Y-12er Spotlight: Todd Ailes
Todd Ailes, chief operating officer, is excited to return to CNS. Photo by Joy Kimbrough.
The Y‑12er spotlight shines on one of our own. It takes all Y‑12 employees to make the mission happen successfully and safely. All views and opinions are the employee’s own and do not necessarily reflect those of CNS.
Todd Ailes is no stranger to the Nuclear Security Enterprise after spending more than 20 years working at various nuclear weapons sites. After a brief stint with the Department of Defense, he returned to CNS in July ready to take on a new challenge and a new site.
Ailes had been working at the Pueblo Chemical Agent Destruction Pilot Plant where he served as a project manager and provided leadership as the project completed destruction of chemical weapons and transitioned to closure of the site.
“During my time in Pueblo, I had to make sure that what was being done was right for the site and the mission, along with making sure everyone was aligned to support the mission of dismantling the chemical weapons,” he said. “Prior to my arrival, the site was not forecasting to finish on time, but we ended up safely reaching that treaty deadline through the strong disciplined operations and alignment put in place.”
Before his position at PCAPP, Ailes spent 15 years at the Pantex Plant as the vice president of Plant Operations and site manager where he learned the importance of teamwork and coordination to meet the mission.
“We have to work together more,” he said. “We need teamwork to get programs authorized, readiness activities completed — and to deliver safely on time for our customer.”
Ailes sees teamwork as foundational to the Y‑12 mission, as even the enterprise must work together to reach the ultimate goal.
“Throughout my time at nuclear weapons sites, I’ve learned from other folks and made better decisions when there was collaboration,” he said. “I always support getting more people involved so that there is a greater opportunity for issues to be identified and resolved. I look forward to bringing this thinking to site operations at Y‑12 and ensuring no employee is ever left on an island, which is when larger mistakes can occur.”
What excites you about your new role?
I am excited to return to the CNS family. I am excited about the mission and the importance of the mission. I am looking forward to being more ingrained in the group that I worked with from afar before. I am also looking forward to this new challenge of learning more about operations at Y‑12 and how the mission is met here.
What characteristics define a good leader to you?
A good leader has to be humble, be willing to lead by example, and understand what other folks are going through to accomplish their jobs. Assuming everyone starts with good intent, even if a mistake is made, allows a better perspective. I am also proud of what I have done to contribute to future leaders’ development.
What is something you are looking forward to doing now that you live in East Tennessee?
After I get settled in, I look forward to taking the opportunity to experience the state and countryside. I’ve lived in West Texas for approximately the last 20 years; I’m used to seeing things coming from miles away. Being able to experience trees, water, and rolling hills will be a nice change of scenery. I also have a niece that started playing college volleyball in Tennessee, and I look forward to supporting her at her games.
What advice do you offer someone who has made a mistake in his or her job? How should the individual be accountable for that issue?
You don’t want mistakes to happen, but they are a part of life. I want to ensure people and the organization learn from their mistakes. When a person owns the mistake, learns from it, and makes adjustments, it will lead to better decision‑making in the future.
Share a lesson learned from a leader in your past. Why was the lesson good (or bad)?
No matter where you go, you have to prove yourself all over again, and I am looking forward to doing just that here at Y‑12.