Policy Center.

What caused you to/when did you to enter the HVACR industry?

I’ve always admired Johnson Controls. Throughout my career in public service, JCI was always a company that would step forward when innovative, bold new ideas were needed to tackle a challenging environmental problem. So when the call came from JCI testing my interest in joining the company, while I was not in the market for a new position, I absolutely had to pursue it. What I found in meeting with company leadership is that JCI is even more driven by excellence in energy efficiency — bringing new tools including digital capability dramatically to slash carbon emissions, and even more focused on thought and action leadership in sustainability. I had to say yes.

What has been the most rewarding aspect of working in HVACR?

The ‘can-do’ solutions-orientation of the industry. At Johnson Controls, we partner with our customers — helping them shape ambitious visions for how they can become better environmental stewards — cutting their energy use and emissions, even while saving money and enhancing the bottom line. It is thrilling to me that we so believe in what we are doing and what we can deliver that we step up and guarantee the result. This is such a promising and inspiring approach — demonstrating that smart environmental action goes hand in hand with economic growth and profitability.

Describe the proudest moment in your career:

Recently we launched a new offering: Net Zero Carbon as a Service. I played only a small and supportive role in conceiving of and shaping this initiative. But I am enormously proud of the effort, since I believe it will greatly accelerate action to decarbonize buildings and enable many more individuals and organizations to make bold climate commitments, knowing that Johnson Controls will support them with needed financing, design, build, operation and maintenance of services — all while delivering energy savings and guaranteed outcomes in cutting carbon.

What challenges do women face in this profession? Can you give a personal example?

Manufacturing and engineering-intensive industries still tend to be male dominated. So it remains a challenge for women to launch in our industry and to grow to senior management and leadership positions. At JCI, however, we have great role models in women leading some of our biggest factories, business units, and product design efforts. We continue to work on this every day, and recently, we’ve announced our intention to drive towards doubling the representation of women and minorities in leadership in our company. On a personal level, and especially earlier in my career, I felt a need to work harder and more intensely than others may have felt the need to do, and I also felt the need to always get it right — no room for error. That has changed as I’ve grown in my career, but I believe it remains a pressure other women face. I try to coach women to not fall into this kind of pattern and instead to balance time better — including in investing time and effort in building and maintaining relationship and partnerships, since in the end, relationships are such an important part of advancing your career.

How can we increase the number of women in HVACR?

Investments in STEM education are critically important. And then, building on that solid educational foundation, I am a huge believer in hands-on opportunity. Internships are essential. And we should go further. For women who already are our colleagues, I believe we need to be very purposeful about identifying and providing for our female colleagues growth and leadership opportunities. Moreover, while I believe that mentorship efforts are great, I really think we need to champion women — not just coach or mentor them. What is the key difference here? In mentoring and coaching, we are helping women better present themselves in various situations. In championing women, we take on the responsibility ourselves to go to bat for them when they might not be in the room. I am pleased to say that JCI goes to great lengths to invest in women in this way.

What does your day-to-day job entail?

Staying on the cutting edge of new trends, ideas, and themes that may shape the future in a way impactful to Johnson Controls; gathering colleagues in dialogue to see how we might lead in shaping the trends, and especially in a way that both provides opportunity for Johnson Controls and our customers while protecting the environment; and then building and executing on plans of action to go after or create the opportunity for us to lead.

What drives/motivates you every day?

The opportunity I am blessed to have to work with good people towards goals and objectives that I believe are worthy and noble.

What remains on your HVACR bucket list — what do you aspire to do that you haven’t accomplished yet?

I want to see through this drive to net zero carbon and help to bring forward the ideas, initiatives, technologies, and partnerships that are needed to get the job done!

What advice do you have for prospective females who are considering entering the HVACR field?

Throw yourself in and bring all of your passion, capability, and creativity with you. This is a field that enables you to bring your whole self, and it is a field that is part of charting the course for the future of the planet — a worthy mission. So no hesitation; no toe in the water — jump in the deep end and make a great splash!

Title: General Manager, Business Administration

Company: Century A/C Supply & Air Management Supply

Educational Experience: BS Summa Cum Laude - Psychology with Spanish minor at University of Houston, Master of Industrial Distribution at Texas A&M

Industry Work Experience: I joined Century in 2007 as a sales coordinator and worked my way up through the organization as marketing manager, director of marketing and IT, and now GM. I have been fortunate to be involved in many HARDI initiatives over the years as well.

Organizational Affiliations/Achievements/Awards:

HARDI:

American Marketing Association Houston:

What caused you to/when did you to enter the HVACR industry?

When I graduated from the University of Houston, I had a couple job offers but the opportunity at Century seemed like it had the most growth potential. It was also an industry I knew absolutely nothing about and I have always loved learning, so I jumped in headfirst. If I’m being completely honest, I originally thought it would be a springboard to my next job, but thanks to the people and especially my first boss Jess Mattox, I stuck around and was able to expand my skillset and learn about numerous areas of the business.

What has been the most rewarding aspect of working in HVACR?

The people are incredible. Even though we are a large industry, the circles within it are small and you get to know many people from seeing them at annual conferences or supplier events. We’re a friendly industry filled with down-to-earth folks. I have made so many lifelong friends (some of whom I bet are on this list) and even fraternize with direct competitors outside of work. I can’t think of many other industries where direct competitors are willing to sit down together and brainstorm solutions to shared problems. It’s one of the best aspects of the industry.

Describe the proudest moment in your career.

This is a tough one because I’ve had so many wonderful experiences. Being recognized as one of the Top Women in HVACR is definitely in the top three. Two other moments also come to mind: being approached by the president and VP of IT (at the time) about assuming responsibility for IT. It was a wild moment, considering my last and only true “IT” experience was taking computer science and learning C+ in high school. However, they recognized that I understood the implications and applications of technology that could propel our business forward, and I’ve always loved a challenge, so once again I found myself jumping in headfirst and learning new things. Having your potential recognized and developed is invaluable. The last moment in the top three was winning the awards for our 35th anniversary campaign. That was a group effort so I can only take a small fraction of the credit, but winning three awards only two to three years into my career was inspiring and highly motivating and made me want to continue down this path.

What challenges do women face in this profession? Can you give a personal example?

I don’t think HVAC presents more challenges for women than any other male-dominated industry. The fact of the matter is that if someone makes assumptions about your abilities or role based on your gender alone, that is their problem and I would never waste any energy trying to force a paradigm shift. My dad always says that if you can’t dazzle them with brilliance, baffle them with it. Either way, I find the first option to be highly effective.

I remember interviewing a candidate one time who assumed I was an HR rep and not the person to whom he would be reporting. He didn’t realize his error until the end of the interview, but I will never forget the look on his face during that brief moment of clarity.

How can we increase the number of women in HVACR?

Mentoring, scholarship opportunities, and grassroots involvement: Representation is important, so having women leaders speaking at high schools, career fairs, community events, etc. as a grassroots effort could be very effective. Highlighting the industry and the diverse careers within it could inspire many other women to join, especially with scholarship opportunities to support their endeavors. Had I realized in high school that trade school was a viable path to entrepreneurship, I may have explored those options more seriously rather than going straight to college without specific career goals. Mentorship is also a great way to engage and retain women in male-dominated fields.

What does your day-to-day job entail?

Every day is different, and that variety is part of what I enjoy about the job. A single day could include everything from working on very granular details, like data points within our ERP, to discussing long-term strategies and setting growth objectives.

What drives/motivates you every day?

My family has always been a great source of inspiration, but I have also had an intrinsic motivation since I was young. For me, the ultimate success in life would be leaving the world a better place than I found it and improving the lives of as many people as possible. I’m a helper and derive great satisfaction from helping others solve challenges, so that motivates me to keep going.

What remains on your HVACR bucket list — what do you aspire to do that you haven’t accomplished yet?

This is a great question. I have some goals for the industry and am able to help develop those through relationships with industry organizations like HARDI and BlueHawk. Using my knowledge and position to inspire more women to join the industry while continuing to help others would be nice.

What advice do you have for prospective females who are considering entering the HVACR field?

Work hard, learn as much as you can, and ask questions. Know when to speak up and when to listen. Don’t be afraid to admit you don’t know something. Have confidence in yourself and your abilities, but also recognize the areas that aren’t as strong and seek to improve them. Exuding confidence and knowing how to carry yourself will take you far. Others may make presumptions based on your gender, but you can’t let that affect how you come to the table. Support your ideas with facts and data, challenge yourself to learn and do better every day, and be consistent. Eventually you will earn the respect of everyone around you.

Title: General Manager

Company: Rheem Canada Ltd./Ltée

Educational Experience: Diploma, Business Administration; Dawson College in Montreal, Quebec, Marketing and Sales Diploma; Sheridan College in Oakville, Ontario, Multiple business and leadership certificates; McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario, and York University in Toronto, Ontario.

Industry Work Experience: After transferring to Ontario in 1980, I began my career as the customer service supervisor at Rheem Canada Ltd. in Hamilton, Ontario. I believe this initial role in the industry was crucial to establishing the customer-centric mindset, product expertise, and critical thinking skills that have served me well throughout my career at Rheem over the years.

Following the successes of our customer service team, I was promoted to various progressive leadership positions within Rheem Canada’s sales and marketing group, which allowed me to contribute to both the Water and Air divisions of our business as Canadian sales manager and, later, general sales manager. These diverse experiences helped prepare me for my current position as general manager of Rheem Canada.

Organizational Affiliations/Achievements/Awards:

What caused you to/when did you to enter the HVACR industry?

I entered the HVACR Industry in 2009 when Rheem expanded its Air business in Canada.

What has been the most rewarding aspect of working in HVACR?

The most rewarding aspect of working in HVACR has been developing and building relationships with our Rheem and Ruud contracting and distribution partners, which includes celebrating our collective success. The reorganization of Rheem Canada in 2009 also presented an opportunity to broaden my knowledge of the HVACR industry, its products, and members while offering the market a more comprehensive portfolio of Rheem product solutions. In addition, I’ve enjoyed collaborating and building strong relationships with the Rheem HVACR Global team. The innovative spirit, commitment to sustainability, and desire of this group to advance Rheem products, along with the overall industry, is a point of pride within our organization.

Describe the proudest moment in your career:

The esteemed opportunity to lead Rheem Canada as general manager continues to be a highpoint, as it’s allowed me to improve the experience of our customers, play a leading role in the professional development of our employees, and give back to the communities where we operate. I am also very proud of the multiple customer recognition and vendor of the year awards Rheem Canada has received during my tenure as GM.

What challenges do women face in this profession? Can you give a personal example?

Our industry continues to grow and evolve when it comes to diversity, but women certainly continue to face challenges that are unique. I am grateful for the opportunity to mentor other women at Rheem through our Rheem Canada Women in Business Mentorship group and the CIPH Women’s Network, which I believe are important resources for overcoming these obstacles. Together, I believe the next generation of Women in HVACR are in a better position to lead than ever before.

Rheem fostered and paved the way for me to progress from supervising customer service to leading Rheem Canada as general manager. I am pleased to also be part of a growing group of successful Rheem female executives that meets to mentor and support each other in a traditionally male-dominated industry.

How can we increase the number of women in HVACR?

We can increase the number of women in HVACR by continuing to encourage women’s participation in the industry, whether that’s through awareness workshops, women’s networks, or hearing/reading testimonials. Examples of successful females in the HVACR space will inspire the next generation of women to join our industry and, together with each other’s advice and support, we can lead the industry in a more diverse and inclusive direction.

What does your day-to-day job entail?

There are many facets in my day-to-day job responsibilities that I love, but the aspect I value most is the ability to inspire and support my team to reach their individual full potential. I believe this not only makes a positive impact on the professional development of our employees, but those individual successes each contribute to Rheem Canada’s ability to achieve our collective goals.

Beyond our operations in Canada, I also have daily informed communication with Rheem’s leadership team, which is essential to our day-to-day operations and my decision-making process.

What drives/motivates you every day?

The opportunity to influence and inspire the team to deliver winning solutions for our customers is what drives me and my team at Rheem Canada. The collective focus at Rheem on innovating, leading the industry, and supporting each other is a pillar of our organization’s culture.

What remains on your HVACR bucket list — what do you aspire to do that you haven’t accomplished yet?

The industry is always evolving, so I place an unrelenting emphasis on staying informed and ahead of the trends. Product innovations and awareness of regulatory influences across the country are critical to our ability to lead and advance Rheem’s position in the marketplace.

What advice do you have for prospective females who are considering entering the HVACR field?

The HVAC field is an exciting and dynamic industry where, with strong commitment, effort, and confidence, women can grow, evolve, and reach their highest potential. Go for it!

Title: President

Company: The New Flat Rate

Educational Experience: BS, Marketing - Colorado Technical University

Industry Work Experience: Born and bred in the industry. My grandfather was a contractor, my uncles are contractors, my father is a contractor, and my brothers are contractors. When I was 16, my “ride” was a blue service van.

Organizational Affiliations/Achievements/Awards:

What caused you to/when did you enter the HVACR industry?

As a homeschooled high school student, I worked in the office at my dad’s HVAC, electrical, and plumbing company. I left town after graduation in pursuit of my dreams to become a fashion designer. These pursuits landed me in a four-year Bible school/internship program in Tyler, Texas. After the four-year program, I was battling the question of, “What do I do next with my life?” And my dad called with an opportunity to go back home and work with him. He needed help in his company because he was downsizing and needed to restructure, so I moved back home for a year. The next year, I moved from our hometown in Dalton, Georgia, to Portland. Having never been to Portland, I was jobless for two months and starving when my dad called and asked if I needed help finding a job … and I did. He gave me the phone number of an HVAC industry consultant, Charlie Greer, and said to tell him I was Rodney Koop’s daughter and I needed help getting a job. I picked up the phone and dialed Charlie, shaking like a leaf, nervous as could be. I simply said, “Hey, Charlie my name is Danielle, and I’m Rodney Koop’s daughter — my dad said to call you to see if you knew any contractors in Portland who could maybe give me a job?” Charlie, good as gold, jumped straight for his Rolodex and said, “Well let’s see here … call Climate Control and tell them Charlie sent you!”

The HVACR industry has been good to me; it’s always been an extension of my family. Sure enough, I called Climate Control and told them Charlie sent me. The next week, I had an interview for a position they weren’t even hiring for. Climate Control hired me on as a marketer, and it extended my education past my dad’s company and taught me how to work for someone else.

What has been the most rewarding aspect of working in HVACR?

Salt of the earth people. Good as gold people. People that can fix anything and people that are used to being a great big, happy, and sometimes grumpy, family.

Describe the proudest moment in your career.

One year ago, I returned to the office from maternity leave. I’d just had my third child. When I drove to work after being gone for two months, I pulled into the parking lot and saw a huge banner across the front of the building that screamed, “SHE’S BACK!” I walked in the front door, and my team had rolled out the red carpet and welcomed me back. I was so proud that I had a team who worked in this company that I helped build … and they survived without me for two months and were still glad to get me back! I was most proud to know that I helped build something for this industry that could sustain without me — it was built to last.

What challenges do women face in this profession? Can you give a personal example?

Women and men alike both face challenges in any profession. We all face challenges, but the outcome is determined by how we choose to respond to the challenges. HVAC in particular has its cushy sides and its down-and-dirty sides. Women who work in the field and maneuver heavy pieces of equipment face the challenges of physical strength and the risk of being injured. In the office or more internal sides of HVAC, women face the business challenges of supply and demand, technology change and growth, and the mechanics of being business savvy and mechanically inclined. To give a personal example, I’d have to chalk it up to stereotypes. For years, many have said HVAC is a ‘Good ‘Ole Boys’ club. I’ve found that it’s all about perspective and respect — when I respect the men who built this industry, they respect me and welcome me with open arms.

How can we increase the number of women in HVACR?

T-shirts. Let’s all start wearing t-shirts that invite more women into the trades by a) letting them know we have a place for them and b) inviting them to work with us — it’s the new cool kids’ club; I’m not even joking. As a whole, we’ve already tried podcasts about bringing more women into the industry, social media, promotional videos, e-blasts, and flyers. Let’s start wearing t-shirts promoting this incredible space that they can be a part of. I’ll go first.

Again, I’m not joking. As an industry, we’ve tried many things, yet we’re still looking for more women. If you want one of the t-shirts, shoot me an email and I’ll get you one. Let’s do this together!

What does your day-to-day job entail?

As president of The New Flat Rate, my day-to-day focus is on growing my team and supporting our members while ensuring that we continue to evolve and anticipate the changes in the industry. To do this, it’s a constant battle to prioritize strategy over saying yes to every “Got a minute?” meeting request so my team can continue to move projects forward as I hone our strategy.

So in short, a standard day involves setting the vision of the company, developing a sound process and strategy for accomplishing our goals, and guiding my team to achieve and exceed that vision within the parameters of our core values of “honesty, integrity, common sense, excellence, and kindness.” It’s ultimately making sure our business is running on all cylinders so our members are fully supported.

What drives/motivates you every day?

As a serial entrepreneur, I love to build. Building and improving what’s in front of me, even if only 1% at a time. In part, perhaps, from my upbringing, in part, perhaps, because with the leadership and TNFR team around me every day, we have a culture of forward motion and a pursuit of excellence — I can’t help but to feel a daily drive to keep climbing.

What remains on your HVACR bucket list — what do you aspire to do that you haven’t accomplished yet?

First-class flight trip to visit all of the major equipment manufacturers and take a VIP facilities tour. Who wouldn’t want to do that?!

What advice do you have for prospective females who are considering entering the HVACR field?

I’m hiring! And all the members across the US and Canada using The New Flat Rate are hiring as well. Give me a call, and I’ll connect you with some ride along opportunities to “experience” a true day in the life of your next and last dream career.

Title: President and CEO

Company: cfm Distributors, Inc.

Educational Experience: Bachelor’s of Science in Business Administration

Industry Work Experience: 17 years

Organizational Affiliations/Achievements/Awards: Director - HARDI Board of Directors, Treasurer and Director - Blue Hawk Board of Directors, 2021 President - Women in HVACR Board of Directors, Director - Kansas City Industrial Council Board of Directors, Director - Historic West Bottoms Board of Directors, Director - Kansas City Children’s Assistance Network (KC CAN!) Executive Board of Directors, Director - cfm Distributors, Inc. Board of Directors, Distributor Chair of York Distributor Advisory Council. 2015 ACHR NEWS Top 40 Under 40 Award, 2015 HARDI Top 40 Under 40 Award, 2018 HARDI Top 40 Under 40 Award

What caused you to/when did you to enter the HVACR industry?

When I was in college getting my business degree in Kansas City, I was asked to join the company by our controller at the time, who wanted to retire in a few years. He thought I might want to work in the accounting department for a few years and learn his job. I ended up joining the team at cfm Distributors, but after a few months of working in accounting, I was asked by the VP of sales and marketing at the time to move to marketing, where they needed help due to some temporary and permanent vacancies. I moved to marketing shortly thereafter and worked up through the ranks in that department, and the rest is history.

What has been the most rewarding aspect of working in HVACR?

Getting to work alongside such wonderful people. From our employee-owners of cfm to our customers, our suppliers, our cooperative and trade association colleagues, and others, we are very fortunate to have such great relationships to help us all get better together.

Describe the proudest moment in your career.

There have been a lot of great moments in my career, small and large, but one that sticks out the most was at the end of 2020, looking back and realizing how amazing our team of employee-owners at cfm really is for navigating the first year of a global pandemic with such great success and teamwork. It’s an honor to work with each of them.

What challenges do women face in this profession? Can you give a personal example?

I think our situation as women in this industry gets better each year, but getting customers, coworkers, and vendors to take us seriously has been a challenge at times. Proving that we know what we are doing seems to be something that we have to work doubly hard at to be noticed — and then once we are noticed, it gets a lot better. Also, I know that women are equally as capable at all types of jobs in this industry because I’ve met many successful women in all roles, but I think women in manufacturing roles and field technician roles suffer more because there are physical aspects to those roles that some people assume women can’t do. I have enjoyed seeing the successes of those women who have proven the doubters wrong and simultaneously enjoy seeing the progress we are making to get to a point where that doubt doesn’t happen eventually.

I have had several of these examples happen. Earlier in my career, the most common example was that I sat in many internal and supplier meetings where I didn’t feel like I was taken very seriously with my input. Over time, I made sure to really do my homework and put together as many facts and data points as possible to illustrate what I was talking about to show that I really did know what I was talking about and cared enough to do extra work to get the job done.

How can we increase the number of women in HVACR?

I think the best way to handle this is to make people aware of all of the different positions available at all levels of the industry. We don’t only have a need for field technicians; we have sales roles, marketing roles, leadership roles, administrative roles, accounting roles, engineering roles, manufacturing roles, etc. There’s really something for everyone, so we need to spread that word.

What does your day-to-day job entail?

Developing and executing our company strategy, overseeing overall customer service and sales activities, engaging with our employee-owners and customers, participating in leadership roles of industry associations like HARDI, Women in HVACR and Blue Hawk to help guide our industry’s future and attract more people to it, working closely with key vendor partners and their leadership, and coaching employee-owners to help them meet their goals.

What drives/motivates you every day?

Working alongside the awesome employee-owners of cfm and guiding the team to make our customers, our employee-owners, our company, and our suppliers successful in the short and long term. Our team, our customers, and our suppliers are wonderful.

What remains on your HVACR bucket list — what do you aspire to do that you haven’t accomplished yet?

We are 52 years in business at cfm and we are just getting started. I don’t have any specific HVACR bucket list items left, but my mission is to ensure that our employee-owners are well taken care of and that we can provide the best place to work and be an employee-owner. That means we need to continue to invest in the growth and development of our employee-owners, we need to continue to invest in cutting edge technology to keep our customers and company ahead of the curve so we can all be successful and sustainable, and we need to continue to stay heavily involved to stay updated on changes coming down the road in our industry so we can continue to have the inventory, services, and knowledge to help all of our stakeholders have the tools they need.

What advice do you have for prospective females who are considering entering the HVACR field?

Join the industry and give it a try, and you won’t want to leave. The people and relationships are amazing, and there are endless career opportunities. After joining the industry, become a member of Women in HVACR, where you will find a great support network to help you learn and grow in your career.

Title: General Manager/Co-Owner

Company: Schneider’s 72 Degrees Air Conditioning & Heating

Educational Experience: BBA Accounting

Industry Work Experience: I do many different jobs in our business.

Organizational Affiliations/Achievements/Awards: SGI (Success Group International); SGI – Advisory Board; BBB – International Torch Award for Business Ethics 2014; Voted Best AC Company (in our town); numerous Lennox, Goodman and Trane dealer awards.

What caused you to/when did you to enter the HVACR industry?

I was in corporate America working for USAA as an internal auditor and commuting to San Antonio nearly an hour each way. The Schneider’s wanted to retire; Brad had been there since they opened in 1986. I had an inkling what I was walking into, but it was definitely a culture shock. When we took over, there were seven employees. I was the CSR, CFO, marketing, and janitor. When you have a small business, you wear many hats. We are a family-owned business; my brother even works for us and several employees are related. I know that is not an ideal situation, but in a small town, you don’t have much of a choice. I was very driven and determined to make this a success. Steadily growing each year by a minimum of 10%, we now have 29 employees, over 3,000 club membership contracts, and we are one of the largest HVAC contactors in our area — which is all of 80,000. We service a 60-mile radius because we are in the Texas Hill Country, 70 miles from any metro areas.

What has been the most rewarding aspect of working in HVACR?

Being a part of our community and helping clients. We strive to exceed expectations. Mostly, we are successful at this because of the affiliate organizations we belong to that teach us the building blocks for success. Most A/C companies are one-truckers and are led by men who are technicians by trade. Without these guiding principles for success and profitability, many companies I know today would not be where they are.

Describe the proudest moment in your career.

It is harder to learn how to run a business than learn the industry you are in. Being named the BBB Torch Award for Business Ethics. It is a challenge being an active business owner. Our team members become family — and as we have grown, that becomes increasingly difficult. But we need to stay grounded and remember where we come from. In my mind, it still feels like we are the small shop we were in 2003. Knowing each team member is out there representing your business — and with pride — makes me proud of each and every one of them.

What challenges do women face in this profession? Can you give a personal example?

This is definitely a challenge. We are still a very small percentage of this industry. Being basically on the front lines — I still have male clients who don’t want to talk to me. Let’s face it — because I am a woman. I understand that, and it won’t change overnight. Even if I probably know more than he does about what he needs.

How can we increase the number of women in HVACR?

The customary answer — education. Me being more on the front lines of the business, not at one of the manufacturers, I tend to think more of techs in homes. With COVID-19, we have all been forced to pivot. We look differently at essential workers who basically kept things running and those people were the ones employed.

We need to teach and educate women (who tend to be the best field technicians) that this is not just a man’s job anymore. Women are more mechanically minded than they used to be, and with training and YouTube at our fingertips (literally), it is much easier to learn what you need to perform the job.

What does your day-to-day job entail?

When you are running a company, you are planning for constant growth, change, and learning. I learned to know when to call in the reinforcements. It is scary to release the reins on something you have grown. I am constantly planning and forecasting for growth. We have been on a huge growth curve since 2019. Even with COVID-19, we smashed several record months in 2020, grew 20% in revenue from 2019, and we are up another 15% year to date for 2021. Being a small business owner, you wear so many hats and it is a 24/7/365 job. It is hard to “turn it off.” I know that no one will answer the phones and personally know the clients like I do, but knowing I hire the right person for the right job, it will get done the way I want it done. We are big on training, too, so keeping the field techs up on their soft skills, in addition to technical training, is ongoing. They don’t like being in the office training, but we try to make it fun and in small doses. Almost all of our technicians are home-grown. We prefer to hire according to their communication skills, and we can teach them the technical side of the business. Yes, it takes longer to train someone, but they are doing the job the way we prefer and they don’t bring bad habits with them. It is hard for me not to get involved in the dispatching and scheduling. And I know the business basically runs itself at this point. Stepping back and trusting your team is the best thing, and the hardest thing to do.

What drives/motivates you every day?

Success! And our team’s success. Seeing team members buy their first home or car gives you the warm fuzzies. Watching their kids grow up and want to be 72 Degrees team members when they get older — and knowing that you are responsible for not just your team members but their families too — that is what drives me.

What advice do you have for prospective females who are considering entering the HVACR field?

Do not be intimidated. If your goal is to be in the field, you can do it! I know plenty of women who are successful in the home service industry.

Title: President and CEO

Company: Western Allied Mechanical

Educational Experience: B.S. in environmental engineering from California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo, 1986

Industry Work Experience: I have worked at Western Allied Mechanical since 1987. I started as a project manager and have grown my career through the company, now serving as president and CEO.

Organizational Affiliations/Achievements/Awards: President of the Sheet Metal and Air Conditioning Contractors’ National Association (SMACNA); active board member and past president of the Bay Area SMACNA Chapter; vice chair of New Horizons Foundation, SMACNA’s member foundation and premier research entity; vice president of National Executive Committee; American Society of Heating, Refrigeration Air Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) member; HVAC National Council chairperson and IFUS board member; Silicon Valley Business Journal’s Women of Influence Winner (2017); Viewpoint’s Innovator of the Year (2017); and SMACNA’s Contractor of the Year (2016).

What caused you to/when did you enter the HVACR industry?

My major at Cal Poly was Environmental Engineering in the Solar Energy/HVAC Option. My classes taught me much about the HVAC industry, and I found it intriguing. I liked the idea of building things and making people comfortable in these buildings. Working for a contractor was my desire because going out to jobsites and teaming with our installers to get projects done well, on time, and under budget sounded great. So I went to work for a design/build contractor where I was involved in design and installation.

What has been the most rewarding aspect of working in HVACR?

It has been incredibly rewarding to focus my time on mentorship opportunities and promoting women in the workforce. Having been at the same company all of my professional career, I’ve been fortunate to help people learn, grow, and thrive in their roles, and I am extremely proud that many are now partners in Western Allied Mechanical today. As SMACNA president, I’ve also been lucky enough to meet, speak with, and learn from contractors across the country who are making a difference in their communities.

Describe the proudest moment in your career.

Certainly one of the moments was when I became President of National SMACNA in 2019. I had worked hard for this and felt very qualified to take this role. It was also exciting that I was the first female to be in this role in the 75-year history and the first woman among all signatory associations to be elected to this distinguished role. I look forward to the women who will step into leadership roles both in the present, like Liz Shuler, new president of the AFL-CIO — and in the future, Carol Duncan, CEO of General Sheet Metal, who will be SMACNA President in 2023. Another proud moment was when I became president of Western Allied Mechanical in 2008. I was excited and humbled but a bit scared since we had just entered a recession. Since then, we have grown from a $40 million company to doing over $100 million this past year. I am proud of that.

What challenges do women face in this profession? Can you give a personal example?

Women are such a minority in this industry that often they do not feel they belong or are welcomed. When I was first breaking into the industry in the late ‘80s, I remember one specific time that a superintendent chased me from his trailer because he said, “he does not do girls in his trailer.” Thankfully, that is no longer a common problem, but there still remains major underrepresentation. That can lead to a multitude of challenges, including lack of mentorship, sexist stereotypes, discrimination, and sometimes a poor work/life balance.

How can we increase the number of women in HVACR?

We need to make a committed effort on both a national and local level to support women in the industry. Making women feel like they belong is critical. Diversity and inclusion programs are key to the success of business, as they increase productivity. We also need to focus on introducing women to the industry at a young age, presenting a career in HVACR as a viable option for them. We had numerous young women participate in the inaugural year of a new hands-on summer camp I helped found this year called the Heavy Metal Summer Experience, where high schoolers spent six weeks building projects in our shop and learning about the benefits of a career in the building industry. The more qualified women we have in the industry, the more role models we have for future generations.

What does your day-to-day job entail?

No two days are alike for me. I’m constantly communicating with my team at Western Allied Mechanical, reviewing projects, new initiatives, and business operations. My role at SMACNA is exciting in that some days I will be speaking with the board or chatting with media, and others I will be traveling to visit contractors or leading conferences. I am also always up to date on recent happenings with various other organizations I am part of. Fortunately, I work with fabulous people who make my job much easier than it sounds.

What drives/motivates you every day?

I’m motivated by the opportunity to help our current SMACNA contractors and fuel the next generation of workers. SMACNA is such a well-connected organization of contractors, and we have so many wonderful resources available to share with each other. Each day I learn something new, meet someone new, and get to share knowledge and lessons with partners across the country; it’s a true team environment here. As far as workforce development is concerned, I’m motivated to ignite the future generation of workers and support SMACNA’s workforce development initiatives within the industry, including an effort called Ignite Your Career. Our industry is a great place to work, and it’s a passion of mine to spark interest in young individuals looking for a career choice that checks all the boxes.

What remains on your HVACR bucket list — what do you aspire to do that you haven’t accomplished yet?

I want to continue to educate and inform the world that the HVAC industry is one of the best kept secrets. It is very interesting, pays very well, and can be an excellent career. I founded a camp this past summer called Heavy Metal Summer Experience that lets 25 high school age students make things with sheet metal and pipe. This was run in two locations (one in California and one in Washington State) and was held in our shops. The kids loved it. They are very interested in joining our trades now. I hope to expand this to many locations in the future.

What advice do you have for prospective females who are considering entering the HVACR field?

Go for it. This industry has endless potential and opportunity for everyone, including women. Be confident in your abilities and show others your talent, confidence, work ethic, and ability to lead while also being part of a team. While HVACR may be a male-dominated industry right now, there are many people (and companies) who are paving the way for women to join this incredible workforce.

Company: I am the founder and CEO of All Contractor Marketing, which helps HVAC business owners grow.

Educational Experience: I have my Bachelor of Business degree with a focus in marketing and advertising from Georgia State University in Atlanta.

Industry Work Experience: My husband and I opened a heating and air conditioning company in Atlanta in 1997. I ran the company while my husband worked in the field. We grew very quickly, a little too fast, and it took a toll on our family. One July, my husband almost suffered a heat stroke on an install in an attic. After that health scare, we decided to sell the HVAC business and start helping other HVAC companies with marketing.

Organizational Affiliations: Conditioned Air Association of Georgia (CAAG), Metro Atlanta Air Conditioning Association (MAACA), Air Conditioning Contractors of America (ACCA) Plumbing-Heating-Cooling Contractors Association (PHCC), American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE), Heating, Air-conditioning and Refrigeration Distributors International (HARDI), Better Business Bureau Accredited (BBB), Cobb Chamber of Commerce, Northeast Cobb Business Association, Google Partner, and Yext Certified Partner

Achievements/Awards: In 2021, All Contractor Marketing was named #160 on the fastest-growing private companies list by Inc. 5000 and ranked #11 in the marketing & advertising industry in the United States.

What caused you to/when did you enter the HVACR industry?

I entered the industry when my husband and I decided to open our heating and air conditioning business. My husband had worked in the industry for several years, and I worked in marketing. When he obtained his conditioned air license, we opened the HVAC business. At that moment, I jumped into the deep end of the pool and had to tread water daily to survive. Thankfully, I am a quick learner and began to love the HVACR industry.

What has been the most rewarding aspect of working in HVACR?

When we owned our HVAC company, I enjoyed being able to help people in need. It was rewarding when I would get a call for a new mother with no heat, and we would do whatever it took to get her and her family back in comfort. I took pride in helping as many people as I could. The most rewarding part with All Contractor Marketing is when we grow an HVAC company and change lives. A lot of contractors are stressed out and overworked. It's incredible how powerful profit can be to ease stress. I love seeing transformations.

Describe the proudest moment in your career:

My company grew primarily through referrals for many years. In 2017, All Contractor Marketing was chosen by Mingledorff's to be the Agency of Record that handles their advertising program for HVAC dealers across the Southeast. As a result of this blessing, my business grew quickly to meet the demand. This meant hiring and training new staff, implementing programs, delivering excellent customer service, and showing great marketing results for many HVAC dealers — this growth process required long 16-hour days and 90+ hour weeks. But my team leaned in, everyone bought into the vision, and we succeeded. We had a lot of people depending on us to make this program successful. I was very proud of our team and our accomplishments.

What challenges do women face in this profession? Can you give an example of a personal experience?

The most prominent challenge women face in HVACR is its culture, primarily being a male-dominated industry. I am the CEO of All Contractor Marketing, and my husband serves as the chief visionary officer. But when it comes to marketing, I have the most experience. On more than one occasion, a customer or colleague will look at my husband while asking questions about who we are or what we do at All Contractor Marketing. My husband just rolls with it and answers the questions with his best version of what he has heard me say over the years. Afterward, we always laugh together because we know how the HVAC industry is. I do not get offended by it; the HVACR industry has been male-dominated for a long time. Most of the time, there is no ill will or discriminatory motives. It's just the norm. However, the HVACR industry is quickly changing. You are starting to see an excellent example of diversity in the corporate manufacturers, the distributors, and slowly at the technician level.

How can we increase the number of women in HVACR?

We increase the number of women in the HVACR industry by increasing the number of women entering the STEM sciences and recruiting women into the trades. Some women do not want to work in an office environment, and they love fixing things. We must increase the frequency of the messaging that women are welcome in the field. With the current technician shortage, women are more likely to be accepted now than at any other time in history.

What does your day-to-day job entail?

I spend my day working on many things but primarily leading the team to ensure we have the resources to meet the short-term and long-term goals. I spend a lot of time on the phone with various territory managers, marketing managers, district managers, and executive staff of HVAC manufacturers, distributors, and dealers across the United States. Also, I focus on data analytics, trends, and marketing results to guide my team on adjusting campaigns to grow the HVAC companies that we serve. I could not do my job without the incredible team members of All Contractor Marketing doing the day-to-day marketing and consulting activities.

What drives/motivates you every day?

When we owned our heating and air conditioning company, we wasted money on useless marketing. Each time this waste occurred, it was because a salesperson would talk me into using what they guaranteed would work. That infuriated me, and it still does today. I believe it's wrong to spend money on marketing that just wastes your money. I believed in this so much that we started All Contractor Marketing just to help other dealers stop getting ripped off by marketing salespeople. We work hard to be good stewards of what is entrusted to us. I dream about, think about, and obsess about finding and perfecting marketing techniques that provide the best results for the lowest cost for our HVAC dealers. Seeing an HVAC company grow and an owner smile is my driving force. I love it when we change the destiny of a company and the lives of the owners.

What remains on your HVACR bucket list — what do you aspire to do that you haven't accomplished yet?

I would like to expand the consulting side of All Contractor Marketing. We have a unique perspective behind the curtain of many HVAC companies across the United States. We have seen companies grow tremendously. We know what works, and we know the fastest way to get there. We know many HVAC companies that have great potential, but sometimes the HVAC owner severely limits growth. The HVAC owner is trying and working so hard, but their life and business could improve dramatically if they just leaned on a solid consulting program. Sometimes it's just hard to see the forest for all the trees.

What advice do you have for prospective females who are considering entering the HVACR field?

I would highly recommend the HVACR field. The HVACR field has been a blessing to my family and my business. I love the people in the industry. I have made some close friends along the way. If you work hard, show up early, and continually focus on training, you can go as far as you want to go in this industry. Many things may change, but people will always need heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration. It's a great career with excellent job security. Most importantly, don't take it personally if it appears that someone is treating you differently just because you are a female. Over my 24 years in the field, I have seen that most people have good intentions.

Women in HVAC

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