Category: Alumni

Michigan Tech alumnus Jon Dowling ’80 BS in Civil Engineering and ’82 Master of Business Administration, has retired from the city of Jackson, Michigan, after a more than 31-year career with the city, and as city engineer since 1999. During his service to the city, Dowling managed numerous significant construction and infrastructure improvement projects.

Retiring city engineer has spent 3 decades designing Jackson’s future

From mLive; by By Mitchell Kukulka; published September 3, 2024

JACKSON, MI – Jon H. Dowling is set to end his career with the city of Jackson on Friday, Sept. 6, after more than 31 years of service reshaping the city and its future.

Dowling, 66, was born and raised in Jackson, initially working for the city as a civil engineer beginning in December 1981. He worked in this position for about six years before leaving to work in the private sector, also serving a stint as assistant city engineer for the city of Lansing.

Dowling returned to Jackson in 1999 to take over as city engineer, and has had the title for the last 25 years. Now a few short months shy of turning 67, Dowling said the time is right to move on to the next phase of his life. “I’m old enough – it’s time to hang it up,” Dowling said, with a
laugh.

Across his three decades of service to the city, Dowling has managed numerous significant construction and infrastructure improvement projects, Mayor Daniel Mahoney said during the August Jackson City Council meeting.

“The city has benefitted greatly from Mr. Dowling’s service here with his expansive knowledge of the workings of this city’s government,” Mahoney said. “Whether in his area of engineering expertise, in budgeting and fiscal knowledge or his unmatched knowledge of City Hall and Jackson community historical information, (Dowling) will be sorely missed.”

Among the major projects spearheaded by Dowling were renovations to Jackson City Hall; implementing two-way conversions on several city streets; further development of city trail, sewer and water systems; several multi-million dollar contracts with the Michigan Department of Transportation. Mahoney joked that Dowling’s middle initial “H” stood for
“Helping this city.”

In addition to overseeing several projects that have improved traffic and parking availability in Jackson, Dowling lists the removal of the Grand River cap in 2000 – which got rid of a box culvert along the Grand River blamed for several drowning deaths and the expansion of Consumers Energy’s downtown campus among his proudest accomplishments.

Dowling attended Jackson Public Schools before earning an associate’s degree from Jackson College. He earned a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering and a later a master’s degree in business administration from Michigan Technological University. Troy White, current assistant city engineer, will take over Dowling’s role in September. White, a graduate of Jackson High School and Michigan Tech, has worked for Jackson’s engineering department since 2005.

“(White) understands both sides of dealing with businesses, and how design works for both small and large projects,” Dowling said. “He’s going to fit in real well.”

Dowling said he plans to spend a “fair amount” of his postretirement travelling. A lifelong lover of nature, Dowling is looking forward to visiting as many of the country’s national parks as he can.

During the first week of his retirement, Dowling said he’s leaving on a long vacation with his wife to see the sights of the Pacific Northwest.