It was the summer after he graduated college, walking every panel of pavement at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL) performing pavement inspection that set Jason T. Shepherd on his career trajectory in aviation.
“It was life changing, to be honest with you, just seeing the whole operations from the ground,” Shepherd recalled. “Walking the runways, watching the operations at the airport carry on from the ground – life changing.”
In some ways, Shepherd’s experience was following in his father’s footsteps – who worked as a land surveyor and worked on the construction of ATL’s new runway in the 70s. Shepherd often accompanied his father at work, which also helped lay the foundation of his engineering career.
“I get the drive for what I do from my father. I try to build on the values that he instilled in me,” he said.
As a project manager and civil/structural engineering section manager at Burns & McDonnell, Shepherd works on projects around the nation and globe. Recently and notably, Shepherd’s projects have included a role in the new concourse at LaGuardia Airport, just completed in October of 2019, as part of the Delta Air Lines Terminal Redevelopment Program. He also participated in several projects at Chicago O'Hare International Airport and ATL to prepare for the A-380 aircraft arrival. Shepherd was instrumental in designing the new passenger boarding bridges to accommodate the double-decker aircraft.
Currently, Shepherd serves as project manager for a new taxiway at Mercedita/Ponce International Airport in Puerto Rico.
“I really enjoy the types of projects we get to work on, the people we get to work with, the airlines, the airports. Every client is unique,” he said.
Shepherd is a member of the American Society of Civil Engineers, the American Association of Airport Executives, and sits on the Operations & Technical Affairs Committee for the Airports Council of America.
He also works across multiple industries, supporting aviation-related work for federal and government clients. He works closely with the United States Army Corps of Engineers- Savannah District and the Naval Facilities Engineering Command Southeast and Mid-Atlantic Districts, delivering hangar and airfield solutions to support the critical missions and weapons systems of the U.S. Armed Forces.
“When I started as a young engineer in aviation, I said, ‘I want to be a project manager and practice builder, mentoring young staff and performing projects all over,’” Shepherd said. “Being able to perform and work on projects at airports all over the country like we do has really been a dream come true.”
