Page 21 - Climate Control News Oct 2021

HVACR Leadership Awards
MAKING A MARK
Last year’s Woman of the Year in HVACR Award winner was HydroChem general manager, Christie Deneys. She joined an impressive list of high achievers including Jenny Smith, owner of About Airconditioning in Darwin who won in 2019, and South Coast Refrigeration & Air Conditioning managing director, Vonnette Cook, who secured the prize in 2018.
Other winners include Airmaster commercial manager, Kelli McDonald
and Edefice director, Ania Hampton, the first woman
to be appointed president
of the Australian Institute of Refrigeration, Air Conditioning and Heating (AIRAH).
WOMAN OF THE YEAR
IN HVACR
There are three finalists for this award, which recognises the successful career of a woman working in HVACR. Sponsored by BITZER, this award winner is also a source of inspiration for other women.
Tania Silva has been working at Danfoss for al- most five years. She is responsible for customer service in Australia and New Zealand and thrives in the role admitting that many of the customers and colleagues she works with have become friends. Tania says it is the people in this industry that make it so great. “I care about what I do and believe that the winner of this award should demonstrate resilience and adaptability regardless of gender,” Tania says.
“THE WINNER OF THIS AWARD SHOULD DEMONSTRATE RESILIENCE AND ADAPTABILITY, REGARDLESS OF GENDER.”
Jessica Porter has been project draftsperson at Ellis Air Conditioning for almost three years. Prior to this role she spent four years at BSA Ltd. In fact, Jessica has spent her entire career in HVACR. She joined the industry at the tender age of 17 when she began working at Allstaff Air Conditioning. Jessica also volunteers for the Royal Children’s Hospital and Leukemia Research Foundation.
Pam Rogers is the general manager of SP&R Air Conditioning (Victoria and New South Wales). Pam is a great mentor and often attends local schools and TAFE events to talk to stu- dents about the HVACR industry. She began her career as a technician but downed tools after completing her business diploma and moving into management. Pam is also founder and presi- dent of an all-female football club.
CONTRACTOR OF THE YEAR
This award showcases contracting excellence in- cluding high levels of technical expertise, inno- vation and customer service.
Sponsored by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Air Conditioning Australia, there are three out- standing finalists competing for this award.
Clifford Wilson is the founder & director of Clifford Wilson Mechanical Services in Bris- bane. Prior to establishing his business 23 years ago, Clifford was employed at AE Smith & Sons.
of workmanship and a reputation for outstand- ing results in commercial and industrial projects. Customers include Suncorp, Nestlé and Energex.
Nick Butler is the director of Southern Air Conditioning & Refrigeration in Canberra. Nick began his career as a technician and set up his own business in 2007 in Batemans Bay. Solid growth forced Nick to expand his horizons and set up shop in Canberra in 2010. The business has been thriving ever since.
Mitchell Cousins is the owner and director of Coles Refrigeration & Air Conditioning, a con- tracting business in Newcastle that has been trading for more than 80 years. It was founded by the late Sidney Harold Cole, the son of a British mechanical engineer who came to Australia in the 1880s to establish Adelaide’s first meat chill- ing plant. Mitchell began his career as a techni- cian and today is in the process of undergoing a major business expansion.
The company is well known for high standards
CLIMATE CONTROL NEWS
OCTOBER 2021
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