Huge turnout for inaugural Women in HVAC&R Summit

The event saw around 130 attendees congregate at the Ivy Ballroom in Sydney for a one-day program

“AIRAH’s first ever Women in HVAC&R Summit exceeded all expectations,” says AIRAH Head of Conferences, Events and Business Development Marie Karekla.

The day kicked off with a keynote presentation from ASBEC CEO Alison Scotland, who spoke about her own experience of holding a leadership position within the built environment industry and the importance of making similar opportunities available for more women.

Either side of morning tea was a two-part session on navigating career progression within the HVAC&R industry as a woman. The first part of the session was presented by SP&R Group General Manager Pam Rogers, with Elissa Henderson from Beijer Ref delivering part two.

Next up was Anita Kingdom from Total Concept Industries who spoke about mentoring within the construction industry. This was followed by Linda Jordinson from Opira Group and Air Restore, whose presentation focused on building self-confidence in communication and learning to “own the room”.

The final session was a panel discussion focusing on the impact of storytelling: how narrative can educate, empower and change mindsets.

“Every session delivered real value, showcasing the depth of expertise and forward-thinking driving our industry,” Karekla says.

AIRAH thanks the sponsors of the inaugural Women in HVAC&R Summit:

• Event collaboration partner: Fire Protection Association of Australia
• Event major sponsor: Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Air-Conditioning Australia
• Women of AIRAH national sponsors:
  • Daikin
  • Airmaster
  • SP&R Group
  • A.G. Coombs
  • Reliable Controls
  • Fantech
  • Mitsubishi Electric

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