Insights on Leading the HVAC and Smart Building Controls Industry with Sarah Monteleone, President of Controls Group North America
As the HVAC and smart building controls industry continues to evolve, it’s essential to hear from leaders like Sarah Monteleone, the President of Controls Group North America. Sarah’s tenure in the industry began at Functional Devices, where she developed her passion and expertise in controls and leadership.
Today, her presence is felt throughout the industry as she leads one of the most prominent groups of HVAC and smart building control distributors and manufacturers, Controls Group North America.
In this episode of ControlTalk Now, Sarah share insights and wisdom as we discuss leadership, industry trends, and the competitive market.
Sarah Monteleone’s journey in the controls industry started over two decades ago. After gaining experience at Functional Devices, she took on leadership roles at different companies, culminating with her appointment as President of Controls Group North America. When asked about the skills required to lead such a diverse group of accomplished individuals, Sarah shared that consistent communication, adapting to changing dynamics, and being an active listener are critical.
The HVAC and smart building controls industry is vibrant, with innovations emerging regularly. Sarah acknowledged that it’s her job to stay abreast of these trends and ensure that her group is well-positioned to advance with the industry. She noted that cloud-based technology, data analytics, and artificial intelligence are some of the trends that are transforming the industry. It’s critical to continuously educate yourself on the developments, stay a few steps ahead, and ensure you’re providing the best solution to customers.
In a highly competitive market, selling smart building controls can have its difficulties – this is a challenge that Sarah has faced throughout her career. Sarah highlighted that while the importance and benefits of HVAC and smart building controls are clear, it can still be challenging to get clients to commit to a specific product. Therefore, regardless of how innovative the product is, it’s critical to understand the customers’ needs and available budgets.
Despite these challenges, Sarah encourages companies to set ambitious goals and persevere in achieving them. She shared that Controls Group North America has actively invested in online and offline marketing to raise their profile and bring attention to their unique offerings. Partnering with industry thought leaders, keeping up-to-date with relevant trade shows, and consistently improving product offerings have also contributed to their recognition.
Sarah Monteleone is a respected industry leader, and her exceptional leadership skills and industry knowledge have helped the Controls Group North America positioning within the HVAC and smart building controls industry. Her insights have become invaluable to listeners, ranging from technical salespeople to CMOs, and sales managers. As discussed above, consistent communication, being an active listener, staying on top of emerging trends, and identifying customer needs are crucial steps for leaders to position their organization for sustainable success. It’s an exciting time for the HVAC and smart building controls industry, and innovation and evolution will continue to shape the industry further.
We look forward to more valuable insights from industry thought leaders like Sarah Monteleone.
