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Women in HVACR - Chicagoland Chapter
Upcoming Meetings Announced
The next meeting of the Women in HVACR - Chicagoland Chapter
will be held September 16th at Stevenson Crane!
Women in HVACR Chicago Chapter Hosts its first annual event; August 12, 2010
Over 100 people attended the first social event thrown by the Chicagoland Chapter of the Women in HVAC. On Thursday August 12, 2010, anyone involved in the HVACR industry, from engineers to owners, vice presidents to purchasing agents, was invited to eat, drink, and socialize at The Lucky Strike in Lombard. The admission included 3 hours of unlimited appetizers, open bar, bowling, and billiards.
Our board, consisting of 11 women from industry, all made this event possible, and went out of their way to make it successful. All of the board members were easily spotted throughout the event, wearing their pink shirts, with their names and the Women in HVACR logo on the front.
Throughout the evening, new relationships were made and old friendships were revisited. Everyone met at least one new person from the industry, and some even had the opportunity to put a face to the names they had heard or seen so many times before.
Many thanks go out to our sponsors for helping us throw an amazing event. Nibco, Trane, Thermosystems, Emcor, SG Supply, Imbert, IPS, AMS Mechanical, Applied Mechanical Sales, Hill Mechanical, BTU Company, Mechanical Equipment Inc, Nelson Insulation, McCauley Mechanical, Voris Mechanical, Hillco, and LLD Electric.
We look forward to seeing you at our next event on September 16th at Stevenson Crane!
Board Members Selected
The chapter has selected its Board of Directors:
• Gina Ames, SubZero Refrigeration—Corporate Sponsorship Director • Nikki Broderick, Hillco Distributing—Mentor-Mentee Program Director)
• Nina Campos, ThermoSystems—Membership Director
• Roxanne Cortinas, Admiral Mechanical—Webmaster Director
• Jelena Pandurevic, Hill Mechanical—Outreach Director
• Linda Piper, Atomatic Mechanical—Social Director
• Mary Roche, G&O Supply—Job Board Director
• Pam Siciliano, ThermoSystems—Mentor-Mentee Program Director
The group is seeking volunteers to serve as its Newsletter Director and Photographer Director. If you are interested, please contact the Chicago Chapter.
Report from the First Meeting
The first meeting of the newly formed Women in HVAC – Chicago Chapter took place Thursday, November 12, 2009, at the Drury Lane Convention Center in Oakbrook, IL. Approximately 50 women from around Chicago gathered to network, socialize, and learn more about the HVAC industry.
Steam Sales, the local Fulton representative, sponsored two keynote speakers for the evening: Erin Sperry, commercial heating products manager, and Kathy Sega, executive vice president and general manager, both of Fulton USA. Erin provided technical insight on the different types of boilers, general boiler operation, and specifically what Fulton offers in their many product lines. Kathy Sega inspired and encouraged women in the HVAC industry to stay positive, stay strong, and stay together. Kathy ended her presentation with a summary of Maria Shriver’s A Woman’s Nation Changed Everything (which Jayne Guerreri will post on the WHVACR LinkedIn area). She included statistics that women now make up more than 50 percent of the workforce, and 4 out of 5 employees laid off in 2009 were men.
Overall the evening was very successful. The efforts of John Greenwood, Kathy Sega, Erin Sperry, and the officers of the Women in HVAC – Chicago board, made this event possible.
The Women in HVAC – Chicago Chapter plans to meet quarterly. The organization's purpose is to advance women in their careers, in the Chicago vertical, by networking, educating, and mentoring its members.
Interested in this local group? Please contact the Chicago Chapter for more information.
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2010 Chicagoland Chapter Board
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Erin Sperry provided technical insight on the different types of boilers and general boiler operation.
Michele Mele (JC Power and Controls), Charlotte Flesher (IPS), Erin Sperry (Fulton), Jayne Guerrieri (SBT), Karen Riffice (Soderlund Brothers) and Kathy McCauley (McCauley Mechanical) were among the 50 women present for the event. |
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