From Shop Intern to President: Justin Hatfield on Leading HECO’s Family Business | Founders Table
Sat Jan 24 2026
Welcome back to The Founder’s Table — the show where we sit down with leaders who shape industries through innovation, operational excellence, and a commitment to doing things the right way.Today, I’m joined by Justin Hatfield, President of HECO, a company trusted nationwide to keep industrial motors and rotating equipment reliable, efficient, and long-lasting.Justin’s story is equally impressive and unique. Even though HECO is a family business, he didn’t step into leadership — he earned it. Over the last 20+ years, he’s worked his way up from a shop intern learning AC and DC motors hands-on, to leading the entire organization as President. That experience gives him a perspective most executives never get: what reliability means at the ground level.In this episode, we dive into:Justin’s journey from shop intern → technical expert → PresidentThe advantage (and responsibility) of growing up in a family business but working your way upWhat HECO actually solves for industrial plantsWhy plants struggle to “see the issue,” “fix the issue,” and “keep it from coming back”The biggest equipment-reliability mistakes companies makeWhat real predictive maintenance looks like vs. industry buzzwordsIndustries seeing the biggest shift in motor reliability needsHow technology has changed the motor/equipment spaceWorkforce insights — hiring, skilled trades shortages, and long-tenured teamsHow HECO keeps quality consistent across repair, predictive service, field service, and equipment managementJustin’s approach to helping customers make smarter long-term decisionsWhat’s next for HECO and the industrial reliability sectorThis episode is full of insight for anyone in manufacturing, engineering, industrial operations, maintenance, or leadership.Connect with Justin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/justinhatfield/📌 Subscribe to The Founder’s Table to get more conversations with leaders driving real-world impact.
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Welcome back to The Founder’s Table — the show where we sit down with leaders who shape industries through innovation, operational excellence, and a commitment to doing things the right way.Today, I’m joined by Justin Hatfield, President of HECO, a company trusted nationwide to keep industrial motors and rotating equipment reliable, efficient, and long-lasting.Justin’s story is equally impressive and unique. Even though HECO is a family business, he didn’t step into leadership — he earned it. Over the last 20+ years, he’s worked his way up from a shop intern learning AC and DC motors hands-on, to leading the entire organization as President. That experience gives him a perspective most executives never get: what reliability means at the ground level.In this episode, we dive into:Justin’s journey from shop intern → technical expert → PresidentThe advantage (and responsibility) of growing up in a family business but working your way upWhat HECO actually solves for industrial plantsWhy plants struggle to “see the issue,” “fix the issue,” and “keep it from coming back”The biggest equipment-reliability mistakes companies makeWhat real predictive maintenance looks like vs. industry buzzwordsIndustries seeing the biggest shift in motor reliability needsHow technology has changed the motor/equipment spaceWorkforce insights — hiring, skilled trades shortages, and long-tenured teamsHow HECO keeps quality consistent across repair, predictive service, field service, and equipment managementJustin’s approach to helping customers make smarter long-term decisionsWhat’s next for HECO and the industrial reliability sectorThis episode is full of insight for anyone in manufacturing, engineering, industrial operations, maintenance, or leadership.Connect with Justin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/justinhatfield/📌 Subscribe to The Founder’s Table to get more conversations with leaders driving real-world impact.