“To become the best, one needs to be around the best so that the best becomes a routine part of every day. Associating with John Mason gives us another opportunity to put this belief into practice.” – Wayne Kittelson
We are excited to share that Dr. John Mason, a highly respected professor, researcher, academic leader, and consultant in the transportation profession, is joining Kittelson in a part-time capacity following his retirement as chancellor of the Pennsylvania State University (Penn State) Harrisburg. John will apply his 40+ years of expertise in geometric design and safety research to help develop the next generation of Kittelson team members and grow the practice at Kittelson LLC. Read on to learn more about John and how Kittelson clients will benefit from his extensive knowledge, visionary outlook, and outward-focused mindset.
A Multi-Faceted Impact in the Profession… and Continuing!
John Mason’s transportation engineering career to-date has been nothing short of remarkable.
After graduating from Penn State in 1972, John began his career in consulting, which he says gave him an early breadth of experiences and appreciation for this side of the profession. But it wasn’t long before he got pulled back into the academic world. A professor he had met at an Institute of Transportation Engineers (ITE) meeting invited him to teach at a community college in Allentown, Pennsylvania and that experience, along with the mentorship he received from that professor, sparked John’s interest in the university life. He decided to get his doctorate degree from Texas A&M University.
“I came home one night and said, I think I’m going to go back to school,” said John. “A&M flew us down in 1979 and the rest is history.”
While working on his doctorate degree, John also did some teaching and worked at the Texas A&M Transportation Institute (TTI) as a young researcher. After he received his PhD, he was asked to stay on as a professor in Texas A&M’s Civil and Environmental Engineering Department. Around that time, he joined the Transportation Research Board (TRB)’s Geometric Design Committee, which he would go on to chair. He also had the opportunity to work with Dr. Joe Blaschke, a former classmate, in some legal services work in Texas… we’ll get back to that part of the story later.
In 1987, John was invited back to Penn State as an associate professor of civil engineering and director of the Transportation Operations Program at what is now the Larson Transportation Institute. John stayed at Penn State for nearly 20 years, becoming associate dean of the College of Engineering in 1997. From 2008-2018, he worked at Auburn University as a professor, associate provost, president/CEO of the Auburn Research and Technology Research Foundation, and Vice President for Research & Economic Development. But Penn State ultimately wanted him back, so he returned to Pennsylvania to work in the highest form of university leadership—serving as chancellor, dean, and professor of Civil Engineering at Penn State Harrisburg from 2018 to 2023.
All the while, John has continued to be involved with TRB. In addition to his leadership on the Geometric Design Committee, he has been a member, vice-chair, or chair of 10 standing technical committees or task forces as well as being a chair or member of more than 20 National Cooperative Highway Research Program panels. He has also served on several policy study committees, including in 1997 as a member of the committee that produced guidance to state and local government on appropriate methods of setting speed limits and related enforcement strategies. Among many other recognitions from the world of research and academia, John was the 2010 recipient of the Wilbur S. Smith Distinguished Transportation Educator Award and the 2023 recipient of the W.N. Carey, Jr. Distinguished Service Award.
John Mason’s History with Kittelson
In 1999, Kittelson set up a professor partner program to give Kittelson staff the opportunity to learn from many of the professors that had already begun interacting with the firm through our involvement with research.
“Kittelson has always sought people from outside the firm to provide insights to the firm,” said Wayne Kittelson. “The idea with the professor partner program was to give Kittelson staff broader access to the professors we were getting to know through research projects. Some of these engagements were formal opportunities, such as project involvement, and some informal, like mentoring and building relationships. The program brought tremendous benefit to us and to the professors.”
After connecting with John in the early 1990s through a mutual acquaintance, Joel Leisch, Wayne invited John to be one of the charter members of the professor partner program. While some professors opted for shorter stints with the program, John stayed in it for many years, expressing to Wayne that he had a desire to partner with one consulting firm over time to develop ongoing, meaningful, two-way learning and connection. During this time, John opened the door for many Kittelson staff to get involved with research and TRB.
“Other consultants I talked to just wanted me to be billable on projects,” remembered John. “What stood out to me about this firm was that Wayne was so focused on the professional development of his staff and transportation practitioners as a whole. The opportunities for mentoring and networking are what appealed most to me.”
When Mark Vandehey became Kittelson CEO in 2010, he invited John to serve as a member of Kittelson’s Board of Directors.
“I was looking to get board members with outside perspectives, and that is just what John provided,” said Mark. “A perspective from someone who didn’t work at the firm, but knew a lot about us and our values. He has an incredible entrepreneurial mind and was always thinking not just about TRB but other business opportunities—for example, Kittelson LLC started with John suggesting we think about legal services as a business opportunity.”
In fact, Kittelson LLC came about through John introducing the firm to Joe Blaschke, his former classmate with whom he had worked on legal cases in Texas. Kittelson had been dabbling in legal work since the 1990s and was getting calls to take on more expert witness cases. John began suggesting we explore this work more formally. The right opportunity came about when John reconnected with Joe at a TRB Annual Meeting and learned Joe was looking to make a gradual transition out of leading his expert witness firm, and wanted to place his clients in good hands. Through John making the connection, in 2015, we joined forces with Joe’s firm and Kittelson LLC, our legal services subsidiary, was born.
When Mark initiated the search for the next Kittelson CEO, John again provided valuable service to the firm, serving as an integral part of the evaluation process that led to the appointment of Brandon Nevers in 2020.
“Every time we interact with John, there is great value,” said Wayne. “It’s a combination of his connections and reputation in the profession, the fact that he sees where things are going as opposed to where they are now, and his willingness to suggest new approaches in light of that.”
So, What Will John Be Doing Now?
After all these years of learning and benefiting from John’s leadership, experience, and insights, we’re thrilled we can now introduce him as an employee of the firm. We are excited for the benefits that Kittelson and Kittelson LLC clients will experience from John’s wide range of expertise.
While probably every facet of transportation engineering could be found on John’s pages-long resume, he is especially respected for his work in safety, roundabouts, and geometric design. From his contributions to the development of AASHTO’s Green Book (which provides the industry’s geometric design guidelines) and involvement in the profession’s evolution toward flexible, context-based design, John is positioned to support our work helping state agencies update their guidebooks to reflect where the Green Book is heading.
John will also play a leading role at Kittelson LLC, advising on geometric design cases, providing quality assurance on projects, and looking at strategic staff and business development opportunities.
“My goal is to look at the next workforce coming through Kittelson and connect interested team members to opportunities with research and legal services, and help younger professionals understand the Green Book,” said John. “I generally just want to help Kittelson continue doing the great things they’re doing.”
“Knowing John, he does what you want leaders to do when they’re away from you—continue to invest in themselves, and grow their perspectives,” said Mark. “As John returns to Kittelson, now for the first time as a formal employee, he will bring a fresh but informed perspective as he has grown and the firm has grown as well.”
To learn more about John’s new role, you can reach out to him directly, or submit a message on our website.