In 2023, although the construction and manufacturing industries are still dominated by men, you wouldn’t know it by looking at the Power Systems Service leadership team. Together, the six women who currently occupy leadership roles within the division are defying statistics and breaking barriers.
Leah Graff (St. Augustine PSD Division Service Manager) got her start in power systems service when she demonstrated mechanical proficiency on the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery test in high school and joined the U.S. Navy as an engineman. Because she found she really enjoyed the challenge of working on diesel engines, Leah joined Ring Power in 1998 after her stint in the Navy. Starting off as Marine Field Service Tech II in 1998, she transitioned to the role of Generator Shop Tech II the following year and Generator and Industrial Field Service Supervisor in 2000. Prior to her current post, Leah has held a variety of Power Systems positions, including CSA Coordinator, Major Accounts Supervisor, and Rental Fleet Service Supervisor.
Ginger Hernandez (Tampa Electric Power Generation Field Service and Industrial Shop Supervisor) began her career 40 years ago working for an industrial air company, where she handled billing, scheduling, and customer service for several years. 
When one of the technicians left to go work for his father-in-law’s compressed air business, he asked Ginger to join him in the service department. There, as she started gaining more knowledge about the industry functions and applications, she was able to move into roles in inside sales, warehouse management and inventory control. Eager to apply her knowledge and experience, Ginger readily accepted a PSSR position for yet another air compressor company prior to joining Ring Power. For the past 21 years, she has worked in our Power Systems division, starting off in marine billing and then advancing into the industrial and power generation service sectors.
Candice Albers (St. Augustine Industrial Generator Shop Leadperson) previously owned a diesel and automotive repair shop but mainly worked in an administrative role. She helped out in the shop as much as she could, but never really had the chance to learn or do as much as she wanted. She moved to Florida in 2016, and in 2021 she found the opportunity she’d been looking for: learning to service generators as an apprentice technician in St. Augustine.
Charlotte Watts (St. Augustine PSD Major Accounts Supervisor), like Leah Graff, also began her career in the U.S. Navy. When she returned to civilian life, she brought the electrical knowledge and experience she had gained working on helicopters to a new career at Ring Power in the Power Systems division. Starting off as a field service PM technician in 2019, Charlotte quickly advanced to Service Estimator before being promoted to Major Accounts Supervisor in 2022.
Linette Fleckenstein (Tampa PSD Service Manager) began her Ring Power career as an administrative assistant for Power Systems in 2019.
In 2020, she accepted the position of Truck Shop Foreman before taking on her current role in 2022.
“I would encourage women interested in a career in the industry to be curious, to start asking questions and to put themselves out there. It is all about dedication and hard work.” – Linette Fleckenstein (Tampa PSD Service Manager)
Jessica Langston (Tallahassee/Lake City PSD Service Supervisor) had previously worked in the roofing industry, also a male-dominated industry.
With her mechanical inclination and a solid foundation, Ring Power seemed like a good fit, so she joined our company as Service Administrator for the Truck Shop and Generator departments before transitioning to the role of Field Service Dispatcher in 2016.
Any career offers challenges, but this powerful group take pride, especially as women, in their ability to work as part of a team to solve problems and meet our customers’ needs. When asked what they would say to other women considering a career in the industry, all agreed. Ask questions, learn, work hard, and don’t be afraid to follow your dreams.