Ted Lyon

Growing up in a large family with a lot of engineers, Ted always knew he was destined to follow in their footsteps. With over forty-one years of experience in the petrochemicals, chemicals, metals, and manufacturing sectors, Ted has had roles in plant management, operations, and maintenance as well as the planning, development, and implementation of capital programs. As the regional managing director for the US region, Ted is leading Hatch’s growth plans in the US.

In addition, Ted is serving as the president of the Association for Iron & Steel Technology (AIST) Foundation for the 2019-2022 term. The AIST Foundation is a non-profit corporation that provides programs for technology-oriented professionals by educating the public about the high-tech, diverse, and rewarding nature of careers in steel manufacturing. Ted is also an honorary member and past trustee of the American Institute of Mining, Metals & Petroleum Engineers and is currently chairman of the University of Pittsburgh, Swanson School of Engineering, Mechanical and Materials Science Department Visiting Committee.

Ted has a bachelor of science in mechanical engineering, and a master of business administration, both from the University of Pittsburgh. He is a registered Professional Engineer in New York, Pennsylvania, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Michigan.

What does positive change mean to you?

“Positive change to me means being innovative and safe, in the design and construction of sustainable facilities that progress the human condition.”

How are you changing the world?

“That is too big a question for any one individual to answer, except for maybe Bill Gates or Albert Einstein. But I do believe each of us can contribute to change, and more importantly to positive change. At Hatch, we have a platform to individually and collaboratively contribute to positive change. As a member of a talented, diverse work force, delivering in accordance with our Manifesto, we strive to put our clients in a better business position in all our engagements.

I always view my role as a client advisor and a facilitator. Armed with the vast expertise of Hatch (and when I say “vast”, I mean our global talent pool) coupled with the ability to bring that expertise to bear efficiently on behalf of our clients, we bring exceptional value—thinking globally, acting locally.

So I don’t know if that would be considered world-changing, but what I try to do is be able to step back and look at my contribution over time—and ensure that I left things better than I found them. If that contributes to a positive change, then I’ve succeeded.”

What do you think are the toughest challenges facing your clients?

“That’s a big question with many facets, and if you look at the question holistically it can seem overwhelming. I choose to break it down and view the challenges as problems and then apply problem-solving strategies to each one. I’ll just pick a couple of the problems that our clients face, recognizing that our clients’ problems, represent our opportunity.

First, climate change. I think the science of climate change is well recognized and well understood, and in just the last couple years, has become front-of-mind for governments and companies globally. So, the problem has shifted from 'is it real or not' to 'how quickly do we need to respond to it to mitigate and/or reverse the impacts?' All of our clients, across all our sectors are impacted, and we will see a paradigm shift in technology as we move forward. From de-carbonization, to electric vehicles, to power generation, to transportation, to urban solutions—nothing will be untouched. The challenges will morph into opportunities, and we’ll see a significant change in technology, the industry, and society as a result. We shouldn’t feel threatened by this, we’ve done it before! We are currently in another 'revolution' and that will enable our next phase of development driven by climate change. The bottom line is that we will be in the middle of it and must be the agent for change for our clients.

Second, sourcing the best talent in the world, to solve our client’s challenges. We pride ourselves in having a vast network of technical and business professionals worldwide, so wherever the challenge is located we can bring some of the brightest minds who can provide the best solution. We will fill the gap and provide our clients with access to the best talent and problem-solvers in the world.”

What are you most proud of?

“With over forty years in the industry, I've had the opportunity to take on a variety of positions, but when I reflect on my career, the thing that stands out the most is the people I have worked with. I have had the opportunity to lead diverse, multicultural teams for the execution of projects around the world. It’s been an honor. My growth and development are the result of the influence that others had on me. I am very proud of the teams I’ve worked with.”

What do you like most about working at Hatch? How do you think the Hatch culture is different from other companies?

“At Hatch we truly believe that our people are the heart and soul of the organization, glued together by our Manifesto. I’ve been with Hatch for almost twenty years. I’ve built life-long personal and professional relationships with colleagues all over the world. I could never have imagined the level of understanding and learning that was possible until I experienced it. Working with diverse cultures, working with the best talent and problem-solvers in the world, executing a broad variety of projects, and solving client problems around the globe. Every day has been a learning experience and requires me to stretch my abilities. Entrepreneurs with a technical soul—that is why I enrolled in engineering school forty-five years ago.”