Portland HVAC Technician Returns to National Championship, Once Again the Field’s Only Woman

PORTLAND, Ore.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Robin Cutshall, a 27-year-old service technician at Columbia NW Heating & Air Conditioning, will return to the 2025 ServiceTitan Elite Trades HVAC National Championship Oct. 8-10 in West Palm Beach, Florida. Last year, she finished among the top 10 apprentice finalists as the only woman in the field.

"Robin knows what she's doing," Cameron Raab, 2024 second-place finisher, told ServiceTitan. "If I was going to watch someone to gauge how I did, she was a good one.”

The Elite Trades Championship Series brings together the nation’s most skilled technicians and apprentices to test their expertise under real-world pressure. Cutshall is returning with a renewed drive to win.

"I've done it once, so I know what to expect,” she said. “Training with my team at SEER has made all the difference."

Building Excellence in Others: What sets Cutshall apart is how she elevates everyone around her. During her first SEER Training Institute session, she spread flashcards across a hotel table and led late-night study groups for fellow trainees reviewing EPA certification concepts.

"If everyone looks good, we all win," she said.

Jason Nygren, who trained Cutshall at SEER, said her technical precision and collaborative approach make her a standout. "She doesn't just want to be the best. She wants to raise the bar for everyone around her."

That precision and persistence earned her a national ranking and confidence heading into 2025.

Times Have Changed: Since last year's competition, Cutshall has become a face of change in the industry. Her sister’s child recently announced plans to follow her into the trades, and when she enters customers’ homes, women often tell her, “Times have changed.”

"I felt very honored," Cutshall said.

Women make up just 3% of HVAC technicians (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2024).

"The biggest misconception is that you have to walk on eggshells around us," Cutshall said. "Those days are past. We figure it out, just like anyone else."

Her advice to young women considering the trades: “Why not? Why wouldn’t you?”

Her plans if she wins? "Talk to an accountant, plan that hut-to-hut trip to the Dolomites, then get back to work showing others why this trade is worth it.”

About SEER Training Institute

The SEER Group LLC is a collection of HVAC, electrical, and plumbing companies providing exceptional service and enriching communities. The SEER Training Institute provides comprehensive HVAC technical training focused on collaboration and real-world excellence.