Name: Meghan Marquardt

Title: Duct Renovation Specialist

Why She’s Tech of the Month: When Meghan Marquardt decided on her career path, she turned to the HVAC industry because of her love for working with her hands.

“I got into the industry because I was looking for a career-type of job, and the HVAC industry had a wide variety of possibilities,” said Marquardt. “I am a super hands-on learner, and I like working with my hands, so the two together worked for me.”

So, once she began looking for an employer, Marquardt appreciated that AAA Heating & Air Conditioning in Kent, Washington, gave her a shot, even though she was a female.

“I found them on Craigslist, and they were the only people that gave me a chance because I was a girl,” she said. “So many people said, ‘You’re a girl, leave, go to school,’ but AAA said, ‘You’re a girl, and you want to do this? OK, let’s do it.’”

In June 2017, AAA Heating & Air Conditioning hired Marquardt on as a maintenance specialist but changed her department once they saw her true talents shining through.

“We had actually initially hired her to become a maintenance specialist, but we changed her department once we discovered how her skills best aligned with our duct renovation needs,” said Angie White, director of human resources and customer service manager, AAA Heating & Air Conditioning.

Since then, it’s obvious Marquardt has a talent for duct renovating, not to mention her can-do attitude and willingness to do whatever it takes to complete a job.

“She is always busy working and jumps in immediately to do tasks, no matter how unpleasant they may be,” said White. “Meghan has no problem jumping into crawl spaces or attics to work on duct work and most often is the technician who ends up getting the dirtiest.”

Marquardt isn’t just a team player when it comes to getting into the ducts and getting dirty; she’s also the first one to step up when one of her fellow technicians needs assistance.

“Meghan really stepped up when our lead duct renovation specialist was recovering from a major medical issue,” said White. “He had to be on light duty for a couple of months, so she rode with him and did all of the hard work for each of their jobs. He was able to be there to supervise and provide direction, but she ended up taking on most of the physical labor. We were so impressed with how caring she was and how there were never any complaints from her about the extra work.”

And on top of all of her other skills, she’s a positive and upbeat coworker to be around, and people appreciate it.

“Meghan is super fun and always joking with co-workers,” said White. “Her happiness, positive attitude, and work ethic make her an incredible technician. We are so happy that she has joined our family.”

In the future, Marquardt hopes to remain with AAA, as she graduates next year from HVAC school.

“I plan on staying with AAA,” said Marquardt. “I will stay with them because they are family-oriented. As soon as they hire you, you are treated like family; they help you grow and get you your tools.”

To nominate an HVACR technician for Tech of the Month, visit http://techofthemonth.achrnews.com or email samanthasine@achrnews.com.

Publication date: 3/26/2018

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