There’s a bloke who resides in Fernie, British Columbia, who’s been working for nearly 17 years for one of Canada’s largest mining companies without making a big show about it. Cory Hein is a mechanical engineer with Teck Resources, and he’s quietly become the expert the mining industry has long needed and now has.
Who Is Cory Hein? – Early Life And Education
Cory Hein attended the University of British Columbia, Canada, from 2004 to 2008. Graduated in mechanical engineering. Standard stuff. Next up, he signed on for Teck Resources right after college graduation in May 2008 as a project engineer. The timing wasn’t great because the financial crisis was starting to rage, but he kept at it.
He started out like most junior engineers did. He managed projects and coordinated teams and made sure that things got done on time. Not glamorous, but that’s where you learn how big mining operations really work.
Moving Up Through Reliability Work
Cory Hein made the jump to reliability engineering in January 2010. This is where it starts to get interesting. Reliability engineers work to keep equipment up and running, and they aim for minimal downtime.
You’re sifting through data, looking for problems before they become catastrophes, extending the life of machinery that costs millions.
Again, not a glamorous role, but good reliability engineers know that every minute of downtime costs bodies, production, safety, and money. Cory Hein was very good at it. Teck saw it.
His colleagues saw it. By 2016, he’d landed more general mechanical engineering roles working on longer-term planning and modernisation projects.
Going Back To School
Between all that stuff, Cory Hein undertook something that sounds exhausting. He pursued a Master of Arts in Organisational Leadership at Royal Roads University while still working full-time. Started in 2015. Completed it while working on challenging projects at Teck.
Royal Roads is centred on organisational dynamics, strategic thought leadership, change management, and conflict resolution.
The soft skills that engineering degrees don’t teach but that separate competent engineers from good leaders.
Think about that. You’re working full time for one of the world’s largest mining companies, dealing with equipment that can cost hundreds of thousands if something goes wrong.
And you’re also learning leadership theory and writing papers. That takes commitment.
But it gave Cory Hein something most engineers don’t have. Formal education in how to lead people, not just manage systems.
What Makes Him Different
People who’ve worked with Cory Hein say his leadership style is straightforward. He builds trust by being transparent. Doesn’t sugarcoat problems but doesn’t throw people under the bus either. Encourages collaboration between teams.
He empowers people to solve problems rather than micromanaging everything. Promotes learning and skills development. Holds teams accountable but supports personal growth.
It sounds basic when you list it like that. But in industrial settings where hierarchies are rigid and communication can be rubbish, it’s actually quite rare.
Cory Hein also became a strong advocate for mentorship. He actively supports younger engineers. Mining’s got an ageing workforce. Loads of experienced people are retiring, taking decades of knowledge with them. Mentorship programmes help bridge that gap.
Pushing For Better Technology
Mining isn’t the industry you’d expect to change overnight. It’s conservative. Practices that worked for decades often persist long after better alternatives emerge. But pressures are mounting on the sector now.
Environmental regulations, labour scarcities, and fluctuating commodity prices are all contributing factors. Standing still isn’t an option.
Cory Hein has been leading Teck’s charge to implement predictive maintenance systems. Analytics and sensors that predict when equipment may fail before it does. Automated and IoT solutions for enhancing safety and efficiency.
These aren’t just buzzwords. They’re practical tools that help reduce downtime, cut costs and make operations safer. He has assisted with moving older processes over to current standards without any downtime in production.
He’s also focused on sustainability. There is also enormous pressure on mining companies to mitigate their environmental footprint.
Teck is committed to responsible mining, and Cory Hein focuses on reducing GHG emissions, increasing energy efficiency, and reducing the impact on the environment.
The Results
Teck doesn’t publish detailed metrics about individual engineers’ contributions. Competitive advantage and all that. But the impacts are clear. Better equipment uptime. Optimised maintenance schedules. Reduced costs. Improved safety.
More importantly, he’s helped shape Teck’s culture. Creating environments where communication, trust, and improvement coexist with high technical standards. That sort of cultural shift is harder to measure than equipment uptime, but it’s arguably more valuable long-term.
Why This Matters
Canada’s mineral-extraction industry employs hundreds of thousands of workers and generates billions in economic activity. It’s also under more scrutiny than ever. Environmental issues, Indigenous rights, worker safety, community impact.
The industry is looking for those leaders who can combine technical prowess with social responsibility.
Cory Hein is an engineer who does. They’re not just technical experts. They’re strategic thinkers who have a sense of the long game. They understand that successful operations require empowered people, innovative processes and sustainable practices.
His career is a blueprint for engineers hopeful to follow in his footsteps. Get the technical foundation sorted. Then develop leadership skills through formal education and practical experience.
Embrace continuous learning. Support colleagues through mentorship. Push for innovation whilst respecting safety and sustainability.
The Fernie Connection
There’s something fitting about Cory Hein being based in Fernie. It’s not Vancouver or Toronto. It’s a town of about 5,000 people where mining isn’t abstract. It’s your neighbours’ jobs. The local economy. The reason the town exists.
Leaders in places like Fernie understand that their decisions affect real people in tangible ways. The equipment he’s optimising, the systems he’s improving, and the teams he’s leading aren’t just spreadsheet entries. They’re part of his community.
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Looking Ahead
Cory Hein has nearly 17 years of experience at Teck. He’s built a solid reputation within the company and the broader Canadian mining sector. Where he goes from here is anyone’s guess.
He could move into more senior leadership roles. He could transition to consulting. Or he could stay exactly where he is, doing the work that matters without worrying about titles or recognition.
Based on what we know, the last option seems most likely. Cory Hein doesn’t strike you as someone chasing the corner office. He’s focused on the work itself. Solving problems, improving systems, supporting people, pushing the industry forward.
The Canadian mining sector needs more professionals like that. Not self-promoters. Just competent, dedicated people who combine technical expertise with genuine leadership and a commitment to doing things properly.
Fernie’s lucky to have him. So is Teck Resources. And the broader mining industry benefits from engineers like Cory Hein who prove you can be technically brilliant and a good leader at the same time.
Disclaimer: This article is provided for informational purposes only. While reasonable efforts have been made to ensure the accuracy and reliability of the information presented, no guarantee is made regarding its completeness, accuracy, or timeliness. The content does not constitute any specialised advice and should not be relied upon as such. Readers are encouraged to conduct their own research and consult qualified professionals before making any decisions based on the information contained in this article.
