Morcon Vice President Joe Montgomery Retires After 37 Years

Morcon Construction announces the retirement of Vice President Joe Montgomery following 37 years with the company. From his early days in the field to his leadership of some of Morcon’s most complex aviation projects, Montgomery’s career has been defined by resourcefulness, an appetite for challenging work and a willingness to pursue new opportunities.

Montgomery arrived at Morcon through what he describes as “a guy who knew a guy.” After approximately 10 years of self-employment in residential carpentry, he initially passed on the opportunity. When he reconsidered, he was handed a saw and put to work cutting brick at a school. By the end of the week, Morcon invited him back.

That short-term opportunity grew into a 37-year career.

Montgomery began as a carpenter before advancing into a superintendent role. He spent more than 15 years supervising projects at Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport and later began overseeing Morcon’s broader airport work. In 1999, he transitioned into the office as a project manager, eventually being named vice president.

During his tenure, both Morcon and the scale of its projects grew considerably. Montgomery recalls that, by the time he moved into the office, the project he was supervising was larger than Morcon’s entire annual construction volume had been when he joined the company.

“Joe specializes in the kind of work that requires creativity, experience and the ability to solve problems in real time,” said Jerry Jullie, Founder and CEO of Morcon Construction.

 

Building Morcon’s Aviation Expertise

Montgomery found his niche in the demanding, round-the-clock environment of airport construction. “I need that full-time, 100-percent, full-on energy,” Montgomery said. “The airport is nonstop, 24/7. I’ve always been drawn to work that is complex and high risk—the kind of work where you have to think on your feet.”

That drive helped Montgomery establish Morcon as a trusted contractor in the baggage-handling market. He has led extensive work at MSP and other airports, including baggage-handling system construction, decommissioning, demolition and renovation. His project experience includes major baggage-handling system programs, airline offices, flight crew facilities, hangars, passenger spaces and airport concessions.

Among the accomplishments he is most proud of is negotiating the largest project in Morcon’s history and helping the company diversify into specialized baggage-handling work. “It is difficult work, and there is risk involved, but I knew it was a market where Morcon could succeed,” Montgomery said. “We have completed an enormous amount of work at MSP over the past decade, and I’m proud of the role I played in helping Morcon grow in that space.”

 

Turning an Operational Need Into a New Business Line

Montgomery’s impact also extends beyond just the basic construction of airport facilities into designing and building specialize systems to support operations. In 2005, he collaborated with the Transportation Security Administration, Lockheed Martin and Architectural Alliance to develop an early design for specialized TSA baggage-inspection equipment. Recognizing a broader need, he worked with Morcon leadership to turn that initial solution into a dedicated business offering.

What began as a response to an immediate operational challenge grew into security-table equipment used at more than 100 airports across the United States, Canada, Guam and other international locations. “I saw the demand and knew it was something we could build into a business,” Montgomery said. “Morcon gave me the freedom to pursue the idea, and we have been building the equipment ever since.”

 

A Career Built on Relationships

Over 37 years, Montgomery has watched technology fundamentally change construction. Email, digital documents and online communication have increased the speed of the work, but they have also reduced the face-to-face interaction that once defined many contractor and trade-partner relationships.

“Years ago, people would stop by the office every week,” Montgomery said. “You knew the field crews, talked through the work and learned from one another. I am still friends with many of those people today. Technology keeps us moving at the pace the industry now requires, but I still value those personal relationships.”

As he prepares for retirement, Montgomery also reflects on the personal sacrifices that can accompany a demanding career. His advice to those beginning their own careers is to make room for family along the way—a lesson he carries with him as he looks forward to spending more time with his children and grandchildren.

Morcon celebrated Montgomery’s retirement on October 25. Jim Hayes has assumed responsibility for the company’s baggage-handling system and security-table work, carrying forward the specialized capabilities Montgomery helped establish.

“Joe’s fingerprints are all over Morcon—not only in the projects he led, but in the markets he helped us enter and the people he influenced along the way,” said Mr. Jullie. “His vision, determination and problem-solving ability have helped shape the company we are today. We are grateful for everything he has given Morcon and wish him the very best in retirement.”