Skip to content
MarketScale
‹ Back to IndustriesEngineering & Construction

Women in HVAC: Pioneering Change in a Male-Dominated Industry

In this episode of Straight Outta Crumpton, host Greg Crumpton speaks with Gwen Smothers about the growing role of women in the HVAC industry. Smothers shares her 25+ years of experience in business systems and operational efficiency, and discusses how mentorship and inclusive practices can help attract and retain more women in skilled trades. The conversation also covers the business and operational side of HVAC, beyond traditional fieldwork.

This story was produced through MarketScale. See how Engineering & Construction teams put it to work with Partner & Channel Enablement.

Promoted content from Straight Outta Crumpton on MarketScale.

By Vince Holland · Greg CrumptonGwen SmothersPiedmont Service GroupService Logic
Share

Key takeaways

01

Women are increasingly entering the HVAC sector, driven by rising college costs and strong demand for skilled labor.

02

Mentorship and intentional inclusion initiatives are key to bridging the gender gap in the trades.

03

Operational efficiency and business systems integration are critical, often overlooked dimensions of the HVAC industry.

Get featured

Want to get featured in MarketScale Engineering & Construction?

Create a free MarketScale workspace and get your company's expertise featured across our Engineering & Construction coverage. No credit card, no demo required.

Start free

The HVAC industry is evolving, and with it, the roles within the sector are expanding beyond traditional boundaries. Amid rising tuition costs and strong demand for skilled labor, young people are increasingly choosing trade schools over a traditional college education. With such a shift highlighting the need for a more diverse workforce, the questions remain—how can the HVAC industry attract and retain more women in the workforce? How can we further support and promote women in HVAC?

In this episode of Straight Outta Crumpton, host Greg Crumpton sits down with Gwen Smothers, a leader in the push for more women in HVAC. From managing complex business operations to mentoring the next generation, Smothers shares her insights on what it takes to create an inclusive and thriving HVAC workforce.

Key takeaways from the episode:

The Expanding Role of Women in HVAC: Gwen Smothers discusses her leadership in the industry, her involvement with Service Logic, and how she works to improve business processes across multiple divisions.

Bridging the Gender Gap in Skilled Trades: The conversation highlights the growing number of women entering the HVAC sector, the importance of mentorship, and initiatives aimed at breaking down traditional industry barriers.

The Business Side of HVAC: Smothers emphasizes how operational efficiency and system integrations are just as critical as fieldwork, reshaping the industry’s approach to service and customer relations.

Gwen Smothers is an experienced Business Systems Implementation Manager with over 25 years of experience at Piedmont Service Group, specializing in accounting processes and operational efficiency. She also serves as an Implementation Manager at Service Logic, where she plays a key role in integrating business systems across multiple divisions. Her expertise lies in streamlining workflows, improving system adoption, and driving efficiency in the HVAC industry.

Article written by MarketScale.

Straight Outta Crumpton

Part of this channel

Straight Outta Crumpton

Greg Crumpton on why relationships are the foundation of business

Visit the channel

Your experts belong here

Every story in MarketScale Engineering & Construction starts with a company putting its project engineers, superintendents, and estimators on the record. Buyers are already reading this topic. The only question is whose experts they find.

Owners shortlist firms they already trust, and your field leaders become the reason your name is on that list.

Get your team featuredSee how it works15 minutes, straight to a calendar.

About the author

VH
Vince Holland

Follow Engineering & Construction Insights

Get new expert content in your inbox.

Engineering & Construction: are you visible to AI?

Before they reach out, Engineering & Construction buyers ask AI engines which vendors to trust. Explore how your experts, customers, and partners can become useful content for buyers and AI search.

Free plan

You just read one Engineering & Construction expert. Your company is full of them.

This article was produced through MarketScale. The same platform turns your project engineers, superintendents, and estimators into the articles, video, and social content Engineering & Construction buyers are searching for. Create a free workspace and see it with your own people. No credit card, no demo required.

NPS +73 · 1,000+ creators · 38+ countries

What you get, free

Your own MarketScale workspace, up to 10 people
One professional video edit a month for qualifying companies
Media requests to your crowd, remote recording, AI writing tools
$0, no credit card, nothing that expires

More Engineering & Construction Insights

Caterpillar and FieldAI partner on physical AI for jobsites

Caterpillar and FieldAI partner on physical AI for jobsites

Caterpillar announced a collaboration with robotics company FieldAI on Sept. 5, 2026, aimed at bringing physical AI and autonomous systems to construction sites and industrial environments, according to Automation News. The companies plan to combine Caterpillar's operational data and engineering with FieldAI's robot foundation models, along with NVIDIA computing and digital twin tools.

  • 01Caterpillar and FieldAI are combining industrial expertise with AI-enabled robot foundation models for construction and industrial site automation.
  • 02Planned applications include autonomous inspections for safety, digital twins for operational insight, and AI-driven simulation for industrial operations.
  • 03The partnership will use NVIDIA accelerated computing and NVIDIA Omniverse for robot-agnostic autonomy technology across multiple robotic platforms.

Sep 11, 2026

Distressed sales are 2% of the housing market, and that should change how contractors plan 2027

Distressed sales are 2% of the housing market, and that should change how contractors plan 2027

Existing home sales fell to 3.98 million in August, but distressed sales remain at just 2% of transactions with prices still rising, signaling an affordability freeze rather than a credit crisis. Residential builders and contractors should plan 2027 capacity around intact homeowner equity, higher inventory creating pre-sale work demand, and regional variations in turnover rather than cutting headcount for a financial downturn.

  • 01Distressed sales at 2% of market (versus roughly one-third during 2008) mean no forced-seller wave or equity destruction, leaving HELOC and cash-out renovation funding intact for contractors
  • 02Supply at 4.9 months and 5.9% year-over-year growth forces sellers to fund pre-sale work on roofs, HVAC, kitchens, and inspections to compete, generating small-ticket trade demand despite lower transaction volume
  • 03Year-to-date sales up 1.6% with 27% all-cash buyers and 15% investor purchases plus strong August wage growth (3.1%) and employment (643,000 jobs since January) support demand in rate-insensitive buyer segments

Sep 10, 2026

JE Dunn Adds Power Generation Unit as Data Centers Grow

JE Dunn Adds Power Generation Unit as Data Centers Grow

JE Dunn Construction announced on Aug. 26, 2026 that it created a power generation unit within its advanced technology group and appointed Ryan Wilson to lead it, according to Construction Dive. The move follows a broader rise in power-related construction work tied to data centers, manufacturing and aging infrastructure.

  • 01JE Dunn named Ryan Wilson, a senior project manager with power and industrial experience, as VP and market lead for its new power generation unit.
  • 02Planned U.S. data center projects increased 203% in five months (March to August 2026), from 666 to 2,019, with Virginia leading at 458 planned projects.
  • 03Power work generates roughly 35% to 40% of Canadian firm WSP Global's U.S. revenue, Clayco launched a power and energy unit in March 2026, and Kiewit and Bechtel were selected for a $33 billion Ohio power project.

Sep 9, 2026

Explore More Engineering & Construction Insights

Read more expert perspectives from across Engineering & Construction.

Browse Engineering & Construction Hub

About the Experts

VH
Vince Holland

Host, Straight Outta Crumpton

Greg Crumpton is the host of Straight Outta Crumpton, a podcast focused on the art of networking and relationship-building in business services. He is a veteran of the skilled trades and HVAC industry with decades of experience in building professional relationships. Crumpton uses the show to connect with influencers across business services, facilities management, and the trades.

GS
Gwen Smothers

Business Systems Implementation Manager

Piedmont Service Group / Service Logic

Gwen Smothers is an experienced Business Systems Implementation Manager with over 25 years of experience at Piedmont Service Group, specializing in accounting processes and operational efficiency. She also serves as an Implementation Manager at Service Logic, where she integrates business systems across multiple divisions. Her work focuses on streamlining workflows, improving system adoption, and driving efficiency in the HVAC industry.

For B2B teams

Your experts could be publishing here

Stories like this one run on content MarketScale captures from real practitioners. See how your team's expertise becomes coverage in Engineering & Construction and beyond.

Book a 15-minute demo

Or call us. No forms required. We pick up. 214-945-2512