2025 Top Women in HVAC: Brandy Powell
Brandy Powell
How and when did you enter the HVACR industry?
I joined the HVACR industry when I moved from the United States Air Force into a civilian career with Copeland (then Emerson Climate Technologies) in 1993. I initially wanted to stay in a field related to aviation, which is my true love. But when speaking with folks on the Emerson team, I realized the great work the people in this industry do: We solve real problems with meaningful impact. Emerson took me on in a marketing capacity, which was very different from my engineering background, and helped me pursue my MBA. I eventually moved into a role where I could leverage both my engineering background and newer business expertise.
What has been the most rewarding aspect of working in HVACR?
The collaboration and problem-solving we do every day in this industry are incredible. In HVACR, we’re solving real problems with global impacts, which are greater than just one person or even one company. I’m an engineer by trade, and devising solutions that have real-world implications and affect people around the globe is a responsibility I’m proud to lead for Copeland. Getting together with a group of smart, creative, and collaborative people and working to create impactful solutions is an incredibly rewarding experience.
Describe the proudest moment in your career.
Whether HVACR or another engineering-based field, I take pride in helping other women — colleagues, recent graduates, or students still in high school — step out of their comfort zones and find their places. While the field is still male-dominated, it goes without saying that we’ve come a long way from where HVACR once was when I first entered in 1993. I’m actively working to continue this trend of increasing the amount of qualified, talented women who are aspiring to make a difference. There are opportunities for women in HVACR, and I want to help them be courageous enough to advocate for themselves and take on the challenge.
How can we increase the number of women in HVACR?
Although we’ve made progress in recent years, HVACR is still a male-dominated field. From my own experience and in speaking with other female colleagues, I know it’s common among females in the industry to feel like outsiders, i.e., like we don’t belong. This often goes in tandem with a sense of being invisible or not having a voice. This is something that I personally have grown out of since I’ve been in the industry for a while now, but it’s a common theme among women entering the field. This is something I’m actively trying to change.
What remains on your HVACR bucket list — what do you aspire to do that you haven’t accomplished yet?
I would one day love to lead or work at a savvy HVACR contractor business in a medium-sized metropolitan area. I think it would be both fun and rewarding to run a business like this, where I could dive into the technical aspects of HVACR. Additionally, I would one day love to find myself in a role where I can completely immerse myself in both the technical and policy aspects of HVACR, mastering the latest innovations in sustainable systems and working with leaders to craft regulations and incentives that support a thriving and responsible HVACR landscape.
What advice do you have for women who are considering entering the HVACR field?
While HVACR can seem tough and almost as if it isn’t tailored toward women, it’s an amazing industry for everyone. I happened to fall into this industry after my military career, and I’ve fallen in love with it over the years. The people, the collaboration, the real-world changes you can contribute to … all make it a very rewarding industry to work in.
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