I began my aviation career in 1984 in Chicago, as a technical writer for the managerial consultants to the the O'Hare Airport Development Program. After this I managed the financial database for the program, identifying new cost estimates and change orders, and comparing them with the program budget. In 1987 I transferred to the City of Chicago's Department of Aviation where I worked as a project manager for long-term planning and landside design/construction projects at O'Hare, Midway and Meigs Field Airports. In 1991 I was hired by an aviation consultant to help manage the construction and operation of the International Terminal at O'Hare. Individual projects during this time included:
Principal Developer of computerized construction cost control reporting system for O’Hare Development program, 1988.
Principal Investigator - Predicting gross regional product generated by Chicago’s airport system, City of Chicago, 1988-1990
Landside Coordinator of long-term planning study of O'Hare Airport, 1988-1991
Manager of Gate Display and Management System project, at Chicago O'Hare International Terminal, 1991