Rhonda Wight
What caused you to/when did you enter the HVACR industry?
I was in a graduate program at Baldwin Wallace, and was looking for a part-time position near my classes. I saw an ad for an assistant to the Carrier parts manager at RSC, applied and interviewed, and was offered the job. After just a few months with the company, I was enamored by the people in the industry — everyone from my coworkers to our customers and suppliers. It didn’t take long for me to develop a true passion about the industry, and I was eager to learn as much as I could in order to contribute to the success of the company.
What has been the most rewarding aspect of working in HVACR?
The relationships I’ve built over the years are incredible. Today, I have so many friends in this industry and have been extremely blessed to work with so many talented people. When I began my career, I knew nothing about HVACR, but quickly felt the desire to support the success of RSC. I’ve grown into a role, and now I focus on RSC’s successes and contributing the growth and betterment of our industry. I also love to help people and enjoy mentoring the next generation of leaders and employees.
Describe the proudest moment in your career.
Becoming president at RSC was definitely a highlight. It wasn’t something that I was working towards — or even a position I thought I wanted. When I was asked to step in the role, I was worried that I wouldn’t be able to maintain a healthy work-life balance. I wanted to be sure that I was always there for my family. The CEO at the time was extremely supportive and said that he wanted me in the role, and would work with me to be sure I could do what I needed when it came to my family, especially when it came to their sporting events. I’m proud to say that I not only accepted the role of president, but managed to miss very few games that my kids participated in.
What challenges do women face in this profession?
Our industry has changed significantly since I joined it in 1993, and it is still predominantly a male-dominated industry. Dissenting views aren’t always welcome from women, and earning the respect of senior leadership during my career has been very difficult — and still can be even today. Early on, I was judged for prioritizing my family over my career, and I found striking an equitable work/life balance to be a challenge. I wanted it all — a family and a career — and when I was first promoted to the executive team, some team members weren’t as accepting of my priorities. I’m beyond thankful that I stayed true to myself and proved that I was able to make both of those things a priority.
How can we increase the number of women in HVACR?
As an industry, we should stress the importance of diversity. It provides us with more perspectives, which is an important piece in the strategic planning and success equation. None of us have all the answers, and a team approach, with both men and women of different ages and backgrounds, gives us more perspectives. In my experience, that often leads to better planning and execution.
What does your day-to-day job entail?
So many things. I work closely with my team every day to ensure that we are “Relentlessly Serving our Customers.” Our primary focus is making sure that we are good stewards of the brands we represent — and that means we need to have the most qualified employees working on our team. I’m focused daily on our people, our customers, and our suppliers.
What remains on your HVACR bucket list — what do you aspire to do that you haven’t accomplished yet?
I’m not sure what the future holds, but I do know that if I had been asked this question just four years ago, my answers would have been quite different. In the last four years, RSC has been sold twice, and that has given me the opportunity to learn more from folks in and out of our industry in PE firms and other distributors. Our industry is changing rapidly, and my experience with Rotunda and Master Group has been invaluable. I love what we’re doing at RSC, and I’m looking forward to continue shaping the future growth of our company.
What advice do you have for women who are considering a career in HVACR?
I’m so proud to be a part of the HVACR industry, and I hope that other women will feel that same sense of pride during their careers. As a female working in this industry, though, it’s important to have a thick skin, it’s also important to speak your truth in a professional, respectable way. The best advice that I could give is that the better a communicator you are, the more successful you’ll be. Finding and using your voice is incredibly important, and earning the respect of your peers and managers is critical to your success. My advice to all is to invest in yourself with coaching and always strive to be the best communicator and listener you can.
