Earlier this month, the American Supply Association hosted ELEVATE2023, a conference for women in the supply industry. This year, more than 320 women traveled to Charleston, SC, making ELEVATE2023 the largest-ever gathering of women in the Plumbing, Heating, Cooling, and Piping (PHCP) and Pipe, Valves, and Fittings (PVF) field. Attendees spent three days connecting and collaborating with supply industry professionals from across the country.  This event included keynote speeches from dynamic and inspiring speakers, a wide variety of informative seminars and options for community service.

 

Collaborative Service

ELEVATE2023 kicked off the conference proceeding by first focusing on charitable team building.  Attendees worked collaboratively to assemble bicycles for donation to the charitable organization Wings for Kids.  Not only did the activity serve as a fun and dynamic icebreaker to allow for meaningful connection amongst participants, but it also demonstrated a sincere commitment to giving back to the community.

 

 

Inspiring Speakers

Three speakers presented to ELEVATE2023’s attendees over the course of the conference, covering subjects both motivational and professionally applicable.

Body language expert Janine Driver instructed participants on how to present themselves to make a powerful impression and provided insight into how to decode the behaviors and mannerisms of others in a workplace context.

Mylène Paquette, the first person from the Americas to row solo across the North Atlantic Ocean, regaled and inspired attendees with the story of her momentous achievement.

Communications and performance expert Amanda Gore explained how the latest findings in neuroscience can be leveraged to improve your leadership skills.

These talks proved not only educational and entertaining for conference attendees but also provided them with new perspectives to bring back to their respective companies in the supply industry.

 

 

Empowering Workshops

On the final day of ELEVATE2023, attendees were invited to practice applying the new information they learned during the prior day’s speaker sessions by participating in interactive workshops.  Janine Driver showed attendees how they could use Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP) to decode the way people process information – a crucial skill for any client-facing or team-based role.  Conference participants were additionally invited to join a collective discussion on Amanda Gore’s book Joy is an Inside Job.

The success of ELEVATE2023 shows not only the immense value women in the supply industry currently bring to the field, but also the considerable potential for future generations of women in this space.