John W. Henderson, P.E.

John serves as the chairman of the HDR, Inc. Board of Directors and CEO, where he is responsible for the leadership and strategic growth of the company. John became CEO in December 2023 after previously serving as president and chief operating officer.

As the former assistant secretary of the U.S. Air Force and a retired Army colonel, John brings more than 30 years of leadership experience in engineering, operations, military construction, infrastructure investment, water resources management and environmental programs. During his active duty and federal executive service, he led thousands of U.S. service members in dozens of countries, including three combat tours, to accomplish missions in support of the nation's defense.

John also serves on several boards, including the Construction Industry Roundtable, Omaha Airport Authority, U.S. Strategic Command Consultation Committee, Aksarben Foundation, and South Dakota School of Mines and Technology Foundation.

John earned a master’s degree in civil and environmental engineering from the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology and served as a national security studies fellow at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He is a licensed professional engineer in Nebraska and South Dakota.