As we celebrate Women’s History Month and Women in Construction Week, Plumbing & Mechanical is shining the spotlight on 10 influential women who are leading the plumbing industry to great success.

Meet Deidra McElroy, department manager, Commercial Services for Magnolia Plumbing, Heating and Cooling

What made you choose a career in the plumbing industry?

DM: My father is in IT and my mother was a nurse, but I moved to Maryland from a small town in Ohio when I was 20 without a career plan. I worked in several different industries and finally landed at State Farm Insurance. I learned sales and customer service there and then was lucky enough to be referred to Magnolia by a former co-worker. I started as a billing specialist with the trades at Magnolia in 2008 just prior to the economic downturn. There was a lot of transition in the following years that allowed me to learn many aspects of the industry, including dispatch/coordination, apprenticeship training, special projects, etc. I learned as much as I could and came to love the industry and the people! Throughout my tenure, I’ve obtained my master plumbing, master gasfitting and journeyman HVAC license while also attending the University of Maryland and graduating with a bachelor’s degree in business administration.

What has been the most rewarding/proudest aspect of your career in the plumbing industry?

DM: Watching the apprentices grow and learn on our team continues to be the most rewarding part of my career. We have had so many come through the doors and being able to work with a team of people that loves the challenge of the plumbing and mechanical trades is very inspiring! Not only that, but we have four women on our commercial team in field positions, and our residential team has a woman supervising their plumbing field team!

Additionally, I am on the board of our local Washington Suburban Master Plumbers Association (WSMPA) and served as president in 2022. I’m also currently the chairperson for PHCC’s enhanced services group, Quality Service Contractors (QSC). Having the opportunity to work with these trade organizations and other leaders of the trades has taught me so much over the years and I am extremely grateful for the knowledge and community they have provided.

What challenges do women face in this profession? Why aren’t there more women in plumbing? How can we increase the number of women in the industry?

DM: Women can face adversity in any industry, and the plumbing profession, as with most trades, has been marketed as a male-dominated trade for a long time. We have noticed more female high school students starting to look at the trades as an option, so we attend career fairs and get in front of students early on to help encourage them to see that the trades are option for anyone! In my 15 years with Magnolia, we have seen more women joining our labor force in the last five years so my experience is that the tide is starting to turn. It’s up to us, the contractors, to ensure our companies are inviting to everyone and maintain an environment where women can feel comfortable working with predominantly men.

What advice do you have for prospective women considering entering the plumbing industry?

DM: Be confident! Know that you have the capacity and strength to be a part of an industry that protects the health of the nation! Find the right company that will give you the tools that you need to be successful and know that this industry will always be necessary. Many companies will pay for your education, and when you graduate, you’ll have a license that will pay you far more than many people graduating college in the same amount of time. Plumbing is a lucrative career and you can leave work every day knowing that you helped your customer and made their day better by fixing something that only you know how to fix.

What’s one thing nobody knows about you?

DM: I’m an open book, so there isn’t much I don’t share! Some random tidbits would be: I’m a certified 200-hour yoga instructor; I love to travel to new places/countries; I am an animal person and at one point lived with three dogs, two birds, one cat and a fish tank of piranhas; I have a goal to visit all 50 states by the time I’m 50; and I’m a lifelong learner and continually take classes to learn new things. Some of the things on my future list include: take a tap-dancing class; learn to play the bass guitar so I can play and sing in front of a live audience; and obtain my NASM Personal Trainer certification.