Number of employees you oversee: ~100 full-time employees in my Engineering & Technology Business Unit.

John Hayfield with his wife Amy and their two dogs, Pearl and Hazel.

Brief background about your career. 

Chemical engineer, Washington State University (1987). Westinghouse Hanford Company/B&W Hanford Company for 12 years including operations manager, PUREX facility during reprocessing. Moved into the private sector in 1999 as a business executive for several companies (Polestar Applied Technology, NuVision Engineering, Mid-Columbia Engineering, URS/AECOM) and for the last 8+ years leading the Engineering & Technology (E&T) Business Unit for AtkinsRéalis in the U.S. Nuclear Group.

What drew you to AtkinsRéalis? 

I joined AtkinsRéalis in 2017 and was given the opportunity to lead the E&T unit within our U.S. Nuclear Group. Our E&T team pursues and engages in solving some of the most interesting and complex engineering and technology challenges across the U.S. and internationally. 

What are your top priorities for the remainder of 2025?  

First and foremost, I’m very focused on continuing to provide our customers with outstanding quality products and services. Secondly, continuing to grow our business as my business unit is experiencing excellent growth thus far this year (>20%) and have successfully brought exceptional talent on board. 

How does AtkinsRéalis foster a culture of innovation across such a large and diverse organization?  

It starts at the very top of our corporation with consistent commitment and communication of our corporate theme, “Engineering a Better Future for Our Planet and its People.” We are steadfastly committed to finding the best solution for our customers. In fact, innovation is one of the five core values of AtkinsRéalis. 

What are some of the biggest growth opportunities you see for AtkinsRéalis in the next five to 10 years? 

We are a global company with more than 38,000 employees in 50+ countries and 130 nationalities – thus we are focused on several global markets. That said, one of the most exciting and important opportunities for our services is the expansion of new nuclear power reactors worldwide and the continued opportunity to bring innovative solutions to the nuclear cleanup market in the U.S. and internationally for commercial and government clients. 

Specifically for my E&T Business Unit here in Richland, we feel there is tremendous opportunity to continue and expand our engineering and technology services in Richland along with furthering our footprint throughout the U.S., particularly throughout the rest of our nation’s U.S. Department of Energy sites in Tennessee, Idaho, South Carolina and elsewhere. 

How do you future-proof your organization in such a rapidly changing tech landscape?  

We consider ourselves leaders in technology and innovation and strive to stay in front of the advances in technology and how these advances can be applied and implemented to meet our customers’ needs. It’s really a culture we live each day to make every effort to promote and support across our employee base to propel us into the future. 

What do you see as the biggest challenges facing AtkinsRéalis today?  

Certainly, one of the most recent challenges facing our entire industry is a limited talent pipeline to meet the known and future demands. The nuclear industry, in general, has an aging workforce and we need to reverse this curve to foster a growing pool of talent. We are looking to do this through partnering with universities and colleges, providing scholarships and internships, early career hiring and skills development programs. 

What scientific or technological advancement are you personally most excited about?  

We are implementing a state-of-the-art “immersive space” in our AtkinsRéalis Technology Center to employ an advanced digital approach to design engineering and project management. Additionally, my E&T team is taking on the challenge of how to accomplish nuclear cleanup more safely and efficiently by using robots and remote technologies, thereby reducing the need for human workers to be in these potentially hazardous environments. 

What is one characteristic that you believe every leader should possess?  

Obviously, there are many characteristics that are important to be a great leader, but if I must narrow it down to one, I’d say having a clear vision of where you’re trying to take the business and an ability to communicate that vision to fellow employees. 

What advice would you give someone going into a leadership position for the first time?  

Pursue a mentor or several mentors who can offer up insights, experience and sage advice to weave into your own experiences and style. 

Who are your role models or mentors and why?  

I had several role models as a young engineer that instilled in me the drive to know as much as you possibly can know about the details of your business – whether it is plant equipment, business systems, competitors, etc. – know it better than anyone. Later, as I took on executive roles within several companies, I had one key mentor – Jack DeVine. Jack constantly challenged me to improve every day, in just about every facet of life and business. He’s easily the No. 1 mentor in my life. 

How do you keep your employees motivated?  

There are lots of things that leaders lean on to motivate employees, but I think the top one is to make sure you are doing work that is IMPORTANT. If you’re doing something that is truly important, the other potential motivators tend to fall into the background. 

How did you decide to pursue the career that you are working in today?  

Candidly, even though I graduated in chemical engineering, I always knew I was most interested in being a business leader and entrepreneur, thus my shift into leadership and business growth positions. 

How do you measure success in your workplace?  

Obviously in our world, there are almost always going to be financial metrics that will be assessed and important in business, but if our workforce focuses more on accomplishing important things and enjoying their roles, success will follow. My mantra tends to be, “Nothing succeeds like success.” 

What do you consider your leadership style to be?  

Simply put, “Open and transparent with high expectations.” 

Tell us about your family, and how you balance work and family life.  

I am married to the love of my life, Amy. I have two sons, Rob and Riley, a stepdaughter Katy and our two dogs, Pearl and Hazel. Honestly, over the span of more than 35 years, I feel I’ve done an excellent job of maintaining work-life balance despite flying over 3 million miles. Everyone has probably heard the saying, “I work to live; I don’t live to work.” I’d say I fall in the middle of this as I love my work but love to live my life with my family and friends as well! 

What do you like to do when you are not at work?  

Spend time with my family, and I love to golf and travel – traveling to play golf is the ultimate! 

What’s your best time management strategy?  

Every rule seems to have an exception, but I try to commit certain hours of the day throughout the week to work and then shut it down and focus on all the other priorities outside of work. 

Best tip to relieve stress?  

These days I find taking my two Frenchton dogs, Pearl and Hazel, for energetic walks works very well for me. 

What’s your most-used app? 

I would say that by far my most-used app is YouTube, watching cooking videos. Cooking is an absolute passion of mine and there are some incredible chefs and techniques out there that I can’t get enough of!! 

Do you have a personal mantra, phrase or quote you like to use?  

As I mentioned earlier, I really subscribe to the quote, “Nothing succeeds like success.” Define what success is, achieve that and then continue to build on that success and future successes going forward.