Matthew Gray

About Matthew Gray

Strong operations professional with a demonstrated history of working in the utilities industry. Skilled in Team Building, Industry Knowledge, Leadership, and Strategic Planning.

Experience

1. Director of Operations

   The Hydaker-Wheatlake Company

   Jan 2026 — Present

   Senior operations leader responsible for directing multi-state natural gas distribution operations across Michigan and Indiana in support of utility and local distribution company (LDC) customers. I lead the safe, compliant, and financially disciplined execution of large-scale capital investment programs, including system modernization, main replacement, services, and ongoing construction and maintenance work.My role spans the full project lifecycle — from bid strategy and preconstruction planning through execution and closeout — with accountability for portfolio performance, margin, schedule, and risk. I partner closely with utility stakeholders, engineering, finance, and internal leadership to align capital plans with workforce, equipment, and supply-chain capacity, ensuring delivery of on-time services. In addition to operational delivery, I hold P&L responsibility with a focus on margin improvement, cash flow, and return on capital. I work cross-functionally with finance to manage forecasts, earned revenue, and variance analysis, using data-driven insights to support corrective actions and continuous improvement.I lead and develop operations managers, superintendents, and field leadership teams, emphasizing accountability, workforce optimization, and succession planning. My leadership approach prioritizes clear expectations, field engagement, and disciplined execution to support both current performance and long-term growth.Core focus areas include capital project portfolio execution, bid discipline and risk-based pricing, workforce and equipment scalability, safety and OQ readiness, and senior-level customer engagement. I am experienced in translating utility capital investment plans into reliable field operations that balance safety, cost, schedule, and customer value across multi-year programs.

Education

• Ball State University

  Bachelor's degree, Educational Psychology

  2004 — 2008

Skills

• Training
• Cold Calling
• Team Building
• Program Management
• Project Management
• Advertising
• Strategic Planning
• Process Improvement
• Budgets
• Entrepreneurship
• Change Management
• Leadership
• Data Analysis
• Technical Recruiting
• Advertising Sales