MATT HLADIK
Commissioning Manager
Matt Hladik joined JHE in April 2019 as a Commissioning Specialist and was promoted to Commissioning Manager in January 2025. He brings a wealth of experience from both the electrical and utility industries, with a career spanning over two decades.
Before joining JHE, Matt spent four years with Austin Water, where he served as both an Electrical Maintenance Technician and Electrical Inspector. During his tenure there, he earned his Master Electrician license, building on a solid foundation of twelve years in the electrical construction field. Early in his career, Matt completed a five-year apprenticeship through the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 520, where he ranked first in his class each year. His outstanding performance earned him a spot representing Local 520 in the IBEW Seventh District apprentice competition covering five states, where he finished second overall.
Matt’s career has been marked by a passion for problem-solving and attention to detail, skills he has applied not only in commissioning complex water and wastewater facilities but also in some unexpected places like professional motorsports. He’s worked with two professional racing teams, including one competing in the American Le Mans Series with a Ferrari 333SP. It was there that he earned the nickname “The Wick,” a nod to the first part of a candle to catch fire, an appropriate metaphor for his quick adaptability under pressure. He proudly says he’s driven a million-dollar Ferrari, though he usually leaves out the detail that it was being towed by a golf cart at the time.
Outside of work, Matt enjoys spending quality time with his wife, Karen, and their son, Joshua. He and Josh are active participants in the Boy Scouts, where weekend campouts are a shared favorite activity. When not camping, the family loves discovering new brunch spots and cooling off in the pool during the Texas summers.
Whether he’s on a track with a high-performance race car or starting up a multi-million-dollar pump station, Matt brings a calm, calculated approach to every challenge. For him, true satisfaction comes from knowing that when it’s time to “turn the key,” everything works safely, smoothly, and just as planned.