Nebraska Women in STEM talked to Nancy Pridal about her journey to becoming president and CEO of Lamp Rynearson.
Nancy Pridal, the president and CEO of Lamp Rynearson, didn’t start off with a career in engineering. She had children at a young age and stayed home with them before going back to school.
“I think I was so motivated because in the middle of college I got divorced and became a single parent. This made me driven to get done [with school] and succeed because I needed to provide for my family,” said Pridal.
When she decided to return to school, Pridal initially decided to become a math teacher. Life took her down another path.
“I was sitting in calculus classes and heard the other students, mostly young men, talking about engineering, which sparked my interest in it. That’s what put me onto the engineering path,” Pridal explains.
Pridal went on to attend the University of Nebraska Omaha College of Engineering, which opened her eyes to the endless possibilities engineering offered. Balancing the tasks of being a working single parent and student was a lot for Pridal, but she found the right balance to meet her needs.
While in school, Pridal was working for a real estate company and was connected to Lamp Rynearson, an Omaha-based engineering company, whose CEO suggested she talk to Paula Wells, a fellow woman in the industry who had launched her own engineering firm. When Pridal entered Wells’ office, she was stuck by the sight of Cabbage Patch Kids lining her shelves. Wells explained how she and her husband adopted many children, and she was raising her family while running an engineering company.
“This was inspiring to me because I thought that the main thing that would limit me is that I’m a single mom with two kids. Seeing her talk about what can be possible really opened my eyes and made me realize I could do that too,” explained Pridal.
Once Pridal finished school, she began taking on different engineering projects to improve her skills and advance her career. During most of the projects she managed, she found herself as the only woman in the room.
While in the engineering workforce, people would tell Pridal they were surprised at how well she did on her assignments, but did not offer the same shock when men performed well. “They would say to me ‘Wow, you did great!’ and I would reply, ‘Of course I did, it’s my job!’,” said Pridal.
Pridal ignored a lot these discrepancies, maintained a positive attitude, and over time noticed that not everyone underestimated her talent. Ultimately, she worked her way up to become the president and CEO of Lamp Rynearson.
Becoming the CEO was a long, hard-fought journey for Pridal, but she wouldn’t change it for the world. “I got here by continuing to raise my hand to opportunities, taking on different assignments, and by having a real passion for leadership,” explained Pridal.
For Pridal, being CEO has been an amazing opportunity for her to showcase her top skills, including her degree in engineering and a master’s degree in organizational leadership that she later received. “I like being an engineer, but being CEO gives me a chance to apply my strengths differently, and I wouldn’t have it any other way.”
As a leader, one of Pridal’s biggest goals is to create a space that will allow others to succeed. “I like creating an environment that’s different and inclusive. I also always look for the best in people, by creating an environment where people can show up and perform their best,” Pridal explained. “This allows everyone to accomplish great things together.”