Jenn Ahrens

Project Director

Jenn has 31 years of experience in construction and supply chain management, primarily in semiconductor manufacturing. She is a Registered Professional Engineer in mechanical engineering and has a bachelor’s in aeronautical engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. She has managed diverse, cross-country teams and worked on projects ranging from $150 million to over $1 billion, spanning the United States, Central America, Europe, the Middle East and Asia.
Originally drawn to the aeronautical industry due to her passion for fighter jets, she pivoted to construction after the downturn in the aviation and defense sectors. Her love for project teamwork, mechanical engineering, and problem-solving led her to find fulfillment in the construction industry, especially within semiconductor facilities, where she thrives on complex, challenging projects that allow her to see concepts develop and come to life.

Tell us about your favorite KAPBCS moment.

When Sundt/we hit the critical Early Area Ops Ready Milestone on a project for a confidential client, which enabled the critical path factory qualification timeline needed. Shows that good people can really kick ass no matter what is thrown at you.

Why did you choose to work in the construction industry?

Originally, I had expected to be working in the aeronautical industry due to my love for fighter jets and aviation, which led me down the path of engineering at a young age. However, I have to thank the downturn in the aviation and defense industries when I graduated for leading me to construction. Here, my passion for project teamwork, fluid dynamics and mechanical engineering ended up being a great entry point for working on construction design projects. I found that construction gave me that same opportunity to develop a concept for a client problem/need, then develop it and ultimately see it built and put into operation. Not many industries give you the opportunity to create, build and see it fulfill its mission so clearly, while giving you such satisfaction in being a part of that process and part of such diverse teams. And then in the semiconductor facility world of construction, you have exposure to all manner of systems and applications, so I found it to be challenging and complex, which is what ultimately has kept me engaged for my whole career.

Share a couple of your favorite hobbies.

I have too many I enjoy, which makes me seem a bit like a chameleon. The ones I look forward to the most are being able to create kiln-formed (fused) glass pieces and art, and creative metal work by welding and/or blacksmithing and combining the two forms together. Most of my hobbies center around being creative, so I usually rotate around multiple. In addition, I also enjoy landscape and wildlife photography, plein air oil painting, gardening, cooking and entertaining.

What is your favorite place in the world?

There are so many interesting places in the world. I do not have a favorite, but some of the ones at the top of my list are Turkey, Peru, Germany, Southern France (Provence), Israel, Ireland, Norway, Petra in Jordan, and the national and state parks of the U.S. And, I bet that list will continue to grow.

"*" indicates required fields

This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.
Name*

Jenn Ahrens

Project Director

Jenn has 31 years of experience in construction and supply chain management, primarily in semiconductor manufacturing. She is a Registered Professional Engineer in mechanical engineering and has a bachelor’s in aeronautical engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. She has managed diverse, cross-country teams and worked on projects ranging from $150 million to over $1 billion, spanning the United States, Central America, Europe, the Middle East and Asia.
Originally drawn to the aeronautical industry due to her passion for fighter jets, she pivoted to construction after the downturn in the aviation and defense sectors. Her love for project teamwork, mechanical engineering, and problem-solving led her to find fulfillment in the construction industry, especially within semiconductor facilities, where she thrives on complex, challenging projects that allow her to see concepts develop and come to life.

Tell us about your favorite KAPBCS moment.

When Sundt/we hit the critical Early Area Ops Ready Milestone on a project for a confidential client, which enabled the critical path factory qualification timeline needed. Shows that good people can really kick ass no matter what is thrown at you.

Why did you choose to work in the construction industry?

Originally, I had expected to be working in the aeronautical industry due to my love for fighter jets and aviation, which led me down the path of engineering at a young age. However, I have to thank the downturn in the aviation and defense industries when I graduated for leading me to construction. Here, my passion for project teamwork, fluid dynamics and mechanical engineering ended up being a great entry point for working on construction design projects. I found that construction gave me that same opportunity to develop a concept for a client problem/need, then develop it and ultimately see it built and put into operation. Not many industries give you the opportunity to create, build and see it fulfill its mission so clearly, while giving you such satisfaction in being a part of that process and part of such diverse teams. And then in the semiconductor facility world of construction, you have exposure to all manner of systems and applications, so I found it to be challenging and complex, which is what ultimately has kept me engaged for my whole career.

Share a couple of your favorite hobbies.

I have too many I enjoy, which makes me seem a bit like a chameleon. The ones I look forward to the most are being able to create kiln-formed (fused) glass pieces and art, and creative metal work by welding and/or blacksmithing and combining the two forms together. Most of my hobbies center around being creative, so I usually rotate around multiple. In addition, I also enjoy landscape and wildlife photography, plein air oil painting, gardening, cooking and entertaining.

What is your favorite place in the world?

There are so many interesting places in the world. I do not have a favorite, but some of the ones at the top of my list are Turkey, Peru, Germany, Southern France (Provence), Israel, Ireland, Norway, Petra in Jordan, and the national and state parks of the U.S. And, I bet that list will continue to grow.