The CWB Association Welding Podcast
The CWB Association Welding Podcast
Episode 223 with Minah Wheatley & Eric Davis and Max Ceron
The CWB Association is committed to creating a safe space for growth and education to strengthen our membership by encouraging awareness. The LGBTQ2S+ community is a vibrant and essential part of the welding industry across Canada. June is Pride Month, and we encourage you to actively promote and engage in equality, inclusion, and diversity as a priority all year long.
In today's episode, we discover how authenticity transforms careers and companies alike through the remarkable journeys of two industry experts. Minah Wheatley, celebrating 25 years at Hypertherm Associates, shares her powerful transition story while maintaining her leadership role. Meanwhile, Eric Davis approaches his 10-year mark leading a team of field service technicians, describing his evolution from cautiously navigating previous workplaces to finding a company where he is fully accepted.
Their experiences highlight a crucial industry insight: when companies create cultures where diverse employees can flourish, everyone benefits. As Hypertherm demonstrates through its associate-owned structure and comprehensive support programs, putting people first isn't just socially progressive—it's a solid business strategy in an industry facing critical skills shortages. During this Pride Month, their message resonates powerfully: "Everyone can bring something unique and valuable to an organization and strengthen it." By embracing diverse talent pools, the welding and manufacturing sectors can secure their future while creating workplaces where skills—not identity—determine success.
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Hypertherm
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Hypertherm/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/Hypertherminc/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/hypertherm-inc-/mycompany/verification/
Thank you to our Podcast Advertisers:
Canada Welding Supply: https://canadaweldingsupply.ca/
Canaweld:
What did you think about this episode? Send a text message to the show!
All right, I can check. Check, I'm good. So I'm Max Duran. Max Duran, cwb Association Welding Podcast. Pod pod podcast. Today we have a really cool guest welding podcast. The show is about to begin.
Speaker 1:Attention, welders in Canada looking for top quality welding supplies, look no further than canada welding supply. With a vast selection of premium equipment, safety gear and consumables. Cws has got you covered. They offer fast and reliable shipping across the country. And here's the best part all podcast listeners listeners get 10% off any pair of welding gloves. Can you believe that? Use code CWB10 at checkout when placing your next order. Visit canadaweldingsupplyca now. Canada Welding Supply, your trusted welding supplier. Happy welding.
Speaker 1:Hello and welcome to another edition of the CWB Association podcast. My name is Max Ceron and, as always, I'm tackling the talks and walking the walks and climbing the hills that we need to get over. This month, we have a special guest who has been here before and has done this before for us for Pride Month, which we love doing. The Pride Month shows every year. I've already been to two drag races this year since the month started, so and we're only on the fifth, so this is uh. It's gonna be a great month for everyone in the community and out and about. Uh, today we have mina wheatley and eric davis coming to us um on the show. So let's start with you, eric, because you're new. This is your first time on the show. How are you doing?
Speaker 2:I'm doing all right. Uh, thanks for having me. It's going to be an adventure to be on one of my first podcasts.
Speaker 1:Oh, good, good, I'll throw all the hard balls at you and then see if I can get you to stutter on air. Okay, sounds good. So tell me a little bit about yourself, eric. Where are you calling in from?
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah. So right now I'm at my home in Port Orchard. Washington, which is people who are familiar with the Seattle area is just on the other side, west of the Puget Sound. Yeah.
Speaker 1:Is that your home? Is that where you were born and raised?
Speaker 2:is that your home? Is that where you were born and raised? No, no, so I've I've kind of had a little bit of a journey in in uh since I've been here at hypertherm, but I was originally born in minneapolis, minnesota the twin cities yeah, twin cities represent. And then uh uh grew up there. Uh moved to indiana for a period of time, called Fort Wayne, the northeast side of the state, home for a couple years and then started college at Purdue University down in West Lafayette.
Speaker 2:So, ever since then it's kind of been a little bit of a ride.
Speaker 1:And what did you go to school for?
Speaker 2:I went to school what's technically called organizational leadership and supervision, but in just passing I call it business management. And then I can't forget my little minor in Japanese which, unfortunately, I haven't used at all.
Speaker 1:But you're probably not scared of a sushi menu.
Speaker 2:No, no, I tell people that I could easily survive over in Japan, but that's about it.
Speaker 1:It's a very trendy destination place right now Japan. In the last three years I have had so many of my friends. Even just last month some got back. They're all saying it's the place to go right now. It's fun.
Speaker 2:Yeah, months. Some got back. Um, they're all saying it's, it's the place to go right now, it's fun, yeah, uh. So, like I said, I've never been, but me and my partner are really big into uh snow sports. He he's a snowboarder and I ski uh. As you can probably tell the person behind me, uh, japan is going to be one of our uh winter destinations coming up next season, so we're really excited about that well, and I'm sure you got canada on the list somewhere, like I mean, you're talking snow, you gotta talk canada like absolutely um, we actually uh.
Speaker 2:So we've got a camper van that we uh uh tour around in, and in february we took a two-week um british col uh van trip and I think we hit eight separate ski resorts um 12 days of skiing altogether. So we were really busy Wow.
Speaker 1:You'd be wiped. You'd be wiped by the end of that.
Speaker 2:Uh, we, we absolutely were, we absolutely were, but it was a good time.
Speaker 1:All right. So we got Eric coming, coming to us from from seattle, just outside seattle, and uh, mina, where are you right now?
Speaker 4:right now um.
Speaker 4:I live in minneapolis, minnesota oh, you took over for eric, maybe yeah, I think last time we done this I was living in new hampshire but working here. Now it's kind of the other way around I live here and work in new hampshire. I'll get it right one day. Um, from the united kingdom, originally hyperthird, moved um, moved me over here. When was that? In 2010? So it's coming on 15 and a half 16 years. Um, we all moved over. That's my wife and three children. Three children are still based over in. We all moved over. That's my wife and three children. Three children are still based over in new hampshire. Um, but, yeah, we've been living here a couple of years now, so enjoying that and one of the other big changes um, I was on the water jet team when we last spoke. I'm now um marketing manager on the laser team oh, so Is that a lateral move?
Speaker 1:Is that a vertical move?
Speaker 4:I'd say it's kind of a lateral move a little bit. When I was in MortarJar I was the inside sales leader. I'm now the marketing manager, so it's a little bit different sort of kind of role, still in leadership, but a different technology. Now, yeah, I'm dealing with laser side, laser consumables within the business, so it's good it's interested a whole nother learning curve.
Speaker 1:I was gonna say you're gonna have to learn a whole new pile of consumable lingo and terms and oh yeah, it, it's, uh, it's been, it's been fast track, that's for sure, but fun so, eric, you know, you know I know mina as pedigree.
Speaker 1:You know all these 15 years, 20 years in the industry worked. You know her way up through the like I mean there's nothing about hypertherm she doesn't know. Now, for yourself, you're coming in. You know how did you get into this industry? Because you're a leader, and generally in the steel industries we don't really want smart leaders. We got all sorts of people of our own that we'd like to keep. Yeah.
Speaker 2:Which I think. So to your point that you just said, I think that's what has kind of made it really interesting, because I came into Hypertherm and I came into the industry not really having a technical background or not really having a mechanical background. I like to tinker with cars on the weekends and stuff like that, but other than that I was kind of fresh. So after I graduated from Purdue I moved back to my home state of Minnesota, minneapolis, and started at this company called LSG Sky Chefs as a supervisor. So each of the airplanes have kind of a bomb structure for how they build their galley equipment. So each piece of trolley has a liquor drawer, a food drawer, right. So that's where I started, I guess you could say in my first assembly role, and then took a little break from what I went to school for and worked as a train conductor for six months.
Speaker 1:Wow yeah, did you get to wear the hat.
Speaker 2:Didn't get to wear the hat, no, but got to wear plenty of ppe and safety yeah especially yeah yeah, being up there in the frozen tundra of minnesota, but um, uh, and then I started with hypertherm in 2016. Actually, uh, working in their aftermarket consumables business, so accustream okay uh.
Speaker 2:so we built all of the aftermarket uh components for the water jet systems for KMT flow, omax, uh, and then moved over to intense fire manufacturing. Um, and I was there, uh, up until 2021. Uh, then I moved to Denver, colorado, and took a field service technician role with OMAX, was in that position for two years and then stepped into the technical service leader role. So now I lead a team of 12 field service technicians, primarily on the break fix side of the water jet house.
Speaker 2:So, we've got about roughly 18,000 water jet units out in the field all over the world and after 90 days, uh um, of being installed, then if there's any issues that pop up, they come.
Speaker 1:Uh, do you mean by team's responsibility I'm curious um have you ever come up into canada for your work?
Speaker 2:yeah, uh, twice, or no, three times. Um, twice in calgary. Um, we did a couple installs uh, there, or, I think, as some people call it, calgary true, and then?
Speaker 1:uh, once in vancouver we were doing a break fix on a machine there okay, I was asking because the college I used to teach at here in Regina, saskatchewan, they got a brand new, beautiful OMAX, the biggest one, five axes they could buy like two years ago. And I remember they said they said OMAX sent people up for the install and the training and everything. And I was like, oh, I wonder if that was you.
Speaker 2:That was absolutely my team, yeah awesome.
Speaker 1:That's awesome. Yeah, they've been running that jet hard and it's well. Schools are rough on equipment. Schools are rough on equipment. So, and not necessarily because of use, but misuse.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah, schools it's pretty interesting. Like all of our other customers are pretty year-round, but schools of course fall into that uh semester trimester schedule, so the summertime seems to be our busiest time of year, for schools, for sure all right, mina.
Speaker 1:And for you in the last year you said you moved into the laser world. Now, now, how's? How has that been, that transition, this new challenge and new equipment? You're learning.
Speaker 4:It's been pretty good. I know the team, my leader I've known pretty much since I started with Hypertherm 25 years ago, so we've got a great relationship. The position came up and I went for it. I do have a little laser experience from years ago with the consumables side of it, back when I lived in the UK working for Hypertherm but now we're a sort of smaller team within Hypertherm but very busy.
Speaker 4:We do a lot of development on consumables and manufacturing for, like the, the OEMs, the tier one OEMs out there, developing new technologies, you know, and cooling the nozzles, saving gas, increasing cut speeds and, um, you know, kind of offering that out to oems.
Speaker 4:So a lot of our work is working directly with um the tier one oems, visiting them, find, you know, finding out, you know um how we, how we can work together, improve the technology, like I said, improve consumable life, gas savings, because a lot of nitrogen is involved in laser cutting these days it's a little bit more expensive. So if we can find ways to save nitrogen without affecting cut speed or quality, people are often interested in that and obviously, with the increase in powers you know where laser is operating at these days and the thicker materials that are being cut, um, obviously heat's being becoming an issue. So, um, we're finding ways we can keep things cool and you know kind of how we can work that. So you know it's um, it's a very busy time. Technology is moving fast, things are happening quick. The whole laser business, I mean, it just keeps moving faster and faster.
Speaker 1:So, um five years ago, yeah, five years ago I remember being a fab tech and it was like the littlest booth in the corner, a couple guys from ipg font photonics there with their little handheld laser. That kind of worked sometimes and it would only do like a one-eighth bead sometimes. And now here we are five years later and you can buy them everywhere.
Speaker 3:They're all over the market they're all over the place.
Speaker 1:I don't know how safe some of those weird systems are that are out there, um, and you're shooting lasers around the room, but but I mean they are.
Speaker 4:They are a very fast moving technology right now it is, it's very, it's very fast moving and, um, kind of staying ahead of it or staying up with it. You know has its challenges. But you know we're fighting our corner and we're coming out with a lot of good technologies which people are interested in and I like to think we're definitely moving the needle and making an impact well and I know safety is always a big part of any technology that's new, because you tend to outpace safety, sometimes in the excitement of developing you know something, um, and I'm and I'm sure that that's going to be foremost in this spectrum as well.
Speaker 4:Yeah, yeah, safeties, I mean everything's moving. I mean back in time it was CO2 laser and now it's moving over to fiber more and those machines are fairly well, you know, kind of encased. You know kind of the operate to me seems quite, you know, divorced from the activity happening inside the machine. You know, back in the day, with plasma gas cutting and even the older CO2 machines, I mean you're right up on it.
Speaker 4:You can get right up onto it, because nowadays, you know, it's all sort of kind of encapsulated. So I think safety is well taken care of.
Speaker 1:Good, good. So how long have you been with the company now, Mina?
Speaker 4:in total, I've been with Hypertherm. I had my 25th anniversary in March.
Speaker 1:Oh, what did you get? Did you get a watch or a belt buckle or I don't know what do they do anymore?
Speaker 4:There was a few choice of gifts, but yeah, were on there. So yeah, we got got well recognized. It's a. It's a good milestone. I mean, 25 years ago, if you'd asked me, would I still been here? I don't know, but the time's gone really quick.
Speaker 1:I'm still having a lot of fun and enjoying myself, which is important that's amazing, like I've never stayed at a job, born in like six or seven years, and now I'm with the CWB. I'm going into my fifth year. For me to make another 20, I'd have to work until I'm 79.
Speaker 3:I don't know man.
Speaker 1:I don't know if it's going to make it.
Speaker 4:It's been fun. As you know, I've worked in a lot of areas Plasma, water jet, now laser. You know I started with hypotherm in the uk. I moved to um, america forum, I had a spell over in holland, um forum and then came back. So it it's. It's been very active and, you know, it's very fulfilling and I you know, every day there's a challenge, something new to do, and it keeps it fresh.
Speaker 1:All right, and Eric, how long have you been with Hypertherm now?
Speaker 2:Yeah, um, I started in 2016. So coming up on 10 years here next year.
Speaker 1:Something about that company. Everyone I run into at hypertherm stays there.
Speaker 2:They must be doing something right yeah, you know what it's so funny because I talked to all my friends and they say the same thing, like they have the same reaction, like oh, you must be a company man, how are you staying there so long? Because I'm only at my job for two or three years and, um, kind of like what mina said, it's uh, hypertherm's got everything I'm looking for, so, uh, especially the growth and development, um, I think I I'm kind of a walking testament to that and it's I I don't see it ending anytime soon.
Speaker 1:That's good. That's good. Well, and one of the things that brought the both of you to this show today is, you know, us celebrating Pride Month and you know, when I met Mina and then we talked about how Hypertherm had been such a great, you know, supporter of her transition and just the whole process, which can be very convoluted. It can be very ugly, and I've seen it. I think at this point, everyone in the trades has seen a bad example of how the male-dominated cis workplace, you know, sometimes has these issues with the queer community, the LGBTQ community. Whether it's blatant or rhetorical or whatever it is, we all acknowledge that there is improvement that needs to happen in this space. Now for you two working at Hypertherm and maybe I'll start with Eric, because you're the younger, fresher meat, I guess there, as an openly gay man, you know was that ever something that you felt was a disadvantage to you in any way or that you felt worried about in terms of your workplace?
Speaker 2:For sure, for sure. Um, and I mean starting at my last few companies, lsg and BNSF, right, completely different, completely different environments, right, but that was absolutely like, not a subject that I I really ever wanted to broach and that I felt was gonna be beneficial, um, but uh, it wasn't too long. After working at hypertherm, um, uh, getting to know my team, uh, getting to know the leadership where I was, like I, I don't see an issue with uh being who myself, I and like, especially, everyone asks oh, do you have any kids? You have a spouse, what's your family situation look like. So you enter into those conversations and yeah, and they're organic yeah yeah, yeah.
Speaker 2:And it got to a point. It's like, uh, no, I'm gonna be myself and I'm gonna show up with who I am.
Speaker 1:And the response just from day one was nothing but supportive, like oh yeah, no, that's great, you know yeah, yeah, and that's really a wonderful experience, because it should be just a standard experience for anybody, in any position.
Speaker 1:That's what you would hope anyone from culture, race, creed, orientation, whatever. You would hope that it's just like oh, you know, do you have a partner? Oh, do you have kids? No, you know just normal conversations to learn about the other person without judgment. Right Now for you, mina, you're kind of the leader in this. You know you're the predecessor. You may have broken ground with the company to say, hey, it's okay. Like you know, you're still crushing your job. You're still making the sales. You're still being a leader, because you can't just be a leader on paper. You also got to be a leader. You're like you gotta, you gotta put up when it's time to put up right. And you've been there with the company so you've shown that there doesn't need to be like this part of your life does not affect this part of your work. They can be separate things. Do you feel like a leader in this company on that level?
Speaker 4:I think I do. I mean, you know I try to be a good person. You know I try to be a good advocate for our community, you know, and for Hypertherm and what it's done. I mean, you know, last time we discussed, I mean it was a huge, huge step for me coming out, when I was in New Hampshire working for Hypertherm there, I was unaware of the queer, the LGBTQ community that existed within Hypertherm. I think I told Eric this a little while ago. It was when I moved to minneapolis and started working out of that office.
Speaker 4:over there, you know, there was a couple of people who are, you know, kind of out and proud, eric being one of them a bigger community yeah, which kind of gave me the strength and like, hang on, maybe I can do this, because you know I was, I was going through my transition there. I mean, eric may have had his suspicions about stuff. I mean I remember the first day I mentioned anything to him about my weekend life and I was going to a drag show and the poor guy, you know, nearly choked. I was like how is this?
Speaker 2:the first time I'm hearing about this.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I already have my tickets too.
Speaker 4:Yeah, Because that stayed hidden for so long and it was, you know, something like that was so out of character. So, you know, it was a really, really big step for me and at that time I don't think there was any other trans people within the company. So it was like, wow, we're really going to stress test our inclusion and diversity program here and that was a big worry.
Speaker 1:Which it's good. I mean, it's good to do that, but it's hard to be the person that's doing that right it was.
Speaker 4:There was lots of tears and angst and everything, but you know the the support I received from everyone was absolutely amazing. You know, and from that you know, we've developed programs. You know, um, to help support people coming out, to make it easier. You know we've done a lot of things within the organization, you know, to ensure support not just for people you know in the LGBTQ community but for everyone.
Speaker 4:You know to make sure they're supported, you know, and can come to work and be their best selves. Yeah, whatever you know, whoever they are, whatever background from they're from. However and I think that's really one of the strong things about Hypertherm and possibly a reason why people stay there so long is it is accepting of everyone, of everyone's backgrounds, beliefs, know, and everyone has the opportunity. And you know, I think also, being an associate owns company as well. We all come to work for the same things every day. You know, everyone wants to be successful and see the company be successful and grow. You know, and we all play a part in that.
Speaker 1:That's amazing. Now, your path, mina, was living sort of like a double life for a while, where you had to find the strength and courage and support to kind of choose to break out of the mold and go down this other path where you felt was your true self. You know that that is the quintessential hero story of breaking out of a shell and the. You know the, the chrysalis of the butterfly emerging from the cocoon. You know that whole concept. Now, eric, you're meeting Mina at this point. She's not transitioning. You know you're openly gay. Now what was your journey like at Hypertherm, coming in from another angle, like, were you openly gay already as a young man and something that you were already strong within yourself? Get hired at Hypertherm and you're just going to roll with it. Or I there, or or is it still a level of hesitancy, even when you see allies?
Speaker 2:yeah, no, um, I was. I. I was pretty out already, uh, in my personal life before I came to hypertherm um, it, it. It was the whole concept of being out and myself at work. I think that is is a little struggle that I had. But um it, it. It wasn't too off too soon after that and I got to give a shout out to my leader at the time. His name is, is is Curtis. Um, he was definitely one of the people who got him, you know, like no you. You one of the people who guided me to like no you. You have to be yourself, because when you're in a leadership position, right Half of it is is based on authenticity and trust, and if you can't be yourself, then how can you get others to be themselves and and and follow you?
Speaker 1:So yeah, now did you hear? Or about the story of Mina before you met, the legend of Mina, or?
Speaker 2:Yeah, no, that's a no. So I knew Mina simply, I think she was at the time, I mean you might have to remind me, but you were the water jet consumables sales manager, I believe, and so that's all. I knew her as right and like we talked here and there we kind of bantered like the hallway conversations, um, but it wasn't until she had mentioned, uh, the drag show I've got tickets to this drag show. What are you doing this weekend? I'm like oh my gosh, tell me more, um help me pick up my shoes.
Speaker 2:I got I got problems, yeah, yeah and then like that, that's, that's, that's kind of where it started, and um, and then I've, I've, I've just watched mina become this, this beautiful person. So and get get even closer to her today.
Speaker 1:Yeah, well and, and you know, when you said you're from minneapolis, like I live in saskatchewan, canada, I'm five hours north of minneapolis. Pretty much I mean winnipeg's closer, but, but this is kind of not the parts of the north america that are historically known to be extremely supportive of the LGBTQ communities. My brother-in-law is a gay man and grew up in a small town of 500 people and was a very, very difficult time for him to come out. He basically had to move to a bigger city in order to feel comfortable, to be able to come out, because it was going to be such a shock to the town. Right, this is your brother.
Speaker 2:My brother-in-law, so my, my my wife's husband or my wife's brother.
Speaker 1:sorry, Um, so you know, I always talk to him about that journey. Being from a small town, I'm, I'm uh, I'm from, I'm, I'm an immigrant from another country. So I have my experience of being the outsider in terms of race, right and for for listening to my brother-in-law's story of being an outsider in your own town because of your sexuality. It's so hurtful because that's like your community right and you got to be so scared of your own community turning on you. Whether it happens or not. It's a very real fear. Right Now you're coming up in in Minneapolis, eric was, was this something that was tough for you or did at an early age? Were you fairly comfortable or felt safe enough to be able to, to find yourself?
Speaker 2:oh yeah, um. So minneapolis I, I have to say, is uh, um, a super accepting place, um, but growing up, uh, it certainly didn't feel that way. Well, I mean to to say it wasn't a safe space growing up like I can't really say that, but I'm sure a lot of young people share this but, um, it was a really long time before I was comfortable with who I was and um, and it wasn't until I went to college, uh, in indiana, purdue, where I was able to share with, uh friends, um, and and student peers, uh, that I was gay, um, but the college experience was wonderful and and and that, uh, in in the middle of indiana the cornfields, west lafayette.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I mean like college campuses tend to be pretty liberal, yeah, yeah yeah, but super great experience. Um, and when I did move back to minneapolis, all of a sudden I found this, this place that I didn't really know before uh, because all the shutters were off. Now, yeah, yeah, I'm like, wow, it's so gay here.
Speaker 1:I love it. Now. Now, mina, you're listening to Eric's story of you know his coming out. You know from youth to college. Now you, you missed out on all that. Right, you are already in an established, what people would consider traditional lifestyle and you had to find your whole journey out of that. So when you're listening to Eric talk about his journey, you know in a nutshell, obviously it's much more to that story, but you know in a nutshell, how do you feel you relate to his story versus how you found yourself? In a nutshell, how do you feel you relate to his story versus how you found yourself in your, in your situation.
Speaker 4:I don't think it's a million miles apart because, um, I don't know, I, you know, I knew about myself and you know, Marie, my wife knew, but living in New Hampshire is pretty remote and rural.
Speaker 4:You, know, and it wasn't until I come to Minneapolis and started working over here that you know that I kind of found, you know all this life, you know, and all these these you know kind of other people from you know the gay community, um, trans communities I started, you know, kind of meeting other people and you know, hang on, this is. You know what is going on, this is acceptable. You know people can live life, yeah you're not alone.
Speaker 4:You're not the only one dealing with this yeah, exactly, you know, and even outside you know, I kind of made some friends outside work, um, you know who, who had been through you know similar things, you know that either had transitioned or were transitioning, you know.
Speaker 4:So I got a lot of them in. You know kind of information you know and kind of support from them, um, you know, know, and it was while when I was in Minneapolis I actually started my transition, you know, which you know kind of then carried on to where we are today. But, yeah, I mean, it's finding your community is, I think, such a big big thing, you know, and it's really important, I think such a big big thing, you know, and it's really important. And you know the support I've had, you know, from that community as well, you know, as well as in other places where I've included, has been tremendous, you know, because I mean you talk about, you know, finding yourself, I think, in some ways, you know, I feel I still am finding myself in some ways never stops really, you know it, never it doesn't stop, no, but you know kind of being being in places, you know where it, where you kind of are more accepted is.
Speaker 4:It's an, it's a really great feeling and that will take a kind of a lot of a take a lot of stress and weight off the shoulders.
Speaker 1:Well, it always seems to be some defining moment in any person's life period where they start to accept themselves for who they are, because I think every human goes through this in some way or another. And when you come across people that are angry, or always upset, or always grumpy, I'm always like this person doesn't know who they are because they're mad at themselves for something. They're not mad at me, they're not mad at other people. They're holding that anger inside. You know, and and I've even heard that from people in the queer community saying, you know, like before I came out, I was a really angry, depressed, I was lashing out at people until I could start being more, you know, just authentic with myself.
Speaker 1:And I get that Now, when you know for Eric, you said, you know like when you went to college is when you start to be like all right, you know I got a community, I got people. You know, mina, when you went to Minneapolis, bliss. Now, mina, for yourself, do you think and this is completely just rhetorical but if you would have stayed in New Hampshire, if you would have been staying in the rural, you know lifestyle that was there do you think you would have been able to find the, the strength or courage to transition, if you didn't find that community that was so supportive.
Speaker 4:I think it would have been a lot harder for me because, like I said, I didn't know. There kind of really was a community and I think you know the nearest place was, like you know, nearly a two hour drive away where I could go, and you know which is a long way Two hour drive there there, two hour drive back just to hang out with some like-minded people like yeah, that's a lot.
Speaker 4:I think I still would have done, you know, I still would have started transitioning, because it kind of got to a stage where I couldn't not yeah, but it would, but it would have been a lot. It would have been a much, much tougher journey, I feel.
Speaker 1:Well, I'm glad you found that community in Minneapolis and I actually used to go party in Minneapolis quite a bit when I was a young man.
Speaker 3:So I know Minneapolis, yeah, I did.
Speaker 1:Because, like I said, it's only a five-hour drive from my house and some of the big concerts never come up to Canada but they always play in Minneapolis. They big, some of the big concerts never come up to Canada, but they always play in Minneapolis. They all do all the big names. So we would just rip down to Minneapolis to go check out concerts and I went to a bunch of fun, lots of good places to party this is a good time.
Speaker 2:Yeah, it's a good time Drive through.
Speaker 1:Uh, off sales got me. I mean, wait a second, I can just drive through and buy booze.
Speaker 2:What the heck is going on.
Speaker 1:So let's take a quick break here. We're at the half hour, the conversation's great. We'll take a quick break for our sponsors and our supporters, especially during this Pride Month, we very much value our industry supporters that support these shows and we'll be right back after this break. Don't go anywhere here on the CWB Association podcast. Looking for top-quality welding machines and accessories, look no further than CannaWeld. Based in Vaughan, ontario, cannaweld designs, assembles and tests premium welding machines right here in Canada. Our products are CSA certified and Ontario made approved, reflecting our unwavering commitment to excellence. Count on us for superior service that's faster and more efficient than market competitors. Whether you're in aerospace, education or any other precision welding industry, cannaweld has the perfect welding solution for you. Visit CannaWeldcom today to discover why professionals rely on CannaWeld for their welding needs. Cannaweld where precision meets reliability in welding. Enjoy peace of mind with our four-year warranty on most machines. Conditions do apply.
Speaker 1:Josephgassesca, your one-stop welder's superstore. Whether you run a welding shop or are just starting your welding journey, joseph Gass, the welder's superstore is the best place for everything related to welding. Come to the site or browse our top picks of welders, helmets and welding supplies specific to your industry. Even filter out the items eligible for manufacturer cash rebates. Our intuitive search tool puts everything at your fingertips and checkout is always a breeze. Pay securely with your credit card at any time. If you are ready to streamline your welding supply shopping experience, visit josephgassesca that's Joseph with an F as in family. Start filling your cart with welder confidence.
Speaker 1:And we are back on the CWB Association podcast. Today we are having a great show discussing all sorts of topics about industry, but focusing on Hypertherm and how great they are at supporting their staff during this Pride month and all year around. Not just this month, obviously, but the whole year also counts. Now, when we were talking about you know you guys coming up in the industry Mina, 25 years. You're coming up on 10 years, eric. Now you're directly involved in leadership. Eric, this is what you got hired to do is to bring in leadership, mina, for yourself. You have established yourself as a leader. You know your ability to stay within the company Hypertherm and how you can be effective leaders for perhaps the next, you know community that's coming up within you, the next generations. So let's start with you, eric. How do you feel that you contribute to this hopefully, the new era of, of, of Hypertherm?
Speaker 2:Yeah, um. So I mean beyond just the uh, the owners with pride group and the participation that we have in that um, whenever we have a new hire come on board. Um, I think the concept of an associate ownedowned company is just slightly foreign, along with the just overwhelming values of we want to make everyone feel like they're a part here and they've got something to bring to the table. But usually when it's someone new that starts on the team, it's it's me showing them that firsthand, it's, it's it's just just really making sure that first impression uh, for a new associate is there and it's a strong one, I'd say that's. That's probably the most impactful thing that I do.
Speaker 2:Um, so, but I mean beyond that, the owners with pride group. Um, uh, mina has has definitely been the one who's who's, who's who's our guiding light here in the company, in the group, um, but, uh, I have taken a position of of kind of stepping up and being an active um. I I don't know if I want to call myself a role model, but I know the position that I have An ally yeah.
Speaker 2:And I want to show people that a completely open gay male within the organization can thrive and be themselves and be outgoing and not be all serious all the time. So, yeah, all serious all the time right.
Speaker 1:So, yeah, well, and there's a this concept, uh, well, and it's a very true, if you can't be what you can't see, or it's at least very difficult to be what you can't see um, yeah, because it's kind of reserved for that one percent. That are the groundbreakers, like I would argue. Mina is a groundbreaker in this industry, but seeing amina gives people confidence even in themselves. You're seeing you, exactly right, coming, seeing you, eric, coming in, and you're perhaps a shy lesbian lady from somewhere, and they come in first day at the job and they meet you and, oh, this is my boss or this is the person, oh, oh. And then the lights start clicking on. It's like, oh, that's okay here. Oh, I can be me, I don't have to hide that, I don't have to worry about that, and the stresses start coming off. You know what I mean Because, like you said, you can't be a good employee when you got a monkey on your back following you around. It's just, you're not going to give your 100% ever, you know no-transcript.
Speaker 4:Big question, I mean you keep going on about. You know, maybe a one on one percent and guiding light. You know it's um. I struggle with that a little bit. It's um. I want to be a good advocate you know for our community for sure.
Speaker 4:You know, and in some way I don't know where you know, how true this is, but you know you see so few trans people, not only in our industry but in, you know, in a lot of other areas. You know who are. You know who are successful in what they do. You know the same as anyone, if you're prepared to work hard, develop your skills and abilities, you know and you know show what you're capable of doing. You know that that's open for anyone, whether you're you know you're you're gay, queer, lesbian, trans, anything you know. Certainly sort of. For me, coming out allowed, I think, a lot more of me to concentrate on my, on my job and everything else going on in life without having to have this huge lump of me I was trying to disguise and hide.
Speaker 4:So, um, I think that's kind of coming out has helped me a lot. You know, sort of being able to focus on what I do, but you know I'd be lying if I say you know sort of being able to focus on what I do, but you know I'd be lying if I say you know, when some people I meet for the first time, they're not shocked. You know that they're potentially not not expecting to meet a person like me, but I think you know it's. It doesn't take long for them to realize. You know I. I do know what I'm talking about. I do have skills, I do have abilities. I have gained a lot of knowledge and experience over the years.
Speaker 1:You've earned your spot yeah.
Speaker 4:Yeah, and I think overall, whether that's people coming into hypothermia as an organization or if it's me going out, me and our partners and customers, I think people soon forget, you know kind of what, who I am to look at and become more interested in what I have to say as a person. So you know kind of the images is gone. You know, and like eric, you know he's very skilled, professional, knowledgeable in his role and I think that's what shows through at the end of the day.
Speaker 4:It's not so much how you look. There's more than skin deep.
Speaker 1:Absolutely. I was at a conference two weeks ago, a wonderful conference that happens every year in Canada called the Supporting Equities and Trades through the Canadian Apprenticeship Forum. If you ever want to spend $800 on a conference because I know some of them are expensive and you don't feel like you, get your money out of it this is an expensive one that you would 100% come out invigorated and energized.
Speaker 1:It's a fantastic conference and they were talking about biases and you know the intersectionality of biases. You know the the lgbtq community, the bipoc community, the I'm too tall, I'm too short, I'm too fat, my name sounds like immigrant name. There's just so many things that people could choose to be biased about if they want to, and one of the things they said is like going forward, hr should not ever ask for certain things and resumes should just come in numbered with skills period. You don't know their name, you don't know their gender, you don't know where they live. All you get is a number one, one, one, two and this is the skills and abilities and CV. If's, if that's the job, why do you need to know any of the other stuff until after they've made it past the first round of of cuts?
Speaker 1:And I was like that is huge, because it's true. You look at a, at a resume, and you're already putting yourself into boxes. You're already saying okay, like for myself, I have a long latino name that I've had to shorten, so I don't get, you know, treated weird because no one's going to be able to say my name properly, so it's always just max, but my full name is sebastian maximiliano. It's a big, long spanish name. So you know, you start being. So if I was to put sebastian maximiliano on a resume right away, okay, check mark, immigrant here, immigrant here, we go. And then you know, you know what I mean. And you start putting these things and you start putting yourself into box after box and at the end of the day you get to the CV, the rest of the resume.
Speaker 1:People may have already made up their mind, right, I was talking to a female there and her name was Pradwa it was like a rather rare Indian name and she's like I am sure I don't get hired sometimes because I just can't pronounce my name. And they're like I'm not going to bother hiring this person because their name is too hard to say. And I thought about that after the conference for a couple days because I was like, if we can be so biased on such a simple thing as just reading a document, how deep can the biases run within companies, within established businesses, social norms and you know, for things that go so deep and then intersectional, which I think is why the trans community always finds that extra level of hurdles that they got to go through because it's, it's, it's also, it's like more than one thing happening at once which is too hard for some people to just grasp, right? Yeah, do you think that I don't even know how to ask that question?
Speaker 1:Let me see if I can work it on my head. Would it be better to not know when you're meeting someone, or is it better to know it all? And I guess that depends on how ready society is on the other end, right?
Speaker 4:I don't know. I mean, I've walked into, you know, some people are, you know, really good and they don't seem to bat an eyelid yeah other people you can't walk. You know. I've walked in, I've met them and you see that initial startle on their face.
Speaker 1:I mean they try and correct themselves very quickly, but yeah, I know I've seen that, look yeah it's kind of, you know, it's too late, you know but well, and you're like, you're like two meters tall too, yeah, so I've got nice long legs yeah, no, absolutely, but you know it's.
Speaker 4:I mean that's something I have to deal with. I mean I have to deal with that, um, you know, on a daily basis in some ways.
Speaker 4:So you've got to get past that and then like I say it's, I need to get past that with them. You know, and again, I think, once we sort of you know, we sort of sit down, they they're. You know, they've had their initial shock, you know, or it lasts for a few minutes once they realize you know my knowledge, experience, skills and abilities, you know, and I'm also there to potentially show them how you know.
Speaker 1:To save money and run their business better.
Speaker 4:Something we're doing is going to improve, you know, an operation, their operation, a performance of a machine, everything else seems to just drift away, and that's what becomes important.
Speaker 1:Which is what should have been important from the beginning, right, yeah, you know, I just thought you know the beginning, right?
Speaker 4:yeah, you know. Well, I just thought you know, I kind of you know we should maybe make a pin out of it. You know they stop looking and start listening you know, eyes are up here.
Speaker 1:No, yeah, it is.
Speaker 4:You know they. You know, like I said, you know the appearance just fades away and the fact you know that you know I'm a trans female just goes and I just become a person who knows what they're talking about. Fact, you know that you know I'm a trans female just goes and I just become a person who knows what they're talking about and you know, trying to show them something, trying to show them a better way of how to do something, showing them other options or whatever the situation may be, and I think that's ultimately what comes through stronger yeah, have you had a?
Speaker 1:had a similar experience, eric, with like, perhaps, like she said, the, the shock value, the initial shock value, um for yourself um, I, I'm gonna be honest I, I, I haven't, I haven't because you're such a good looking fellow like. I mean what's?
Speaker 2:not to like yeah, I mean, like, maybe in my own head have I showed up and be like, oh, like maybe they're really picking them, picking up on this lisp or something you know, um, which I, I don't even know, but um to to to me in this point and just double down on this like my safe space at work, which of course, I pretend, as we've talked about a big safe spade but getting down to business and really talking, about the machines broken, um, it's not cutting to how you expect it, it's doing xyz, the garnets not flowing.
Speaker 2:Let's, let's, root cause this, let's troubleshoot this and then, as soon as you're talking, the technology, the product how to get that back up and running it. It like nothing else matters. Um, no matter.
Speaker 1:I like what political beliefs or religious beliefs that people have, like everything else melts away because we're on the same page, we're linked, we're connected right and it should be at all times about the work, because really that's why you're getting paid, that's why me is getting paid, that's why people are spending. Money is for the work, not for the person's backstory of who's doing the work's not a thing.
Speaker 1:It's not like you. It's not like straight man walks in and you're like, hmm, let's find out all we can about this straight man like that's that doesn't happen.
Speaker 2:You know, like yeah yeah, I mean like of course there's. There's customers where I'm like, oh, like this, this person sounds really interesting, I want to get to know them, and you can go back and forth and bullshit a little bit, but it's like at the end of the day, it's getting their equipment back up and running and making them money. You know that's right.
Speaker 1:Well, I do want to take a quick couple minutes here to discuss um something I think is really important. And how great, mina, you look like your eyebrows are on point, they're microblading, I like. I mean, I haven't seen you in a couple years and uh, there's been a lot of changes yeah, and you I can like. It's very like. You look great, like your skin tone is fantastic, like what? What's going on? What's happened in the last couple years since I've seen you?
Speaker 2:mina looks better every time I see her, yeah, and younger.
Speaker 4:Like I swear you're 10 years younger than the last time I saw you for crying out loud well, yeah, I'd love to say it's all natural, but there's, there's, there's been, there's been, there's been quite a few surgeries along the along the way, yeah, so, um, yeah, that, yeah, I know, spent quite, quite, quite a lot of time on the table. You know having having tweaks and adjustments, you know, um, to kind of, you know, get more of a feminine look, you know. But I think it's all you know. That aside is just being very happy with life becoming more confident. You know, in who, in who I am, how I look, I sense it.
Speaker 1:I sense it in you, the confidence.
Speaker 4:Yeah, how I dress and everything you know, and it's again, it's you know it's having my confidence in that, but also the support of others around me as well, which is really great, you know it's. You know, I kind of consider myself really fortunate. I know people who've had a lot more struggles than me. Absolutely.
Speaker 1:And let's not forget, the suicide rates among the LGBTQ communities are some of the highest of all. You know, I hate to use the word marginalized or differentiated communities, right, and that's terrible, it's a terrible burden for some, you know. Uh, I hate to use the word marginalizer, differentiated communities, right, and, and that's terrible, it's terrible burden for some, you know but you know it's.
Speaker 4:You know my goal is to, you know, look as good as I can. You know, which again helps the acceptance. You know I. You know I. Yeah, it'd be great if I could walk down the street and all anyone sees is a beautiful woman. But you know, it's as long as all you see is a beautiful woman.
Speaker 1:But you know, it's as long as all you see is a beautiful woman.
Speaker 4:you got it.
Speaker 1:You got it.
Speaker 4:Yeah, so you know that's the goal, that's the plan, but thank you, thank you for those compliments. It really means a lot. No, it's great. I'm going to try on screen.
Speaker 1:And that's what you want, that's what we, at the end of the day, right is for someone to notice the work you're putting into yourself, because we're all working projects, we're all. We're all broken somewhere and we got things that we got to fix and work on and and, um, and, like I said when I like, when I said that you, you exude more confidence than the last interview, um, that's something I pick up on, people right um right away.
Speaker 1:It's what. It's what makes me a good podcaster. You can sense when people are strong and then you can sense the things that they're a little bit more afraid of and try to find that that balance is key to being happy really, because it never ends right.
Speaker 4:Yeah, sure, I look a lot different to the last podcast we did, so I'm sure you're going back and comparing, if you haven't already I, I was looking, I was, I was like I wonder how how it's going.
Speaker 1:You know, plus they pay you pretty good at the, at the hypertherm. So you know, that's good it's good um, you know? No, I'm really pleased with how everything's going and you know that's good it's good.
Speaker 4:Um, you know, no, I'm really pleased with how everything's going, and you know it's um, I sort of feel, personally, I've come a long way you know in in, in, in, since we, since we spoke last time.
Speaker 3:Good.
Speaker 4:And you know kind of everything else around it as well and you know the things we've spoken about as well. You know, in this podcast I think you know kind of the acceptance is great, you know, and the support from hypertherm has been fantastic and that's that's not just for me. You know that's what hypertherm gives. Every single associate at hypertherm you know they want everyone to be their true, authentic selves, because you never know what's going on in the lives of the person standing next to you and that's right, you know kind of what's happening in their lives, what, what troubles they're having or anything, and you know um empathy is, in short, the order these last few years on this planet.
Speaker 1:You see empathy kind of fading out of popularity and it's like we got to correct that. Because you lose empathy, you start losing perspective on everything. Things that aren't important become important and things that should be important are forgotten, right? I?
Speaker 4:think over my journey. That's you know. Again, I think over my journey. That's one of the big changes that's happened within me. You know is that empathy and you know realizing, you know I don't know what's, you know what's going on in that person's life next to me you know, and that was part of my journey as well. So I tried to be a lot more kind of acknowledging of that, you know, and you know supporting off people from you know, whatever that's awesome.
Speaker 1:So let's talk about this month. You know, pride month, north america, and you guys are in minneapolis. What do you guys got planned? Let's start with you, eric. What's your big plans for the month?
Speaker 2:anything fun, anything interesting, going somewhere yeah, um, so I'm gonna stay here in washington, um, for pride month. Uh, um, so I'm actually taking more days off than I ever have before specifically for pride. Yeah, um, but I've got a couple friends that are flying in from um Denver, colorado, joining us. Uh, so, uh, the weekend of the 19th through the 23rd is basically going to be a five day, uh, pride extravaganza.
Speaker 1:Oh, that sounds fun. You got to check out some shows, or any. Is there any drag shows going on or any? Any big book like party? Bubble parties or anything fun like that.
Speaker 2:Um, we've got a couple uh drag brunches that are scheduled um, because those sell out so fast.
Speaker 1:They're expensive.
Speaker 2:They are kind of expensive, right, um, but it's kind of cool because, uh, I live just on the other side of the water, like I said, from seattle, and so I'm within walking distance to the ferry. So, uh, my house, um, in port orchard, is kind of going to be home base, and then, every single morning, I'm going to take the ferry party at eric's.
Speaker 2:I got it, I got it yeah, yeah, pride party over in port orchard, but um no, so drag brunches. We got a couple of concerts scheduled and we're gonna attend the parade, of course. Uh, a couple years ago I was actually in the parade, which was pretty wild, pretty wild experience.
Speaker 1:But um, not gonna do that. Did you get your hands shake down, did you?
Speaker 2:yeah, the queen's way shake down, you know, yeah, met, met met a couple thousand glances yeah awesome, awesome, love it and you mean out.
Speaker 4:You got anything fun planned for this month, anything you're going to or attending yeah, well, this this saturday we got the um minnesota um the twins baseball pride game. We're going to to that that's happening this Saturday.
Speaker 1:Oh fun, fun.
Speaker 4:Obviously the pride parade and the big event that happens on Loring Park.
Speaker 1:Oh.
Speaker 4:Which is very close to where I live. We'll be going to. We're also a couple of us are signing up. There's a bottomless mimosa pop crawl happening. It does sound very dangerous, so I feel I have to, kind of, you know, step up to that one well as a senior leader.
Speaker 1:I mean, as a senior leader, we expect a lot from you yeah, it's, it's, uh, yeah.
Speaker 4:So we gotta get tickets for that because there's a number of bars and kind of restaurants participating in that and you can go around. You just buy one ticket and bottomless mimosas in all of them and nibbles and everything. So, yeah, might need a chaperone you know a chaperone for that one. We'll have to see. There's going to be a lot of things happening in the city.
Speaker 1:Good, good. And what about the company? What's Hypertherm doing for Pride Month? No-transcript.
Speaker 4:Well, we kind of. It's one of the events around the years that Hypertherm does support and puts out an announcement about how it supports. You know, not just the LGBTQ community but you know everyone within the organization. We're doing as a owners with pride group is um. Hypertherm gives every associate um 40 hours a year to do community service time. That's where we can all associates can go into the community, support our communities. You know, with various projects, you know food kitchens, cleaning up streets, cleaning up parks um, that's amazing incentive yeah, loads and loads of things.
Speaker 4:So, um, the group has organized a few like little events which is not just um lgbq, uh lgbtq focused. Um, it's just focused that we go out into the community and anyone in the organization can join. Over here in minneapolis we're doing um a park cleanup at one of the local parks and I think in new hampshire they're they're going to attend a food kitchen. Um woke a lot of people in from hypotherm to go into a food kitchen and to provide support there. And I think we're still working with our Washington. We've put a lot of opportunities and we're just trying to get some uh narrow it down which um event we want to hand we want to deal with in uh Washington to support as well, you know, and so it it's not strictly an LGBTQ event, you know, it's organized by the yeah yeah, just to go out into the community and anyone's welcome to join us from the organization.
Speaker 4:So, they're good things we're hoping to organize and again, it raises awareness for everyone, not just about the LGBTQ plus community, but about everything which is going on in our communities and how we can support it.
Speaker 1:That's awesome. And now, what about professionally? You know Hypertherm. They're always growing. They always seem to be dipping into new areas of the industry and finding new ways to just be relevant and leaders. You know what's coming up in Hypertherm's window in the next you know year Anything, any exciting things. You can spill the tea on a little bit.
Speaker 4:Any cool stuff coming up I think there's lots of cool stuff coming up you know, I think, I think it's watch this space yeah yeah, we got, we got. You know there's, there's um quite a few things bubbling under which I think are going to be exciting for the industry.
Speaker 1:Um, I'm not sure I can spill the tea oh, come on, eric, you're younger, you can spill it, come on I was gonna say there's, there's, there's so much that I would love to to spill the tea on, but um, it's, it's, it's gonna be, it's gonna be some big stuff and really exciting are you guys gonna be down in fabtech in chicago? I'd imagine hypertherm will be there yes but will you? Will either of you be there?
Speaker 2:um, I will not be there. I just got back from uh fabtech, mexico actually how was? It. Uh, it was great. Um it. It was actually my first time down in Mexico. This was Monterey this year yeah, and I thought the language barrier was going to be more of a thing.
Speaker 1:Everyone speaks English there? Yeah, everyone speaks.
Speaker 2:English. Yeah, yeah, and it was pretty awesome. During the show. You have to have a very kind of strict setup on what you're cutting and what you're demonstrating, because you can't just cut anything for anyone, but towards the end of the show we always flip it over to uh water, jetting out custom name tags and um just fun stuff.
Speaker 2:Yeah, so it's, so, it's so much fun. And then you meet so many people in the industry, shake hands of, of partners and customers and future customers, so it's, it's good stuff. But, um, from the technical leadership group, we like to rotate uh between the trade shows, so it's actually going to be a couple of my peers who are participating in uh fabtech chicago here well, you're luckier than I.
Speaker 1:I've been trying to get down to fabtech mexico for three years now and I'm spanish speaking. My kids are half Mexican for crying out loud and they won't let me go. They're like no, no, we'll send someone else. I'm like, they don't even speak Spanish. You should be sending me Like it's my language. Next year, next year, I'll try to get down there. And what about you, mina? Are you going to be in Chicago?
Speaker 4:coming up. I'm very hopeful I'll be there this year For one reason or another. I think I've missed the last few. I've been traveling, I've been out of the country for something you know, so I'm really hopeful I'll be down there this year. You know, working on the laser side of things and visiting some of our partners. You know it's always such a great place where new things are launched.
Speaker 1:I'm excited to see what toys you guys bring down. I do need a new plasma for my garage. If one of them happens to fall off the truck, just a 45 is good. If it's got a little bit of a dented cover, I don't mind, that's all right.
Speaker 4:They're always a great show and, um, like I said, I'm yeah hopeful to be there this year. I'd like to go down this year, you know, but I have to see what's going on as it gets a little bit closer yeah, we got a couple booths already booked for for fabtech and I'll be down there with the podcast doing the road show.
Speaker 1:So you know that would be something that I would be very interested in. Perhaps figuring out how to do with hypertherm at some point is getting, uh, getting you guys in front of us live. I mean, we do interview ray every year as a part of our yearly so ray ripple every year interviews with us. Um, it used to be through hypertherm then kind of on her own. I'm not sure who she's getting represented by this year, but I know that she lives, she rides or dies with her hypertherm than kind of on her own. I'm not sure who she's getting represented by this year, but I know that she rides or dies with her Hypertherm.
Speaker 2:Ray Ripple will be with us again this year at Fabtech.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I think she just signed a new contract. Actually, I think I saw something like that. That's good.
Speaker 4:Great, I'll hopefully see you down there, max.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I'll be there all week. All week. We just actually had a Fabtech meeting this morning, so everything's rolling and, yeah, I'm excited to be down there. I'm excited to see the new tech, I'm excited to see the Hypertherm booth and the new toys and hopefully get to see the things you aren't telling me about right now that I would love to know about. But let's wrap up the interview. I got about, but, uh, you know, let's wrap up the interview. I got one more question for each of you and that would be about the importance of what hypertherm is doing in industry with, you know, in, in supporting you. So how can hypertherm be an example to other companies out there in terms of their support for people in the lgbtq community? So I'll start with you, mina. How would you either duplicate, replicate or advise other companies in terms of how hypertherm has done it?
Speaker 4:uh, I, I think they have. You know it, it's, it's a big step. I mean, it's been a very we've been talking about it. You know, like you know um hypertherm's journey with you know it, it's, it's a big step.
Speaker 4:I mean, it's been a very we've been talking about it you know, like you know um hypertherms journey with you know um inclusion and diversity diversity, equity and inclusion, whatever we call it and it's been a very long road. I mean, this wasn't something that happened overnight. You know it kind of it started in one area, you know. I think originally it come from um looking at people's. You know the kind of financial hardship some people in the in um the areas were having um, so it kind of looked at it started there. It then went on to like you know kind of um recovery stuff and you know people that were taking drugs, you know, and all the other supports needed.
Speaker 4:Yeah, yeah yeah, you know and and looking at you, know those areas of where we can improve and we can support those people and it's just grown on from there you know, to all these different areas and different things. So you know it takes time, but I think people also need to be open that just because someone may look a little bit different, act a little bit different, be different, they're still very valuable and being and being open to that with people.
Speaker 4:You know you can attract a whole wealth of talent to your organization by just being, you know, open to those facts. You know you can attract a whole wealth of talent to your organization by just being, you know, open to those facts. You know you haven't got to be, you know, cisgendered. You haven't got to be. You know you know a certain race or gender or anything. You know everyone is capable of bringing great things to an organization and people need to be open and aware for that. You know and not worry so much about. You know that they might be a different gender, different sex. You know they might be trans, they might be gay, they might be blacks, like latino, whatever it is yeah or whatever.
Speaker 4:You know, everyone can bring something unique and valuable to an organization and strengthen it.
Speaker 1:Yeah, and I'll even add to that, mina is that there's such a shortage, like we talk about this shortage of labor force that we have I wouldn't even say impending, I'm saying happening right now, whilst we're alive, whilst we're alive. And why would we exclude ourselves from amazing talent when it has? Nothing to do with the job involved. You know like it's. It just seems like at this point we need all hands on deck, all hands, I don't care what that hand's connected to. All hands on deck. You know what I mean it is.
Speaker 4:I mean you. You can, you know, wipe out the talents of a a lot of people if you say, oh, we're not gonna, we're not gonna employ from this group we're not gonna look at people from that group you know you're, you're really reducing the pool of people and talent that you can choose from. So I, you know, I, I think you know, for me, companies need to, you know, need to look at how, how they're doing things. What they're doing, you know, and if they haven't started their journey, start soon.
Speaker 1:You know because it is a long time. Yeah, and you, eric, how could you see what's being done at hypertherm as a template or as a prescription for another company in order to sort of follow the same path of inclusion?
Speaker 2:Yeah, you go onto the Hypertherm Associates website and the first thing that we showcase is the people, the people who work here and the, the assets that they bring to the company. Um, and I think that's that's. That's gotta be the biggest theme is the people come first, um, some other places that I've uh, um, uh been at or worked at. It's, it's it. It doesn't feel that way, but Hypertherm does it, uh, pretty genuinely.
Speaker 2:And, to piggyback off what Mina said, everyone's got something going on. Everyone's got something they're fighting or struggling with, whether it's substance abuse, whether it's mental disorders, whether it's finding their identity in the communities that they live in or the places that they work. Right, and Hypertherm um shows up in all of the different ways, um, through our support groups, uh, the, the the veterans group that we have, um the the owners with pride group, right Uh to to meet people where they are, in their own lives. Um, because, again, like Mina said, everyone has something to bring and uh, Hypertherm does it in a way where they show up to make sure that that's something that they have to bring is what is out and on display Um, so they can be successful. And uh, that's that's what I would love, uh, other companies to see, and I think right in the name Hypertherm Associates, which we kind of rebranded ourselves a couple of years ago to displays that front and center.
Speaker 1:Well, that's amazing and, you know, you hope that leaders are being noticed right and you hope that people realize that maybe sometimes the issues within their own company is their lack of diversity and inclusion, and perhaps they are putting themselves in a unfavorable position by simply being stubborn or old school. You know, that was one of the things that we were kind of hoping to talk about today, but the conversation didn't go that way because we're just having such a great conversation, but it was about, you know, in terms of how do we teach the outgoing generation, um, you know, like the older generation, about these changes happening in industry. I actually don't know if I care that much, to be honest, because it's like they're on their way out. I'd rather focus on the next generation and doing it right. You know so that 30 years from now, this is a non-issue. This is not a thing we're not having to worry about. You know, excluding people. It's just natural like, oh, skills-based, talent-based, good enough, right, yep.
Speaker 3:Absolutely.
Speaker 1:Yeah Well, thanks so much to the two of you for being on the show. Any last shout-outs for anybody that you'd like to send out, eric, is there anybody you'd like to say hi to or send a shout-out to, personal or organizational, whatever it is?
Speaker 2:Oh, my goodness. I guess I just want to give a shout-out to some of my co-workers who've definitely brought me to where I am today Mark Knoxova, curtis Boettcher, takeshi Yamamoto, john Petras, who've definitely brought me to where I am today, mark Knox over Curtis Betcher, takeshi Yamamoto, john Petrus all people that I've I've been working really closely with since the start here, and, of course, the lovely Mina Wheatley, who has been a guiding light in in my career as well, and she's the reason, to be frank, that I'm on the podcast today.
Speaker 1:That's great. And I don't know if you're going to be able to shake guiding light anymore. I mean, it's been used a couple times today. You might have that stuck on your business card the next time I see you.
Speaker 4:I know it's a little scary. You know I don't ever start out to sort of like try and have an impact on people. You know it's. I just try and do the right things and support and help people and, you know, do do the right things with people. But, like Eric, there's a lot of people I um, I can't even if, if I start listing names, I'm going to upset people by not listing there, but I think all the people out there know who they are. Eric's been a great person in my life and a great, you know, mark. You know he he's been great.
Speaker 4:But there's also, you know, kind of senior people within Hypertherm you know, who have been like, so supportive you know, and where we're trying to go with hypertherm, I think is a fantastic thing, um, and you know, I think that companies should really have a good look at you know how we operate, what we do, um, what we offer us. You know associates. You know and, as eric said, you know it really is. You know a people first thing, um, and if people can be their best selves and bring their best authentic selves, then they're going to do their best work and that's very important, I think, in our organization and others.
Speaker 1:That's amazing. Love it, love it. I love having you guys on the show. Thank you so much, really appreciate the time that you took to talk to me today. Absolute pleasure, max. Thank you so much, really appreciate the time that you took to talk to me today.
Speaker 4:Absolute pleasure, Max, Thank you. Thank you, Max. Thanks for having me back. It's been wonderful and I'm really looking forward to this going out.
Speaker 4:Yeah, we might have to make this a recurring thing here every year so I'm not against that yeah but it seems you know it's nice hearing you know there was good feedback from the last one and people you know kind of you should have pushed here. You should have asked this, I mean you know I'm always open and happy to talk about my experiences. You know, and how I see things, and you know I'm very open to us. You know answering questions and giving support when necessary.
Speaker 1:So well, and I think, on the other end of it, I'm always learning, and I think people need to be cognizant that you're always learning as an ally as well, because being an ally doesn't mean just saying you're an ally and, oh, I just love everybody. It's about knowing about what's expected saying you're an ally and oh, I just love everybody. It's about knowing about what's expected to be of an ally. You know there's there's times to help and there's also times to shut up and get out of the way. You know what I mean. Like there, there is, uh, a right way to be an ally, and it's also something I've. I'm learning, and even with you. You, like I said, before the podcast, from last podcast to this podcast, I learned things about how to do a Pride podcast. You know, because I also am learning and some of these things are not just obvious. You have to make mistakes to learn right. So well, thanks so much you both.
Speaker 1:Like I said, and for all the people that have been listening along, check out all the other podcasts we're going to be having coming out this month during Pride Month. Get out there, support your local Pride community. There's so much you can do across North America, different organizations. Just Google it. There's something cool in your local neighborhood. If there's a show, go check it out. If there's a DJ, go dancing. I've seen like pride themed cook parties and barbecues and there's something for everyone. There's something for everyone and just be visible, be strong, be a leader. We need it and it's good for the industry. We need more people in the industry and we need them from everywhere. So you know, make sure that you do the best you can to help the people around you and make everyone feel safe and comfortable. Until the next time, we'll catch you here on the CWB Association podcast. Take care. We hope you enjoy the show.
Speaker 3:Do you own a company in the welding industry or want to share a targeted message with our listeners? Then this 45 second audio ad space could be yours. We have the coolest listeners from all over the world, with over 60,000 downloads, and 88% are from North America. This podcast serves to educate and connect the welding community together and is available on all major platforms, including the CWB Group Network. If you are interested, reach out to info at cwbassociationorg. Look at that. I just gave you all of that information in only 45 seconds. You've been listening to the CWB Association Welding Podcast and if you enjoyed what you heard today or want to send us some questions to answer, you can text the show using the link in the episode description below. We can't wait to hear from you. Please subscribe or visit us at cwbassociationorg to learn more.