New Jersey Natural Gas (NJNG) announced it appointed Helen Ayotte as vice president of Engineering, Construction and Asset Management.
Ayotte assumes her new role immediately, succeeding John Wyckoff, vice president of Energy Delivery, who is set to retire on July 1, following a distinguished 30-year career with the company.
In her new executive position, Ayotte will be responsible for the core functions that keep NJNG’s distribution system running safely for nearly 600,000 customers across Monmouth, Ocean, Morris, Middlesex, Sussex and Burlington counties. Her oversight will include:
- System Planning: Leading long-term expansion and reinforcement of the natural gas network.
- Infrastructure Management: Managing critical facilities and asset investment strategies.
- Compliance & Safety: Ensuring rigorous environmental and regulatory compliance while maintaining NJNG’s status as one of the most leak-resistant systems in the state.
“Helen brings deep technical expertise and proven leadership essential to safely and reliably serve our customers,” Steve Westhoven, president and CEO of New Jersey Resources (NJR) said. “As we continue prudent infrastructure investments in an increasingly complex regulatory and energy environment, strong execution and disciplined asset management are critical.”
Ayotte joins NJNG with over two decades of experience in the energy sector. Her background includes high-level leadership roles in engineering and operations at several prominent utility and consulting firms, including:
- Cornerstone Energy Services, LLC
- Summit Utilities Inc.
- Unitil Corporation/Northern Utilities
Throughout her career, Ayotte has built a reputation for managing complex infrastructure programs and leading multidisciplinary teams with a staunch focus on reliability.
The appointment comes as the company prepares to bid farewell to John Wyckoff. During his three decades at NJR, Wyckoff was instrumental in guiding the company’s energy delivery operations and fostering a culture of operational excellence.
“His leadership has been instrumental to our operational excellence and the trust of our customers, regulators and employees,” Westhoven added. “I thank John for his many contributions and wish him well in his retirement.”
Ayotte takes the helm of the engineering division at a time when NJNG continues to receive high marks for customer satisfaction. In 2025, the company was named a “Most Trusted Utility” by Escalent, marking the 11th time in 12 years it has earned the distinction.
With nearly 1,300 employees and a suite of innovative energy-efficiency programs like SAVEGREEN®, NJNG remains a cornerstone of the New Jersey energy landscape. Ayotte’s appointment signals a commitment to maintaining that momentum through disciplined asset management and strategic long-term growth.
