Melissa Torres

Director of Fire Systems Maintenance

Hanford Mission Integration Solutions

Age: 33

Current city of residence: West Richland

Briefly describe your company:

Hanford Mission Integration Solutions, or HMIS, serves as a site integrator for the One Hanford cleanup mission. HMIS is responsible for providing Hanford site services, including adequate and reliable water, power, road maintenance, information technology, safeguards and security, sitewide safety standards, training and countless more integrated services and deliverables across the Hanford site. 

How long have you worked there? 

I have worked for HMIS for more than two years and have held the role of director of fire systems maintenance for the last 10 months. 

Education: Please list any degrees and professional certifications. 

• Bachelor of Applied Science, project management.
• Master of Business Administration, information technology management. 

Briefly describe your job and how you got into it: 

After working as a construction project manager for HMIS for more than a year, I was approached with the opportunity by my senior management to step into a leadership role as the director of fire systems maintenance. In this role, I manage a dynamic team of 45+ employees comprised of managers, professional staff and craft personnel responsible for inspection, testing and maintenance of fire suppression and alarm systems across the Hanford site. The opportunity to serve as director came after demonstrated success in managing several projects, including upgrading critical infrastructure for the Hanford site water distribution system. While my current role is not something I applied or competed for, it demonstrates that your next opportunity may surprise you and that you may be interviewing for your next position without even realizing it by the way you conduct yourself in your current role. That is why it is important to always act with integrity and professionalism and to treat every day, interaction or meeting like it’s a job interview or opportunity to showcase your skills, leadership and abilities.

Tell us about your first job. 

I began my career at the Hanford site via an internship in project controls with Washington Closure Hanford, WCH, where I supported large-scale environmental remediation projects across the river corridor. While I began as an intern, WCH hired me directly after a few months to continue working for the company while I finished my degree. During my time at WCH, I supported several waste site remediation projects, including a cleanup project at the old Hanford firing range that consisted of the removal, detonation and disposal of unexploded ordinances (UXOs). At one point during my internship, I also participated in the planting of native plant species across the site as part of an agreement with local stakeholders and regulatory agencies to allow remediation of a particular waste site. As a closure contract, there was a lot of turnover and attrition as people pursued their next job or retirement, which led to several opportunities to step up and take on additional work from which I could learn more about the industry and develop new skills. It was through these opportunities that I learned a great deal about Hanford history and got to develop many of the skills I still use today. 

What advice would you give to your younger self about achieving success? 

Success and professional growth are not always linear. Understand that just because you are not stepping up and/or forward in roles and new positions that does not mean you are not learning and gaining valuable skills and experience that will make you a better leader and/or manager or will make you better prepared for your next opportunity. Growth is most often found outside of one’s comfort zone. 

What was your dream job as a child? 

As a child, I wanted to be a chef. I always had a passion for cooking, something I gained from my dad who is an excellent cook. Growing up, we would often have cook-off challenges at home to see who could come up with the best dish. Cooking is something I still enjoy doing today and enjoy experimenting with new recipes and hosting family and friends for homemade meals. 

What or who most influenced your career path or leadership style? This could be a book, class, person, etc. 

The person who most influenced my career path and leadership style is my long-term mentor, Jim Castleberry. I met Jim nearly nine years ago, shortly after starting my Hanford career. From the moment I began working with Jim as a project controls analyst, he took the time to learn of my interests and career goals and made it a point to make opportunities for growth and development available to me. Jim always led with the mindset that you should open the door for people and give them the opportunity to step through that doorway and demonstrate their abilities. He saw potential and opened the door so that I could step forward and pursue my goals to be a project manager at the time. Jim was known for doing this with his project controls analyst and quickly gained notoriety with what became known as his “Springboard to Greatness,” which embodied the transition many project controls analysts would make into project management under his mentorship. Jim quickly became a trusted mentor and one of the biggest advocates of my career and development. He immediately made scope available to me to take charge and begin managing so that I could work toward my goal of becoming a project manager as part of my broader career ambitions. It was through this experience that I learned many lessons and grew into the leader I am today. 

Jim always leads with compassion, continually lifts up others around him, serves humbly and routinely provides sage advice. I had the distinct pleasure of working with Jim for several years at Washington River Protection Solutions and subsequently working for him at HMIS. Over the years, our professional bond has turned into that of a lasting friendship and one that has coined us the term “work dad” and “work daughter.” 

While Jim will often say he didn’t do anything to contribute to the success I’ve had in my life, I know I would not be where I am today without his mentorship and support. Jim has been an excellent leader and one of the biggest advocates in my career. 

As I’ve recently stepped into a leadership role, I often aim to embody Jim and the many lessons he has taught me through the decisions I make and think of the impact he has had on my life as I think about the impact I can have on others. 

I once came across a quote that said, “Always remember that leadership is a privilege. When you’re in a leadership role, your influence may affect the trajectories of people’s entire careers (and often their lives)!” 

Jim is the embodiment of this quote through his leadership and has affected not only the trajectory of my career but also of my life. It is through his model of leadership that I strive to serve my own team as a leader. 

What would be your top three priorities to make our community a better place? 

• Invest in local youth and their development.
• Promote community education about the rich history the Tri-Cities holds.
• Encourage community involvement through service to maintain many of the wonderful local resources the Tri-Cities has to offer that are available to the public.

Tell us about your community involvement/community service: 

As a child, my mother worked for the Bremerton Chamber of Commerce, and I would often go to work with her and would frequently volunteer for various charitable and community events. It was through this upbringing that I first developed my love for volunteerism and passion for giving back to and investing in my local community. 

Since coming to the Tri-Cities, I have continued my passion for volunteering by participating in local community events and organizations, as well as through serving in various board positions.

Currently, I serve as the elected vice chair for Columbia Basin College Advisory Board for the Project Management Program, which is an advisory board comprised of industry representatives tasked with advising leadership for the college’s globally-accredited Project Management program on curriculum development, program reaccreditation, graduate readiness for job placement, as well as alumni and community engagement.

Under my previous employer, WRPS, I also volunteered as a board member for the WRPSpeed employee engagement organization responsible for improving employee relationships, development and retention through community outreach and networking events.

In addition to volunteering in various board positions, I enjoy participating in local fundraisers to support organizations such as the Tri-Cities Cancer Center Foundation, Columbia Basin College Foundation and Columbia Ability Alliance (formerly Columbia Industries) and participate in local outreach events through Bikes for Tikes, Friends of Badger Mountain, Rebuilding Mid-Columbia, school STEM outreach, and local events in the running community. 

I especially love giving back to the running community and volunteering in local events and races, with the most recent being the Badger Mountain Challenge race. Volunteering at these events is such a wonderful experience to encourage and celebrate people who are pushing themselves to new limits and is such an inspiration to witness. 

If you had unlimited time, what volunteer work would you be interested in doing? 

I would love to volunteer and give back to the youth in my local community. There are so many children who do not have the support systems and guidance to help them build their confidence and to excel and reach their full potential in life. I would love to help children find their voice and direct their skills and energy toward constructive outlets and opportunities for growth that help them maintain a mindset that anything is achievable if they set their minds to it. There are so many who invested in me throughout my life who helped nurture my potential and supported my goals, even through times that I struggled to find the confidence, and I hope to repay that through my lifetime. 

How do you achieve work-life balance? 

I achieve work-life balance by intentionally making time to continue to pursue my hobbies and passions in life. This comes in the form of scheduling time for my hobbies and making a commitment to myself that I will make time for them. This includes scheduling time every Tuesday evening to work on my oil paintings with a group of fellow artists, as well as scheduling Thursday evenings to participate in weekly runs with the local running community. 

I believe it is important to maintain a healthy work-life balance and do things to invest in your personal enrichment and development just as much as one’s professional growth and development. Balancing between creative and active outlets in my life helps offset some of the skills more frequently used in the workplace and allows me to recharge and tackle work challenges with a fresh mind. 

List any awards/honors you have received: 

Environmental Service Award from the Washington State Department of Ecology. Received for supporting cleanup efforts through statistical analysis of groundwater samples beneath Hanford tank farms. 

Do you have family? Pets? 

I’m fortunate enough to come from a big family with three older sisters and one older brother who’ve introduced 12 nieces and nephews to the family. With half of my family living either in the Tri-Cities or surrounding area, we are fortunate to be able to spend quality time together participating in soccer practice for the kids, holiday celebrations and routine family dinners. In addition to my family, I also have a 4-year-old golden retriever named Reggie. He is a sweet puppy who loves playing fetch and going for runs with me any chance he gets. 

What brought you to the Tri-Cities? Did you grow up here? 

My family and I moved to the Tri-Cities from Port Orchard more than 20 years ago after my dad retired from the Navy and accepted a job working for Energy Northwest. While I’m not native to the Tri-Cities, I have spent the majority of my life here and consider it home.

What’s your dream vacation? 

Backpacking through Europe and experiencing new parts of the world just as the locals do! I love traveling and the perspective it gives on life and into different parts of the world and different cultures. It teaches you an appreciation for what you have and opens your mind to different philosophies and ways of life. 

Planner or procrastinator? 

Planner. I love Excel and use it often at work and in organizing my life. Chances are, if I have a plan for something, there is usually an Excel spreadsheet not far behind. 

Introvert or extrovert? 

I consider myself an extrovert and am fueled by social interaction. I love getting to know new people and to learn their personal stories. 

First car? 

My first car was a 1997 Oldsmobile Achieva nicknamed “Goldie” for its color that I drove for eight years. I bought the car for $1,200 cash from a family friend when I turned 16 and drove it until I graduated college with my Bachelor of Applied Science in project management. 

The car came with many challenges, including check engine/low coolant lights that were always on, oil leaks, strange noises, only one working window (thankfully it was the driver’s side window), and no functioning air conditioning. The lack of air conditioning and only one functioning window was especially challenging during my summer internship at WCH, where I drove approximately an hour to work every day to one of the furthest points on site, near the 100-D reactor in 100+ degree weather. 

Since I paid for college out of pocket through working in restaurants and eventually through my internship and employment at WCH, I was determined to make this car last until I could get through college. 

About one week after making my final tuition payment, good ol’ Goldie encountered a crack in the exhaust manifold, which required costly repairs and so it became time to retire the car and purchase my next vehicle. 

Favorite thing to do in Tri-Cities? 

I love participating in the local running community, whether through group runs, races, and/or volunteering. It is a great community of positive, inspiring and supportive people and serves as a great way to experience the Tri-Cities and all that it has to offer. 

What would people be most surprised to learn about you? 

People would be most surprised to learn that I was technically a high school dropout. While in high school, I pursued the Running Start program through Columbia Basin College, which allows high school students to obtain college credit while satisfying high school education requirements. 

Due to life circumstances and challenges transitioning into the program, I struggled academically such that I was no longer on track to graduate high school and decided to take time away from college to figure out my path in life. 

After some time, I returned to CBC to continue my education. It was during an essay on non-traditional students that I learned of a law in Washington state where one would be automatically granted a high school diploma upon graduating with an associate degree if over a certain age. 

From that point forward, I was determined to finish my associate degree, which I did, and subsequently went on to achieve my Bachelor of Applied Science in project management. I was among the second graduating class of the BAS Project Management program and served on the accreditation panel that supported achievement of the program’s global accreditation by the Project Management Institute. 

Favorite Tri-City restaurant? 

Endive Eatery. They have amazing eggs benedict, and I love supporting local business! 

Favorite day of the week? 

My favorite day of the week is Thursday (or Thriday as I like to call it) because it is the start of my weekend, which is usually filled with travel and/or time with friends and family. Thursdays are also the day I get to participate in my local run club and spend time with good friends and inspiring people in my life. 

Text, email, phone call? 

Phone calls are great because they invite dialogue and allow you to hear the tone in someone’s voice so that a message is not misconstrued; however, text messaging has also become a great tool to share information quickly. 

Would you rather travel back in time or to the future? 

I would rather travel back in time to relive and savor moments throughout life. While the idea of traveling to the future is appealing, I believe there is a great deal of excitement and drive that comes from the unknown. Your future can be anything you make it and not knowing what the future holds means you can dream and put into motion anything you set your mind to.