There are a handful of women who are particularly noteworthy as shining examples of what it means to be a leader in the business world, where success is often taken as a testament to tenacity, courage, and creativity. Among the remarkable women making waves is Lisa Konnry ,a true inspiration that captures the curiosity of professionals and businesses together.

Lisa is an accomplished leader with a proven sales and leadership success and 18+ years of leadership experience. She has built efficient teams in sales and management to grasp market opportunities and drive growth across all business lines. Lisa oversees an entire organization with unwavering commitment and dedication in the key position of President and CEO of Schindler Elevator Corporation in Canada.

Lisa’s career path is evidence of her visionary approach and unwavering pursuit of excellence. She commenced her journey in the elevator industry shortly after completing her university education. At that time, she stood as one of the few female account managers within the company she worked for back then. Lisa’s career progressed step by step, taking her from positions in general management and sales management to a position as vice president of Eastern Canada. She then moved into an elevator consulting role. Lisa acquired a distinctive viewpoint by joining a nationwide consulting agency, which allowed her to have a first-hand view of the advantages and disadvantages of different elevator companies. Lisa has been in her current role as President at Schindler Canada, for more than six years, and she has assembled a team of high performing employees to achieve new heights at Schindler Canada. She sets an example for her team members by reinforcing her core values, embracing shared goals, and encouraging their personal growth.

Schindler Elevator Corporation

Founded in 1874 in Lucerne, Switzerland, by precision engineer Robert Schindler, it is a closely held company listed on the Swiss stock exchange. Schindler manufactures, installs, maintains and modernizes mobility solutions for almost every type of building worldwide. The company specializes in latest-technology engineering, as well as mechanical and micro-technology products designed and rigorously tested for comfort, efficiency and reliability.

Schindler is a leading provider of sustainable and smart urban mobility. Together with its customers, Schindler helps organize cities: by moving people and goods and connecting vertical and horizontal transportation systems. The company engineers vertical mobility to make urban spaces more comfortable, inclusive, and sustainable, and has been pioneering new technologies and driving innovation since its inception.

The North American operating division of the Switzerland-based Schindler Group is called Schindler Elevator Corporation, and it has its U.S. headquarters in Morristown, New Jersey and Canadian headquarters in Toronto, Ontario.

At present, Schindler is actively managing 160+ facilities across North America with a team of more than 6,000 dedicated employees. In North America, Schindler products are present in a wide variety of well-known structures, including office buildings, airports, retail stores, and specialty buildings.

The Genesis of Lisa Konnry – As a Strong, Dynamic Business Leader

Lisa’s primary motivation for approaching the sector was her profound fascination with its technologies. It is the constant evolution and focus on solutions that really appeal to her. She understands how important mobile solutions are to the riding public. Due to the inherent challenges of the sector, it is imperative to promptly adjust and uphold a customer-centric strategy.

Lisa stands out not only because of her extraordinary achievements but also because she is determined to inspire others in the process. As an enthusiastic techpreneur, she actively promotes innovation by sharing her knowledge and inspiring others to use the latest techniques. Her distinctive approach to leadership is based on creativity, growth, empathy, teamwork, and creating a supportive work atmosphere that values diversity and promotes original thought.

Blueprint to Success: A Confluence of Courage, Confidence, and Determination 

Lisa is a phenomenal leader who personifies determination and perseverance. The key components that have supported Lisa’s professional trajectory are her steadfast dedication to lifelong learning, her relentless curiosity and self-discipline, and the excitement of the journey of being a leader in the elevator sector. A key facet of success is embracing victories and defeats as invaluable learning experiences. Success entails bravery, confidence, and determination. Keeping a sense of humor is helpful in handling difficult situations. Rewarding oneself and celebrating accomplishments can be a source of inspiration when facing challenges.

Diversity and Inclusion at Schindler

Schindler’s cultivation of diversity and inclusiveness is a natural endeavor for Lisa. She is highly driven to find the best candidates for every position and strives for continuous improvement. With their unique and different viewpoints, diverse teams at Schindler work well together and are essential to ongoing success and learning and development.

Leading the way in this area is Schindler Canada, which has an impressive 43% of women in executive positions and 38% in senior positions.

Our performance measures demonstrate our dedication to gender diversity, as we routinely outperform our key performance indicators (KPIs). We fully accept diversity in all its forms, not just differences in terms of gender.

Lisa believes this strategy guarantees equal opportunity for promotion while drawing in and keeping the best talent.

Empowering Women to Ride the Success Ladder

Lisa, an accomplished leader with tremendous success in her professional endeavors believes the elevator industry is very competitive and currently dominated by men, making it hard for women to carve out a place for themselves.

The first step in encouraging women to take on leadership roles is to make a deliberate effort to expand their representation in the talent pool. Two crucial elements in offering valuable advice and assistance are sponsorship and mentoring. Career and personal development are greatly aided by receiving regular, constructive feedback. Women need encouragement, support, and genuine sponsorship when they take on leadership roles because they serve as role models for others.

Preventing “glass cliff” assignments and making sure that women succeed in leadership roles are crucial.

Comprehensive Measures to Tackle the Gender Pay Gap

Eliminating the gender pay gap is an easy way to address the issue. They have implemented extensive strategies to eliminate any pay inequalities based on gender. Even though it might take a few years to finish, the commitment to eliminating this injustice is unwavering and will continue until the problem is resolved.

Recognizing the Need for Change – Lisa’s Point of View

Within our industry, my aspirations focus on the enhanced representation of women. Women at all levels of engagement in the elevator industry can only contribute to the extremely rich and demanding profession that this industry offers.

Sailing through Tides and Waves

The primary obstacles facing the industry stem from unconscious biases, wherein there is a presumption that men are more qualified for the work and have a greater positive impact on profit and loss (P&L). At the same time, there’s a belief that because of the industry’s perceived male dominance, women would have difficulty moving up to senior positions. By aggressively challenging these preconceived notions, Schindler Canada is able to draw elite talent. Further, having Lisa at the helm showcases the team’s dedication to diversity and inclusion by creating a welcoming and upbeat environment.

Envisioning a Thriving Journey Ahead

Lisa reveals that five years down the road, she would like to focus on thinking ambitiously and aiming for the highest goals on a personal and professional level. She firmly embraces the adage, “Aim for the moon and land among the stars.” A belief in one’s capabilities and a resolute commitment to this belief pave the way for a bright future. She encourages her team to foster a similar mindset by emphasizing that belief translates into achievement, a principle that has proven true in the journey thus far. At the moment, Lisa is leaving her mark for future leadership by serving as a mentor and sponsor for women both within and outside of Schindler in Canada and overseas. Last but not least, “she wishes to leave a legacy that will help and encourage future generations of female leaders to reach higher positions.”