I fell into HVAC, but once I got there, I loved it. I grew up in a small town and went to the University of Minnesota in engineering because I was good with math and science and that path worked for others from my town. I tried a few flavors of engineering before falling into mechanical engineering because it had less math. I found HVAC after joining the coop program late, but an A/E firm still had an opening. I got that position and ended up working for that company for 12 years after graduation.
I love pointing to a building and telling my family and friends that I worked on that building versus designing a part of a machine that nobody can see. A building is something that everyone can understand because we use them every day. I love HVAC because it is so varied. I worked on sports facilities early in my career but was able to transition to district energy taking advantage of opportunities and interests. Through ASHRAE I have met great people, learned many things (both technical and non-technical), and felt like I am making a positive impact on our world.