SPECIAL SECTION // BUILDING COMMUNITIES
Programs that help bring visibility and support to females in the snow industry gain traction // BY CHERYL HIGLEY
W
omen working in and supporting the snow and ice management industry have long been a small and relatively quiet minority. But over the past few years, that has started to change. More and more women are succeeding in pivotal roles, both in the field and in management. SIMA and some of its members are helping to elevate the profile of these important industry contributors. SIMA has hosted roundtable networking, panel discussions and informal meetups at the most recent Snow & Ice Symposium events. Seizing on that momentum, Membership Manager Amanda Pruss, who came to SIMA after a successful career in business development in the industry, created the Women in Snow Interest Group (see sidebar) to give women a space to learn, grow and foster connections both with current industry professionals as well as the next generation. “In college I was one of a handful of females in my
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SNOW BUSINESS // DECEMBER 2024
agronomy major; in work I was often the only female in the room or on the jobsite. I was never told no, but I was never encouraged either,” she says. “From that point, I wanted to create an atmosphere around me that would welcome women; to support women in the industry so they too can grow their career and support their family doing something they may love.” Since starting, the group has discussed ethical leadership, recruiting and retention best practices, mental health and abuse … some serious, tough topics. The diversity of the group helps to make the conversations really fulfilling. “We have women from all over North America. Some are just starting out in their careers, others have decades of experience. Some work in the supplier world, others are contractors in various roles,” Pruss says. “I can see the
group starting to spread out, and I love that! They are asking each other for help on topics outside the group and coaching one another on how to handle situations. The value of the information and guidance that is being shared between members is inspiring.” Burns Landscape and Snow Management Vice President Jillian Burns, CSP and Val Lesak recently embarked on a passion project to bring together women in the industry after being introduced by Val’s husband, Scott, owner of Kasel Rocks Landscaping. They formed an immediate connection and used that initial “encounter” to create Influential Encounters for Women in Snow, building off a similar concept Jillian developed for women in construction. Jillian joined the company about nine years ago to help rebuild the