INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY
Today the world celebrates International Women’s Day and Vacu-Man is no exception. Vacu-Man might have started with Stephen Oldfield on the truck, but Lynn Oldfield (Stephen’s wife and co-owner) was the backbone of the operations managing the phones, the crew, the accounting and truly did everything in the office.
The passing of this amazing woman Lynn Oldfield was tragic and was when Adam Oldfield, son of Stephen Oldfield (founder) took over he also needed his right arm and confident Michelle Oldfield at his side.
Michelle Oldfield was a school teacher for 20 years with the Hamilton Catholic School Board, and is aboriginal background. Taking the office operations position was a huge step, but she did so with vigour and commitment. Learning the ropes of the processes and procedures of furnace and air duct cleaning was a huge challenge. Michelle did so without hesitation as the company required it.
The inclusion of Women in Vacu-Man
Michelle’s first task was to hire assistance with the answering of phones and the daily office operations. Hired as the second woman at Vacu-Man was Kim O’Hara. Kim had a wealth of knowledge when it came to operating the customer service. Michelle trained Kim with what our air duct cleaning company and HVAC processes are to be. Kim in less than a year over delivered and further took on more responsibility to become in 2022 the Operations Supervisor.
Michelle Oldfield is now the co-owner and Vice-President of Vacu-Man Furnace and duct cleaning and works with hiring and training of new team members in the field. The next Michelle was able to bring into the air duct cleaning business was Alannah Weston.
A graduate of Mohawk College and with a TSSA gas ticket in hand to pull the furnace apart and start cleaning. Team lead in less than 6 months, Alannah proved she was able to take responsibility and accountability early in her career. Alannah is in the furnace pulling it part and cleaning the Air Conditioning Coil, the heat exchange and the blower-fan overseeing her team assistant with making sure that each residential home and commercial operations is cleaned the Vacu-Man way.
INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY – THE FEMALE TEAM OF VACU-MAN
Co-Owner/Vice President:
Michelle Oldfield(wife) to Adam Oldfield and daughter in law to founder Stephen Oldfield. Starting at Vacu-Man since 2020. Michelle worked as a teacher within the school board for over 20 years. When Covid hit, she decided to take her skills to the family business. Michelle’s super power is knowing small business operations and keeping an eye on overall costs. Alongside her husband, Adam Oldfield they’ve taken the baton from his father and grown the business to 3 trucks serving the Oakville, Burlington and Hamilton region.
Operations Supervisor:
Kim O’Hara started with the company assisting with answering phones and has since grown to oversee the team of 10 and further ensure that customers are getting the expectations of Vacu-Man’s quality when it comes to Furnace and Duct Cleaning. Kim superpower is organizing and keeping all things moving in an efficient and smooth way.
The Team Lead Assistant:
Team Duct Cleaning Assistant: Charlene Staats Starting with Vacu-Man in 2018, Charlene is one of the hardest working duct cleaning women in Ontario, possibly even Canada. Charlene is also aboriginal women that has work pride and committed to doing the job right each and every time. Charlene works with Vacu-Man seasonally, as during the summer (warm) months she operates her own curb building business.
Vacu-Man Believes in Gender Equality
Vacu-Man is gender equal when it comes to being national air duct cleaners. It starts within the duct system office to the duct cleaning job itself. Vacu-Man (is not just men) it’s comprised with the amazing women
Everyday, these amazing women are working in the duct cleaning service industry and working to build the business to accomplish the one goal of cleaning each home and office properly and ensuring that we leave the home with cleaner air to breathe from cleaning the heating and air conditioning system the right way.
