AB&I recently launched its celebration of women in the industry. In connection with its celebration, AB&I developed an Iron Woman character, Rose, who is a nod to the famous 1940s character, Rosie the Riveter. AB&I is celebrating individual women who are pushing through to achieve greatness in manufacturing, engineering, and the plumbing industry as a whole. To support this celebration, PHCPPros is highlighting some of AB&I’s own strong women in the series of Q&As that follows. 

Have An Advocate, Be An Advocate: Meet Laura Loziuk
Laura Loziuk is a Strategic Codes and Standards Specialist at McWane Plumbing Technical Services.

PHCPPros: Why did you decide to enter a career in engineering or specifically with plumbing products? 

Loziuk: Engineering is in my blood – I come from a family of engineers. As a student, I always enjoyed the challenges of my math and science classes. While pursuing my undergraduate degree in civil engineering, I found myself  particularly interested in my water and wastewater engineering classes. That interest was the catalyst into my career of working with water and piping products.

PHCPPros: How did your path lead you to a manufacturer of plumbing products?

Loziuk: Quickly into my first role with a large water and wastewater utility company I discovered the traditional engineering role was not the right fit for me. However, I love the problem-solving side of engineering while utilizing my technical skills. Luckily, I transitioned into a field technical services representative position, which is where my skill set was able to thrive. In that role, I worked with engineers to help them troubleshoot design issues with their projects while keeping them informed on the technical aspects of design.  

PHCPPros: Can you talk about your job’s duties and how long you have been with the MPG Plumbing Group?

Loziuk: I am part of the team within the McWane Plumbing Group that includes AB&I Foundry. My technical group is responsible for monitoring the codes and standards for the cast iron division of the business. My prior work experience exposed me to a variety of codes and standards in many aspects of design. However, this new role has demonstrated a new and exciting challenge to see what goes on behind the scenes. I would strongly encourage everyone in our industry to become more involved in the codes and standards processes. I am coming up on my one-year anniversary with McWane this fall.

PHCPPros: Have you had any women in the industry mentor you along the way? If not, where did you find inspiration to work in the industry?

Loziuk: Yes, I have been lucky to have women mentor me throughout my career. My first supervisor after college was a woman who was the vice-president of engineering for the company where I was working at the time. Having an advocate who was driven with her career and worked hard to guarantee that my ideas were heard was very inspiring. As a result of that mentorship, I have made it my personal mission to reach out to women who are just entering our industry. It is a great industry, but it can be intimidating for a young woman to enter a male-dominated field. My role with the MPG Technical Services group has exposed me to another great network of women within the industry. We are fortunate that one of the company vice presidents is a woman – it is always wonderful to see a woman with a leading role on the executive level.

PHCPPros: Have you ever mentored other women in the industry? Do you have direct reports who you are teaching while on the job? 

Loziuk: Yes, I have very close relationships with several female engineers, designers, reps, and plumbers. I am the Philadelphia Women of ASPE liaison and I love organizing our events with other women in our industry. In particular, I am very close to a woman Philadelphia UA Plumber. I have helped guide her through the business side of plumbing, mentored with team correspondence, and encouraged her to have difficult conversations in a professional manner. 

PHCPPros: What words of wisdom do you have for other women in the industry or those who are choosing to enter a job in engineering, manufacturing, plumbing, etc.?

Loziuk: Do it! It’s a great industry where you can build a wonderful career. A career within engineering, manufacturing, or plumbing guarantees an exposure to interesting projects while cultivating lifelong friendships. The industry values relationships and it is wonderful to be part of a field where people truly want others to succeed.

PHCPPros: Is there anything else you would like to share about being a woman in the PHCP industry? 

Loziuk: One of the biggest strengths women bring to the industry is preparedness. Women are able to excel within their preparedness and planning skill set. In addition to being prepared, it is critical to be honest with technical information, even when it may be difficult to deliver.

Guidance and Growth: Meet Denise Joe
Denise Joe is a Project Engineer in the Engineering Group at AB&I Foundry.

PHCPPros: Why did you decide to enter a career in manufacturing plumbing products?  

Joe: My entire career has been in manufacturing in various industries. Plumbing manufacturing intrigued me since it was something completely out of my previous experiences and I could see the potential for improvements in many aspects.

PHCPPros: How did your path lead you to a manufacturer of plumbing products?  

Joe: My previous experience in semiconductor and automotive manufacturing, coincidently brought me to the Bay Area. When I was looking for a change, this job piqued my interest because it was a completely different industry. An industry I knew nothing about yet produced a product that is vital to the infrastructure of this country. I knew I had to check it out and it has been quite an accelerated learning experience with plenty of personal and professional growth opportunities.

PHCPPros: Can you explain duties with AB&I Foundry?

Joe: I have been working at AB&I for over two years in the engineering group. Our group handles a variety of projects that are improvements or are necessary for the foundry. For example, within recent years the OSHA requirement for permissible exposure levels for Silica got more stringent. Some previous and new areas tested high and I was tasked with developing a plan to address the high exposure areas. Many corrective actions were set in place and several of them have been completed with a noticeable difference to date. Testing will be conducted to measure the effectiveness of our corrective actions and the additional measures we will have to take to continue to address Silica exposure levels. 

PHCPPros: Have you had any women in the PHCP industry mentor you along the way? 

Joe: I have had many mentors throughout my career because of the importance and the insight gained. Mentorship was ingrained in me when I started my career at IBM and it has been very valuable for my personal and professional growth. I have had several women as mentors, especially those who have been in industry longer than me. They have guided me in many ways and through various career decisions. I am a strong supporter of mentorship and encourage multiple mentors, so you can get insight from several perspectives.  

PHCPPros: Have you ever mentored other women in industry? 

Joe: Yes, I have had several mentees throughout my career, and I find it to be a rewarding experience. It is an opportunity to collaborate and discuss challenges or provide encouragement. Throughout our careers, we are often faced with decisions that can change the course of our careers and sometimes we need that nudge or vote of confidence to step up to challenging roles or decisions.

PHCPPros: What words of wisdom do you have for other women in the industry or those who are considering a career in PHCP?

Joe: Your career is what you make it and it should be a journey of constant growth and learning.  Do not be afraid of change or exploring the abundance of opportunity that is available.  Stay true to your personal and professional integrity. Have fun because your career path can take you many places and introduce you to many people along the way. Make a personal goal to get involved in outreach programs that promote science and engineering to aspiring minorities and young women.

A Profession of Purpose and Passion: Meet Melissa Cohen
Melisa Cohen is the Environmental Manager for the Environmental Department at AB&I.

PHCPPros: Why did you decide to enter a career in manufacturing plumbing products? 

Cohen: I was looking for a career change in 2018 and had been familiar with AB&I, which was a customer of my previous employers in the Scrap Metal Industry. Having spent many years in scrap metal, AB&I was of great interest to me as I wanted the opportunity to work where the scrap metal was being made into actual products – close the circle of recycling/sustainability. I have worked predominantly in heavy industry most of my career and much of which has been in California. It has been very disappointing to me to see the exodus of so much manufacturing from California over the past years much of which has been driven by environmental laws.  AB&I however seemed to be an exception, priding itself in being a California and the Bay Area Manufacturer for over 100 years and standing up to the challenges of the ever-changing environmental laws/requirements. The plumbing products produced also were a driver in my decision to join AB&I as I recognize the importance of sanitation and how vital these products are in our modern world. I also appreciated AB&I’s products are used throughout California and neighboring states and much is used locally here in the Bay Area. With the company providing good, diverse jobs for people in the local community as well as supporting the community in so many ways, AB&I is the model of sustainability. 

PHCPPros: How long have you been with AB&I Foundry?

Cohen: I have been with AB&I since the beginning of 2019. I manage the Environmental Department, which currently includes three additional members supporting Air, Waste, Water, and Stormwater as well as two Environmental Technicians maintaining environmental abatement equipment in the facility. Our department provides regulatory knowledge to the Plant Management to help guide operations to ensure they meet and often exceed environmental compliance requirements. Our team touches everyone in the foundry as we try to educate all the team members to understand the environmental needs and that they each have a part in keeping our plant in compliance. Even during my short tenure with AB&I, the environmental regulations in the Bay Area have become some of the most stringent in the nation let alone the world, and I am proud to be a part of the team that is taking on these new challenges and creating the foundry of the future.

PHCPPros: Have you had any women in industry mentor you along the way? 

Cohen: Having started my career in the mid-1980s in manufacturing, there were very few women in the actual field in the industry, most providing administrative support. The environmental field was also still in its infancy and coming from UC Berkeley, most turning to government and activism which industry was frowned upon. I was fortunate to get an internship in heavy manufacturing and a mentor who had offered to teach me everything he knew if I would stay on as he was desperate for help and needed more than just an intern. I fell in love in manufacturing and recognized the hard work, innovation and leadership needed for manufacturing to thrive. I have had the opportunity to support manufacturing in a variety of fields including Aerospace, Wood Products, Chemical Manufacturing, Waste Management/Recycling and now Plumbing.

PHCPPros: Have you ever mentored other women in industry? 

Cohen: I have had the opportunity to mentor both men and women in environmental work in heavy industry though always most proud of the women as it is not the route most taken for most women. Having been an intern myself, I have always tried to bring on interns, many of whom were women, to encourage them to pursue a career in heavy industry. As well, I have also participated in management trainee programs, which also included many women who got to learn the various disciplines of the industry and often ended up taking on the environmental industrial career path. We currently have an Environmental Management trainee who is working in safety but is developing her environmental knowledge to expand her capabilities in the foundry.

PHCPPros: What words of wisdom do you have for other women in the industry or those who are considering work in PHCP?

Cohen: Manufacturing offers great opportunities to utilize your engineering and in my case, environmental knowledge in an area that truly needs good leaders to succeed. Many of the challenges are not simple plug and play solutions so a lot of research is needed and when you do make the improvements, the tangible results are something to be proud of. 

PHCPPros: Is there anything else you would like to share about being a woman in the industry? 

Cohen: The world is changing so fast that the stigmas of women in manufacturing are becoming less and less. The realization that diversity really does make for a more successful organization is more acknowledged than ever. As we re-evaluate what sustainability truly is, I think we will see more manufacturing and not less locally as no different than getting your local produce, we should be able to provide our own manufactured goods and have people locally who can install it.  

Beyond The Comfort Zone: Meet Maria Cardenas Murillo
Maria Cardenas Murillo is a mechanic trainee and apprentice at AB&I Foundry.

PHCPPros: Why did you decide to enter a career in manufacturing plumbing products? 

Cardenas Murillo: I decided to enter a career in manufacturing because I wanted a job completely out of my comfort zone. A job that would challenge what I was used to that I could be proud of at the end of the day. I have always had an interest in a job that was a little bit more physical. In searching for a career that was not behind a desk, I ended up at AB&I Foundry.

PHCPPros: Can explain your role at AB&I Foundry?

Cardenas Murillo: I have been at AB&I for two years now. The first year I worked in the inventory control department. I was packing and making sure our products were ready to move onto the shipping department. The second year, I was fortunate enough to get selected for the Mechanical Apprenticeship. I am in the process of learning the functions of every piece of machinery and equipment in the foundry and how to troubleshoot and fix anything that goes wrong. My job is to ensure everything is ready to go for the next day without any hiccups so that manufacturing can run smoothly.

PHCPPros: Have you had any women in industry mentor you along the way? If not, where did you find inspiration to work in the industry?

Cardenas Murillo: Unfortunately, there are not many women on the plant floor. I may be the only one. There are, however, women who work in our office including engineers behind the scenes who I know support me and have my back. 

PHCPPros: Have you ever mentored other women in industry? 

Cardenas Murillo: I have not had the opportunity to mentor anyone yet. My hope is to have more women integrated here at AB&I on the plant floor. 

PHCPPros: What words of wisdom do you have for other women in the industry or those who are considering a career in PHCP?

Cardenas Murillo: It is not easy. In fact, it is the most challenging thing I have ever done. The knowledge, experience, comradery, and long nights and memories are irreplaceable. Your patience, mental and physical capabilities will be tested quite often, but it is all worth it in the end. Don’t let these moments discourage you. Stick to your goals and plans and you will be okay.