American Veteran Engineering, PLLC.
Veteran anchors engineering firm in service, discipline, resiliency
Aaron Jones’ military service has left an imprint on his path to entrepreneurship as well as his leadership at American Veteran Engineering, a utility-focused engineering, inspection and field support services firm.
“Being a veteran has served great importance in my path to business ownership and being an entrepreneur through the development of resiliency in the face of adversity and it has reinforced my drive to accomplish the mission (task at hand) despite any/all obstacles in my path,” he said. “It has also taught me the importance of team mentality and co-operation when working towards a common goal and has given me the satisfaction of a job well done after a long day of work.”
Aaron served in the US ARMY/Illinois ARMY National Guard for 13 years between 2000 and 2013. He started off as a Private and quickly rose to serve as a Sergeant E-5/Team Chief & Gunner during his deployment to Iraq from 2003 to 2005 with the 1st Cavalry 4/5 ADA Division out of Fort Hod. Three years later, from 2008 to 2009, he deployed with the 1st Cavalry 2/106th Combat Team to Afghanistan as a Platoon Sergeant E-7/SECFOR – NCOIC (Security Force Non-Commissioned Officer In Charge).
“I would be honored if other veterans were to view my accomplishments as motivation towards bettering theirs or their own family’s future,” he said.
Aaron has built his business on 30 years of experience in resource planning, project management and leadership. He launched his career at the Illinois Tollway, working his way up from toll collection to Project Manager in Engineering. During his 20 years with the Tollway, he continued to serve with the U.S. Army Illinois National Guard, supervising Platoon Operations.
He launched AVE in 2019 with a focus on infrastructure of civil and site work, public utilities along with roads and highway transportation.
“I truly enjoy the sense of seeing the accomplishments of mine and my employees’ combined efforts come to fruition,” he said. “Nothing is more satisfactory than starting off with nothing but an idea or a few instructions and then turning the sum of the whole into something tangible that can be enjoyed by others, or that leads others into being better off than where they started from.”
AVE has grown in the last two years, now employing 34 team members and expanded services with a specialized wood pole inspection division. This technology is a way to blend traditional inspection with a non-destructive, data-driven insight to assess utility wood pole conditions.
At the helm of a Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned business, Aaron prioritizes leadership, discipline and selfless service in his business operations.
“Entrepreneurship is not an easy road to travel, and it takes a lot of sacrifice just to get from one day to the next,” he said. “Veterans understand that mentality and have always been willing to take on these types of challenges, head-on. It’s in their blood.
“Being an example of how that type of hard work and perseverance pays off is truly rewarding and continues to motivate me, personally, for the benefit of others.”