This month we spotlight Illinois’s own Rachel Psolka. Rachel is a Program Specialist III for the ComEd Heat Pump program CMC was awarded in 2022. Take a minute to learn about our teammate Rachel and hear the interesting way she arrived at CMC.
Provide some quick background about yourself. Where were you born or raised? Any education/degrees/certs? Favorite hobby or activity, if you have one.
I was born and raised in Silver Spring, MD, which is just outside of Washington, D.C., but moved to Chicago in 2019 after getting married. Since then, we’ve added an honorary CMC employee (our son) who loves to “work” and pop in for TEAMs calls and meetings. Education-wise, my bachelor’s degree is in Music: Voice Performance, so if you are ever in need of a Disney or show tunes karaoke buddy, I am your person.
Prior to joining CMC, what did you know of energy efficiency or the industry?
Before joining CMC, I didn’t know much about energy efficiency or the industry, but I had great respect for the company. My husband was with CMC when COVID hit and, rather than letting employees go when work was forced to stop, they retained everyone. When an opportunity arose to do some temporary outreach, I jumped at the chance to work for CMC. I’ve been with the company for two years now.
What motivates you about the work that you do?
What motivates me is hearing stories from customers and building owners who have seen a real difference because of our work. I recently spoke to a building owner who reached out to us because a neighboring owner had tenants report positive bill impacts from using their new heat pumps this winter. Knowing we have only scratched the surface of opportunities in the Greater Chicago region, is exciting!
What was a recent personal or team “win” (project or initiative) that went well and/or you are proud of?
The hard work we’ve put in over the last couple of years led to us being awarded more work in the Midwest. Everyone on my team stepped up to make this happen and continue to work hard getting things up and running smoothly. It’s hard to believe that in 2022 we started as a team of three and have grown into a team of nine.
What do you do for fun? Do you have any hidden talents or interests?
We live right across the street from Wrigley Field, so we go to a lot of baseball games. We love the overall energy the season brings to our neighborhood. We also enjoy going to the beach, taking walks along the lakefront and taking advantage of all that Chicago summers have to offer. When it’s colder, I like to lift at the gym, play games at the local arcade and kick back with mystery books and mystery/detective shows.
Do you have any plans for the next few months, summer vacations, etc.?
A few months ago I spent two weeks in Victoria, Australia for a friend’s wedding. Nothing is on the horizon just yet, but in the meantime, I’m planning some trips back home to the East Coast. With any luck we can visit some new places in the Midwest, starting with a self-guided “Mighty Ducks” tour in Minnesota.