In 2005, Charlie Hansen took Lyddie Broussard on their first date. Over dinner he asked her, “Where do you see yourself when you retire?” She laughed and said, “I am going to be in Aiken, South Carolina! There is nowhere else I would rather be.” With that answer, Charlie knew that Lyddie was a woman he really wanted to get to know better.
Married since 2006, Lyddie and Charlie Hansen have made Aiken their permanent home. While she is a Louisiana native and he hails from Massachusetts, they lived in South Carolina earlier in their careers. They both had sought opportunities to move back to South Carolina, and their continued passion for all things Aiken make them great ambassadors of our town.
Charlie has had an illustrious career that began with the Naval Submarine Program as one of the Admiral Hyman G. Rickover’s Naval Reactors representatives. After 20 years in the submarine program, Charlie went to work for Babcock & Wilcox and was then recruited back into federal service with the Department of Energy (DOE) at the Hanford Reservation in Washington.
Charlie’s career at the Savannah River Site (SRS) began in 1999. He worked for DOE as the Assistant Manager for Nuclear Stabilization, and then as Deputy Site Manager and Assistant Manager for High Level Waste before retiring from federal service in 2005. Moving on to Parsons Corporation, he worked on the Salt Waste Processing Facility until he retired in 2013.
Lyddie’s first position in the nuclear industry was in public affairs for a commercial power plant. She transitioned successfully to the training department as the only female operations trainer at the nuclear power plant. Later, she and four partners began a small consulting firm, and the company sent her to SRS in 1990, where she led a training group to teach quality control procedures. As the company grew, she left Aiken to focus on developing marketing materials and services for other industrial commercial and federal sites.
In 1998, Lyddie needed a professional change, and she returned to Aiken as an employee of Westinghouse Savannah River Company (WSRC). She held a variety of professional positions, including a stint as a facility training manager and a few years in WSRC Public Affairs before retiring from Savannah River Nuclear Solutions (SRNS) in 2013.
When asked to describe Charlie in three words, Lyddie confidently said, “integrity, humility, and generosity.” When Charlie was asked to use three words to describe Lyddie, he said, “energetic, enthusiastic, fun-loving.” To no surprise, the character traits the Hansens see so prominently in each other perfectly frame the work that they are well-known for in the community.
Between them, the Hansens have served in leadership roles for numerous local nonprofit boards and organizations, including Children’s Place, Community Medical Center, Citizens for Nuclear Technology Awareness, ACTS, Aiken Center for the Arts, and The Gifting Tree Foundation. Charlie and Lyddie are also active in the Aiken Rotary Club, focusing on helping young students through educational initiatives.
When discussing their passions in life, the Hansens are proof that having fun is good for the soul; if that fun is for a good cause, you can guarantee that Lyddie and Charlie will be in attendance to show their support.
“It is impossible to be bored in Aiken,” said Charlie. “We attend numerous charity events, from cocktail parties to oyster roasts to costume parties. It is always fun!” Lyddie says, “I have proven that I am not afraid to make a fool of myself.” In 2012 she and her partner won the Judges Award for Best Performance in the Aiken Dancing with the Stars. The following year Charlie and his partner performed in the same event and won the award for Pairs Champions. In 2016 Lyddie performed in the first Lip Sync Battle; she recruited Charlie as her backup act. She said, “Charlie is a great wingman. If I want to do something, he is there for support.”
Charlie smiled and said, “It’s easy to follow Lyddie’s lead and we always have fun together.” If you have ever had the privilege of attending an event with the Hansens, then you know Charlie’s statement is true. This couple’s passion for life and community is electric, and their love and support for one another are undeniable.
Today, this busy couple serves as the community representatives on the Savannah River Site 70th Anniversary Core Team. Lyddie and Charlie work hard to bring SRS’ platinum anniversary into the community to ensure that everyone has an opportunity to be involved in the Site’s important milestone. One example of their work can be seen in this Beyond the Barricade series written by Lyddie and featured in Bella Magazine each month. The 70th Anniversary Committee was happy to give her this month off so we could take the reins to honor this memorable couple.
Despite the tremendous work the couple does in the Aiken community, their favorite way to have fun is by traveling and sharing time with their 10 grandchildren, who live in four different states. Charlie said, “We have a blended family and it works well for us.” Lyddie said, “You can’t have too many people to love or to love you.”
While listening to this fascinating couple talk about their lives and their work, all roads lead back to a foundation of love. Their love for each other, their family, and Aiken is truly unbridled.
