Women in HVACR Name O’Grady Exec Director

ENGLEWOOD, CO -- Women in HVACR, a nonprofit organization dedicated to empowering women in the heating, ventilation, air conditioning and refrigeration trades, has named industry sales and marketing expert and licensed HVAC contractor Amy O'Grady as its first executive director.

She will draw on her experiences as a marketing professional and an HVAC contractor to lead the non-profit women’s advocacy group.

O'Grady brings more than 13 years of experience as a licensed contractor, sales and marketing director and events manager to the WHVACR family. She also served four years as the executive director for the North Florida Air Conditioning Contractors Association (NFACCA).

"Women in HVACR has always been a completely volunteer-only organization, but since we now offer such a long list of networking events, educational programs and scholarship funds to our members, we needed someone on our permanent staff to manage all the good work that we do," said 2024 WHVACR President Lori Tschohl. "With her background in the HVAC industry and executive director leadership, Amy brings a unique blend of creativity and strategic vision to our organization. We are confident she will provide the necessary oversight to help our board achieve its goals and take Women in HVACR to new heights."

O'Grady is a graduate of Florida State University with a bachelor's degree in textiles and consumer sciences. After starting her career as a product developer and assistant buyer in the fashion industry, she began honing her leadership skills in business development, marketing and event planning as a marketing manager for a regional grocery chain and for Charlie's Tropic Heating & Air Conditioning, Inc. in Atlantic Beach, Florida.

"It was during my tenure as marketing director for Charlie's Tropic that I discovered my passion for the HVAC industry and entrepreneurship," O'Grady said. "I was able to modernize the company's identity by crafting unique content and developing data-driven marketing programs to stay on top of the ever-changing digital market."

She also reached a significant milestone at the HVAC company by becoming a licensed contractor, which helped her master her craft and put her on her current career trajectory.

Her next position was as the executive director for the NFACCA, where she demonstrated her adaptability and willingness to learn new skills. She spent more than four years in this role before accepting the position at WHVACR.

"My role at NFACCA certainly helped prepare me for the job I'm taking on at Women in HVACR," she said. "I look forward to bringing my industry knowledge to our team so that I can help this organization grow and create a dynamic environment that inspires more women to start careers in the skilled trades." 
Women in HVACR also named new executive board, which now includes Immediate Past President Marcia Christiansen, President Lori Tschohl, Vice President Kristin Gallup, Treasurer Sarah Hammond and Secretary Tanya Steindl.

"This board includes some of the most powerful women in the HVACR and home comfort industries," said O' Grady. "Women in HVACR wants to lead by example, and this board exemplifies this goal. This is a group that will encourage any woman entering the skilled trades industries by creating the type of dynamic environment that inspires them to succeed."

The executive board of directors is comprised of the following five members:
President Lori Tschohl: Tschohl is the owner of Eagle Pipe & Mechanical, a leading HVAC contractor in Poulsbo, WA, specializing in gas piping, heating and cooling. With more than 35 years of industry experience, she has been a driving force behind the company's growth and success since 2015. She has received the Service Nation Women of the Year award in 2022 and the Boundless Benefactor Award in 2023 for her exceptional leadership and has received numerous awards for her charity work. She also serves as an advisory board moderator for AB80 Queens of Contracting and is a founding member and state chapter president of Women in Plumbing and Piping (WIPP).

Vice President Kristin Gallup: Gallup is the director of product management for Carrier Enterprise, a joint venture between Watsco, Inc. and Carrier Corporation. She has been in HVAC Distribution for over 17 years in multiple leadership capacities and has been a supporting member of WHAVCR for more than 10 years.

Immediate Past President Marcia Christiansen: Christiansen is the business unit manager for PECO Control Systems, an Astronics company, a manufacturer of thermostats for the HVAC, industrial and commercial cooking industries in Portland, Oregon. She is a key technical resource for PECO and has worked in the industry for 27 years.

Secretary Tanya Steindl: Steindl serves as the director of marketing for the aftermarket parts division of Daikin Comfort Technologies, a company that provides heating, cooling, ventilation, air purification, refrigerants, and connected devices for residential and commercial spaces, located in Waller, Texas. During her time at Daikin, she has been instrumental in the development of private label parts and controls brands, which offers universal options available to any contractor.

Treasurer Sarah Hammond: Hammond is the president of Atlas Electrical, Air Conditioning, Refrigeration & Plumbing Services in Alton, Texas. She also oversees Hummingbird Trailer Park and Alton X-Plex and is an investor in several local businesses. She also serves as the CEO for the Better Business Bureau in South Texas, and is the president of FemCity RGV, a community of more than 70 businesswomen in McAllen, Texas.

Other board members include:

• Erica Leonor, director of business development for Goodleap in Riverton, Utah.
• Laurelyn Arriaga, OME sales manager for McDaniel Metals, Inc. in Houston, Texas.
• Becky Hoelscher, senior account manager for Arkema in Sidney, Ohio.
• Jane Sidebottom, president and founder of AMK in Bonita Springs, Florida.
• Crystal Williams, founder and marketing strategist for Lemonseed Marketing in Burke, Texas.
• Linda Rodriguez, marketing and events manager for Quietflex in Houston.
• Angela Miller, brand ambassador for Goettl Air Conditioning & Plumbing in Las Vegas.
• Nicole Norris, strategic relationship manager for Service Nation in Coppell, Texas.

For more information about Women in HVACR, visit www.womeninhvacr.org/.