by Karen Lamy DeSousa, Outgoing WHVACR 2020 President

In my last month as WHVACR President, I am looking back on the past year and trying to find the words to sum up 2020. This is not an easy task. 2020 was a year that challenged all of us in ways we didn’t and maybe couldn’t have anticipated. But what can we take from this year that is positive? Lots!

While the world stopped due to Covid, many of us used the time to clear the decks and build new (my closets have never been so clean and organized!). We also re-evaluated the way we do things. We streamlined and innovated, we worked from home, we supported our first responders and essential services, we found ways to meet the needs of family, because we had to. And we’re better for it.

The Women in HVACR organization was no different. 2020 was a year of both building and organization. To support the tremendous growth over the last few years and prepare for success moving forward, WHVACR spent 2020 building its infrastructure to better serve you, our members, partners and sponsors. There is still more work to be done (isn’t there always?), but 2020 helped set us on a path to future greatness.

If you did not attend our virtual conference, you missed something truly special. Though nothing beats the magic of an in-person WHVACR conference, our virtual conference exceeded all possible expectations. Amazing speakers, a fun, fully interactive networking experience and an unforgettable story of unruly zucchini, are just a few of the things we took away from this year’s conference.

Looking forward to 2021, our members and sponsors will have never-before-seen access and involvement in the organization, which will allow expansion of our already incredibly impactful programs. Systems have been put in place to improve our transparency, communication and participation to bring energy to the organization and invaluable contributions to and from our many friends and partners.

The challenges of 2020 have shown us opportunities to improve and build the future we want. WHVACR is positioned to grow and build on the foundations and progress of what we’ve learned. I am confident and optimistic about the future of the organization as we move forward into 2021 and beyond!

Visit www.womeninhvacr.org for information on the group’s activities and how to get involved.