Derek Olsen

Derek Olsen joined Wayne Wire Cloth Products, Inc. in September 2024 as HR Administrator and has served in that role since. He oversees all facets of human resources and provides input to company leadership on people-related decisions and priorities.

Derek brings over 20 years of experience, spanning his time in the U.S. Air Force and civilian roles , where he managed human resource programs across military intelligence, medical, and civil engineering organizations. His background also includes hands-on technical work as an aircraft electrician and education in IT security and human resources, shaping a practical, adaptable approach to leadership and organizational support.

Derek’s professional background spans human resources, technical operations, and information security, supported by ongoing professional development in HR, project management, safety, and continuous improvement. This combination of technical and people-focused experience informs an approach to HR that emphasizes clear expectations, accountability, and practical problem-solving across operational environments.

In his day-to-day work, Derek balances talent acquisition, employee relations, team development, administrative responsibilities, and near-term planning. Decisions related to hiring and providing input to business leaders on people strategy roll up to him. Since joining Wayne Wire, he has focused on strengthening training and onboarding, revising braze training programs, improving feedback processes, and beginning the capture of institutional knowledge to better align competency with performance.

Derek values Wayne Wire’s accessible culture, emphasis on treating people with respect, and its long-standing stability as a family-owned organization. He is motivated by the company’s continued growth and the opportunity to help build people systems that support long-term success for both employees and the business.