President’s Award Winner Heather Smith

Piedmont Maintenance and Engineering

Nomination: Heather has continuously advanced her career in her 10 years with Piedmont, earning experience in Warranty & Repair, Payroll and Records prior to entering her current role as Manager of Stores.  She continuously strives to advance the Company values of Caring, Compliance, Communication and Community.  She has worked to instill a culture of safety within the Stores department by obtaining OSHA certification, Environmental Coordinator and Transportation Safety training, and sharing her knowledge throughout everyday operations.  She has fostered an environment of teamwork by knowing and caring for every single one of her direct and indirect reporting employees.  She works diligently to instruct fellow team members on compliance with our MPP, contracts, handbooks, and regulations.  She looks for ways to assist other departments including Procurement, Planning and most importantly, Maintenance, to deliver the best product possible to our customers.  The results of Heather’s efforts have included a reduction in Stores Department employee turnover, improvement in parts availability and cost savings resulting from improved processes and better accountability.  As an example, Heather identified an opportunity for improved efficiency and better compliance in the Stores Department by using AirVault to capture our receiving paperwork which is required as proof of airworthiness of all of our parts.  She personally took ownership of the project to implement AirVault scanning for Stores which has resulted in improved record-keeping and efficient retrieval of documentation.

Aside from her detailed knowledge and constant promotion of our policies, Heather’s strongest quality is her leadership through caring.  I have observed how she takes the time to know employees on a personal level, showing true compassion for every individual.  She started this position managing bases with a myriad of personality and performance issues and has turned them into operations with pride in their work-product and a sense of team within and among bases.

Testimonials: 

“When Heather got hired, she had big shoes to fill and from her very first day she made the effort to build real relationships with all of us. I appreciate that she’s always given me the space to share my concerns and opinions without judgment. My favorite thing about her is that even though she’s in a manager role, she truly listens to my suggestions and takes them seriously. On a personal note, since learning the date of my mom’s anniversary [of her passing] four years ago, Heather has never missed sending me a message, even on weekends, just to let me know she’s thinking of me. Words can’t describe how much that means to me. I’m also going through something personal right now, and she has made it clear that on the days when work feels heavy or overwhelming, she’s one call away. If she hasn’t heard from me in a while, she even emails me to check in on my mental health. That kind of support means so much. Heather’s leadership, consistency, and compassion have made a noticeable difference, not just for me but for our station as a whole. I’m grateful to work under someone who truly brings out the best in all of us.”

“It is a pleasure to have Heather as our Stores Manager & all that she does is noticed. She came to us with her vision and we tried hard to live up to it. Heather is a caring manager that promotes unity & teamwork. Her leadership style has inspired me especially when I began to lose hope. She encourages us to think positively, especially when we are dealing with difficult dilemmas. Heather is always trying to get the best out of us and lets us know when we are doing an excellent job. I love how she acknowledges the challenging work her team is doing, which helps to build morale in our station. ”

“Heather has had such a positive influence on me and our entire Stores team. From day one, she’s shown what true leadership looks like, always willing to step in wherever she’s needed, never asking more of anyone than she’s willing to give herself. When I stepped into my role as supervisor, her trust and steady support gave me the confidence to grow into the position and push myself to do better every day. There was a point when I faced a health scare that made me question whether I could continue in my role. Heather’s encouragement and understanding gave me the strength to stay and the courage to believe that I could not only overcome what I was facing but continue to be a valuable part of her team. That simple act of kindness meant more than she probably realizes and showed the depth of her character. That kind of compassion and leadership is rare. It made all the difference for me, both personally and professionally. Heather leads with integrity, accountability, and genuine care. She’s created an environment where teamwork, efficiency, safety, and mutual respect are at the heart of everything we do.”

“Heather was one of the first people I met during my interview process and she made me feel at home, coming from a military background. She is always a phone call or email away when I am faced with a challenging situation. Heather promotes unity through teamwork. She challenges me to look at the operation and evaluate where deficiencies are and train employees to be stronger and more confident in their abilities. Heather can multitask and assign complex projects with enough direction to feel empowered yet supported. She leads by example.”