Let's Talk Shop

SMACNA's first podcast is called Let’s Talk Shop with host Angie Simon, CEO of Western Allied Mechanical and SMACNA President. Angie has been a leader in the Bay Area construction industry for many years. Starting as a young 22 year old project manager in the late 80’s when there were very few women in construction, Angie is now CEO of an $80+ Million Mechanical contracting firm with over 220 people employed. She is a registered Professional Mechanical Engineer and has worked for Western Allied Mechanical (WAM) for 30+ years. Angie currently serves on SMACNA National’s board as the first ever women national President for SMACNA.

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Let's Talk Shop

Let's Talk Shop, Episode 12: TAB contractors and their frontline fight against COVID-19

May 12, 2020 • SMACNA

In the latest episode of Let’s Talk Shop, host Angie Simon, CEO, Western Allied Mechanical, talks with Matt Sano, president of Fisher Balancing Company, a testing and air balancing contractor, and Jennifer Lohr, a technician with the company.“We’ve been called on by our clients to get involved with them and help them prepare areas of their hospital that need to have a negative pressure for the protection of the patients and the caregivers,” says Sano. “The need to make them (hospitals) COVID-19 compliant has been a moving target,” Sano adds.Jennifer Lohr worked day and night in Philadelphia to help reconfigure duct work and find ways to change air pressure at around 250 regular hospital rooms at the Hospitals of the University of Pennsylvania and the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. She was tasked with ensuring optimal pressure and airflow testing. And it all had to happen very quickly – often times within 24 hours.“In the event that we weren’t able to do what they were asking with the existing systems that they had, then we would work with the mechanical contractor and the hospital facilities staff to come up with a solution, says Lohr.”