Jon Knausz is a senior construction and aviation professional with more than 20 years of experience leading complex projects across commercial aviation, airline facilities, airport support infrastructure, lounges, hangars, and specialized operational environments.
His background is unique in that it combines general contracting, owner representation, and direct airline capital project leadership, giving him a practical understanding of how to align design, budget, schedule,
operations, and stakeholder expectations from project inception through turnover.
Jon currently serves as Vice President of Aviation, where he helps lead strategic growth while supporting the pursuit and delivery of aviation and transportation related work. Before returning to the contractor side, Jon managed design and construction projects for American Airlines, where he led lounge developments, hangar improvements, terminal support projects, and systemwide facility upgrades across major hub and line-station locations. That experience gave him firsthand knowledge of operating within active airport environments, coordinating with airport authorities, managing stakeholder groups, and driving projects that must balance guest experience, operational continuity, and speed to market.
His project work has included airline lounges, terminal improvements, hangar expansions, cargo and support facilities, and other technically demanding aviation scopes. Teams value Jon for his steady leadership, client-focused mindset, and ability to connect big-picture strategy with day-to-day execution
We work with our clients collectively from inception to occupancy on our construction projects. Our role in our client’s projects requires Cardella Construction to be well-versed in all aspects of the design, construction and operation of any given facility.
