Jill Pauley
What caused you to/when did you enter the HVACR industry?
I was not seeking a career in HVACR initially. My young family and I had moved to Iowa, and I needed a job. I found an opportunity as an administrative assistant to the president at a family-owned HVAC/electrical distributor in 1999, and that was the beginning of an extremely rewarding career in HVACR distribution.
What has been the most rewarding aspect of working in HVACR?
The opportunity to serve others is what brings me the greatest joy and satisfaction. I take pride helping our Winsupply local companies improve the employee onboarding process, planning events, assisting future Winsupply local company presidents by serving as a leadership mentor, developing employee training programs, and working with our vendors.
It has been particularly rewarding to be a teacher in Winsupply’s HVAC Management Development Training Program over the past three years. Being able to contribute to the education of future leaders is a gift.
Describe the proudest moment in your career.
Being able to work with such a wide variety of people in my nearly 25-year career has been incredibly rewarding. People are my passion, and I want to help each of our Winsupply local companies become the employer of choice in their market. In 2022, I was asked by our company president to develop an online resource that our more than 650 local company presidents could use when onboarding new employees. It was a privilege to be part of the team that developed a resource that I know makes the local company’s job easier and enables Winsupply to onboard new employees in a professional and efficient manner.
What challenges do women face in this profession?
Our industry does not aggressively recruit women. In many cases, our industry assumes the jobs will be filled by men — which, historically, has been true. However, women are very capable of performing any and all jobs in our trade, and in today’s world, we need to be more deliberate in making women aware of the opportunities.
How can we increase the number of women in HVACR?
We need to begin at the high school level by introducing young women to the trade. We also need to encourage the thousands of women who are successful in our industry to become active in recruitment. By publicizing their successes in nontraditional industry platforms, we will increase the number of women exposed to the opportunities available to them in HVACR. There are many career opportunities in our industry that do not involve “turning a wrench,” and I think oftentimes those get overlooked by women seeking employment. That being said, women also make tremendous technicians.
What does your day-to-day job entail?
One of the best things about my job is no two days ever look the same. I may be teaching a class, planning an event, working with vendors, designing a training curriculum for a Winsupply local company, attending an industry event, assisting our Winsupply area leaders, or a myriad of other projects that pop up. I love being available to do whatever is needed.
What remains on your HVACR bucket list — what do you aspire to do that you haven’t accomplished yet?
I am looking forward to being part of our Winsupply acquisition team, which is scheduled to begin within the next year. It will be my honor to represent Winsupply, and I look forward to welcoming new people into the Winsupply Family of Companies and making that transition as easy for them as I possibly can.
What words of advice do you have for females who are considering entering the HVACR field?
Do it! Find someone who can mentor you, ask lots of questions, be confident in your abilities, and be open-minded to the many opportunities available in HVACR. This industry can provide you with a rewarding career in everything from technical positions, to sales, to accounting, to owning and running your own business. Follow your passion and be true to yourself — you will love it.
