2021 WiMI Newsletter

Dear WiMI Members:

On behalf of the local Women in the Mechanical Industry (WiMI), we would like to thank you for your membership. We are honored to serve you, and we are fortunate to be involved with such dynamic, engaged women.

As we transition out of 2021 and welcome 2022, we wanted to review some of the accomplishments of WiMI and share with you the excitement we feel for the future of WIMI. This past year, despite many challenges, we have made great strides.

LOCAL INITIATIVES

The WIMI Roundtable had its first Kick-off meeting in March. Great ideas were shared by the group, and many have already been or will be implemented in the future.

In June, we hosted Leila Gowland’s Virtual Program You Got This: Powerful Practices in Negotiation. Everyone who registered received a complimentary eBook copy of, You Got This: The Ultimate Negotiation Guide for Professional Women.

A fun time was had by all who attended the August networking event. Although we did not have the turnout we hoped for, we understand that COVID restrictions and family obligations before the new school year were factors in availability. We look forward to the next time we can get together!

SUPPORTING YOUNG
FEMALE PROFESSIONALS

As true advocates for women in the industry, WiMI was also involved with two industry events to support students at Virginia Tech (VT)!

In September, WiMI members volunteered to participate in VT’s National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE) Mock Interview Session. During the session, WiMI members shared tips on ways for students to land an internship or job.

In October, WiMI participated in VT’s Building Women in Construction (BWIC) Industry Panel. During the panel, WiMI members were able to talk about their experiences in the industry and give advice to the students who are entering the industry.

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As the year begins to wind down, we would like to offer more opportunities to get together and give back to our communities through:

• Involvement with the iThrive Care Bag Drive
• Future support opportunities with young female professionals from UMD & VT
• A mock interview / resume workshop event hosted by WiMI for high school Career & Technical Education (CTE) students
• Spring 2022 WiMI Workshop / Retreat
• Networking opportunities to connect with existing MCAMW WiMI members

We are focused on strengthening WIMI as an organization and are committed to building leaders through our educational programs. We would like to continue to develop better support for our members and the association through the creation of events that connect and mentor the young professionals in our industry. We are also proud to advocate for the WiMI National Mentor/Mentee program for members who are looking for one-on-one mentorship.

Thank you for your support thus far. We look forward to another great year!

Respectfully,
Ellen Geiling
WIMI Chair, FMVA, CFO,
JPG Plumbing and Mechanical Services, Inc.

The Future of the Industry
Future JPG employees getting a kick-start on their careers!

Supporting Young Women in the Industry
In October, some of our local WiMI members participated in Virginia Tech’s
Building Women in Construction (BWIC) Industry Panel. The panel centered around
providing guidance to young female professionals as they enter the industry.

Thank you to our panelists!
Ellen Geiling, JPG Plumbing & Mechanical Services, Inc.
Anne Finerfrock, WE Bowers, Inc.
Alison Shea, Limbach
KayLeigh McHale, Southland Industries