Women in Construction Week: Women in the Driver’s Seat at Carolina Cat

The number of women in the construction industry has increased substantially over the past decade. At Carolina Cat, we are proud to have female leaders and offer career growth opportunities to women in a male-dominated industry. The women behind the scenes greatly contribute to our success – from Service Operations Analysts to a Vice President of Construction Sales, women at Carolina Cat often sit in the driver’s seat, making key decisions with the customer in mind.

This week, the construction industry celebrates the women who help to build a better world alongside their male counterparts, and Carolina Cat has plenty of women to thank. We recently caught up with several of our female employees and hope you enjoy learning more about these leading ladies making a difference at Carolina Cat!

Heather: Technician Recruiter

Heather joined Carolina Cat two years ago as the Lead Technician Recruiter for Carolina Cat. She helps the business find well-qualified technical candidates for open positions, adapt to change, reduce turnover, and improve morale. Through Heather’s recruitment efforts, our dealership can ensure we have the workforce needed to succeed. Heather is also instrumental in enrolling candidates into our technical trade developmental programs – Think BIG, CPCC, and Fast Track.

Heather graduated from West Virginia State University, where she was a starting point guard and team captain of the women’s basketball team. Before Carolina Cat, Heather led a career in sales and operations. She has two daughters that always keep her on her toes – they motivate her to continue to learn and grow to be the best version of herself.

When asked what she loves about her job, Heather shared, “I love connecting people with new opportunities that will improve their lives. It’s exciting to introduce candidates to Carolina Cat – where they can establish a fulfilling career with a company that cares about their growth.”

We are thankful to have Heather on the Carolina Cat team!

Blanche: Service Operations Analyst

Blanche brings two years of Cat dealer experience from Canada and a degree in mechanical engineering to her role in service operations at Carolina Cat. She excels in collaborating with cross-functional teams on various service, parts, and sales projects and enjoys her job’s dynamic and ever-changing nature.

Blanche shared what she likes best about working in the construction industry, “I appreciate the diverse range of experiences the construction world provides. And I love building relationships with new people inside and outside Carolina Cat. I believe that strong connections are crucial in ensuring the success of any project and value the wealth of knowledge and expertise that my colleagues bring to Carolina Cat.”

We are grateful for Blanche and her contributions to Carolina Cat!

Amanda: Vice President of Construction Sales

Amanda represents the fourth generation of Weisiger family members in the Carolina Cat business. She has held several roles across the dealership during her time here, including product support, rental, parts, and finance. Amanda is responsible for strategic leadership and support of machine sales, parts and service sales, and sales operations in her current role.

Amanda holds a Bachelor of Science from Vanderbilt University and continued her education through programs with Harvard Business School. She began her career leading a start-up in the retail and e-commerce industry before joining Carolina Cat. Amanda spends her free time serving on advisory boards throughout the community and with her husband, chasing around their nearly two-year-old son.

When asked what she’d say to other women considering a career in the construction industry, Amanda stressed the urge not to shy away from trying something new and different, “Even if you are not familiar with the industry, we are committed to investing in you. We are dedicated to teaching and growing the women of Carolina Cat to have long and successful careers.”

Carolina Cat is proud to have Amanda as one of our female leaders!

Melissa: Technician in Training & Think BIG Student

Melissa came to Carolina Cat with a Mechanical Engineering degree and joined the Think BIG program to bolster her knowledge of heavy equipment through hands-on training. The program teaches her how to service Caterpillar equipment using cutting-edge diagnostic and maintenance systems, advanced technologies, and high-tech tools. Melissa loves working with her hands and is known for her attention to detail and helpfulness. Her typical duties involve turning wrenches, prepping machines for delivery, removing and reinstalling components, and troubleshooting. She really enjoys working with the technology on the new Next Gen machines.

Melissa hopes to inspire other women to join her in the technical construction trade. When asked what it’s like to be a Carolina Cat technician, Melissa shared, “As a female, it’s different and exciting to work on heavy equipment. I’ve wanted to get into the technical trade since I was young, so it’s cool to tell people that I turn wrenches on big Cat machines. And I work with great people too. You don’t quit here; you retire here.”

Melissa will earn her Level 2 Shop Technician position upon graduating from the Caterpillar Dealer Academy in May.

We are thrilled to have Melissa turning wrenches on the Carolina Cat team!

Ka: Construction Sales Administrator

Ka supports the sales organization at Carolina Cat through the invoicing, claiming, and scoring of machine and attachment sales. As part of the invoicing team, Ka is integral in ensuring the accuracy of every assigned deal transaction in construction sales. She is the last line of defense in making sure everything is correct. Ka currently manages over 300 active deals in her workflow.

She is known for excellent communication, her constant smile, and never shying away from figuring out a challenging deal. When asked what she enjoys most about her job, Ka shared, “I like my work a lot but the people here (at Carolina Cat) are what I love most. Plus, getting on a big Cat machine or two is also fun!”

We are so appreciative of Ka’s diligence and positive attitude!

Liz: Director of Market Research, Customer Insights, and Analytics

Liz has advanced throughout assorted roles within the marketing department at Carolina Cat over the past 13 years. In her current role, Liz informs business strategy through research and a deep understanding of our customers. With her support and expertise, the Carolina Cat business strives to deliver a world-class experience for every customer interaction. Liz is driven by her intellectual curiosity, consistent customer advocacy, and relentless push for continuous improvement – always striving to deliver the best experiences… for everyone!

When asked what she likes most about working in the construction industry, Liz shared, “The people. I have so much appreciation for our customers and love getting to know them. Everyday I’m impressed by their skills, knowledge, patience, and willingness to do whatever it takes day in and day out. Working with those who aren’t afraid to get dirty and put in the necessary work to build influential infrastructure and impactful communities, is probably what I enjoy most.”

We thank Liz for her 13 years of dedication to the Carolina Cat team!

As we recognize and celebrate the women in our industry, Carolina Cat is eternally grateful for the hard work that our female leaders put in every day. Here at Carolina Cat we like to think that every week is Women in Construction Week!

Visit our Careers page to learn how you can take the next step in your career with Carolina Cat.