2023 Top Women in HVAC: Christina Spalding

Originally published by ACHR News

Christina Spalding

Title: Americas Marketing Manager Automotive Refrigerants and Specialties

Company: Chemours

Educational Experience: B.S. in Chemical Engineering, University of South Carolina

Industry Work Experience: I began my working career as an engineer and then operations leader before transitioning into refrigerant sales. My first role in the HVACR industry was in sales for the refrigerants aftermarket distribution network, covering the western half of the U.S. I worked with wholesale distributors, contractors, and end users in both a/c and commercial refrigeration, helping to transition away from ozone-depleting substances. In 2018, I moved into a national accounts role to focus on the transition to lower-GWP refrigerants. After almost 20 years in sales roles, I shifted to marketing in a business development role to focus on commercial refrigeration and retail.

In 2021, I made a bit of a shift within marketing to focus on the automotive a/c market. The great thing about HVACR is that comfort cooling is needed in multiple applications, and I was able to leverage my skills to jump in and learn about the mobile side of our refrigerants business. Today, I am the Americas Marketing Manager for Automotive AC (OEM & Aftermarket), and I support both North and South America as the mobile industry transitions to ultra-low-GWP refrigerants.

What caused you to/when did you enter the HVACR industry?

Prior to my first HVACR sales role, I was an account manager in our specialties segment. I had already established strong skills and experience in sales, and when an opening came up to shift to refrigerant sales, I jumped at it. Entering the HVACR industry has been one of the best decisions that I have made in my career.

What has been the most rewarding aspect of working in HVACR?

Hands down the most rewarding aspect is the people that I have been privileged to work with over the course of my career. In my 30-plus-year career, over 25 of those years have been supporting HVACR. This industry has exceptionally talented, dedicated, and knowledgeable people supporting it. There are many professional accomplishments that I could point to, but in reality, those accomplishments are achieved by working with stakeholders throughout the value chain — internal to Chemours and external as it relates to customers and end users.

Describe the proudest moment in your career.

I think I am most proud of my career arch. When I graduated from college with a degree in chemical engineering, I imagined that I would work at a plant site for most of my career. Stepping out of my comfort zone and moving into customer-facing roles opened a wealth of opportunities and exposure to different career paths. From there, I moved into HVACR and contributed at very high levels in sales, marketing, business development, marketing communications, etc. Having those experiences with a focus on refrigerants, I have been able to partner with industry stakeholders to transition away from ozone-depleting refrigerants and help move the industry to lower and lower-GWP refrigerants. 

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