Gina Medel: CFO, The Penn Air Group

Gina Medel has always been proud of the fact that the industry in which she works has a profound impact on the health and safety of building occupants, and never before has that statement been truer than over the past year.

“Working in the sheet metal industry, I know we are giving back to our society, not just within healthcare facilities but for all buildings across the country,” says Medel, chief financial officer at The Penn Air Group. “Sheet metal is the life veins that deliver airflow to the building occupants and our testing and balance employees ensure that design intent is followed. This is so important to myself and my colleagues, especially during a time of a global pandemic.”

While sheet metal may indeed be the life veins of a building, it is an industry that lies within Medel’s own veins. In 1999, while studying accounting, Medel joined Penn Air on a parttime basis and quickly grew within the testing, adjusting, and balancing department, delving deep into everything from accounting and job costing to making operational decisions. With an in-depth knowledge of what it takes to run a sheet metal business, Medel soon discovered her forte and, in what was a natural progression, became CFO for the corporation in 2007.

“My colleagues and I always joke that we started working for Penn Air at the age of 10, which after being here for over 25 years would keep us at the young age of 35-ish,” Medel explains. “This helps us to always remember where we came from and the grassroots of how we all started from the bottom and grew exponentially with the corporation.”

When Medel joined Penn Air it was a fairly small operation. Founded by Herman “Woody” Philhower in his spare room as a test and balance engineering firm, the company quickly gained a solid reputation and today has seven offices spanning from Guam to Puerto Rico. The company has become known for the team’s ability to address challenging business climates and serve diverse markets. “Being a part of the growth of Penn Air has been exciting and rewarding,” Medel says. “We now have several offices, and continue to expand, which gives employment to many people. . . and that is such a great feeling.”

However, the opportunities that came her way were not by chance, nor were they handed to her on a silver platter. Medel has never been one to shy away from hard work and is not one to give up. It’s this perseverance and determination that has helped her progress up the ladder, and in doing so, give back to others who wish to do the same.

“What I know to be true is, hard work, perseverance, and dedication are what is needed in any career,” she says. “There will be haters, obstacles, and failures along the way, but they are much needed. It’s the hard times that will make you stronger, and in those difficult times there are valuable lessons that are needed for your growth, to become the business woman you want to be. When your intentions are in alignment with your dreams, you can achieve anything. Just don’t give up, be honest, be humble, and always stay kind,” she says.

For Medel, her passion for the industry runs deep, so much so that when she clocks off, she can often be found working on initiatives that help forge sheet metal forward to a healthy and diverse future. Sitting on SoCal’s and SMACNA California’s boards of directors, as well as various committees for Southern California, Medel brings a fresh outlook and optimism that inspires others, particularly young women entering the sheet metal sector.

“The leadership and direction the industry is moving towards in becoming more inclusive will be opening more doors to women in this industry,” she says. “We currently have strongminded, intelligent, ambitious, determined women who are taking action to encourage, inspire, and create the path for a generation of innovative women. We continue to advocate for those women interested in our industry to become part of our progress, our mentorship, and our leadership. Creating committees and seminars that have an emphasis on empowerment for women in our industry would help to appeal to more women.”

With increasing efforts to diversify the industry and double the number of women in sheet metal within the next five years, Medel acts as a beacon of light, demonstrating what’s possible, and she is more than happy to assist other women so they can achieve their dreams, too.

“The advice I would give another woman entering the industry would be to give extreme focus, energy, and passion in what you choose to do because we have the power to create our visions,” she says. “Although we may have failures or setbacks, we must always maintain our values, be confident, determined, and engaged, be an inspiration to all generations, and surround ourselves with people who have similar mindsets of empowerment in order to continue striving to improve our future in the industry,” she says. ▪