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MCC Daily Tribune

The People Behind the Sydor Optics Advanced Technology Center ATC: Jon Hinman

Life came full circle for Jon Hinman, Monroe County Department of Environmental Services Associate Engineer. The 2006 MCC graduate returned to his alma mater to be the project lead for the construction of the new Sydor Optics Advanced Technology Center.

“Coming back to MCC to lead this project has been an honor. It has been surreal to improve the same spaces where I spent countless hours studying,” said Jon.  I love that my work can benefit the next generation and they can hopefully grow and achieve greater things than me.

Jon graduated with an Associate of Applied Science degree in construction that prepared him for the career he has now. He studied mathematics, physics, and chemistry, which are the foundations of the construction industry. He also gained skills in construction and management classes that he uses every day.

“The location of the new ATC Building is where I took classes in land surveying and materials testing back in 2006. Twenty years later, I returned to the same location and was able to apply that knowledge in a real-world application.  A second interesting thing is that the ATC was built for learning in more ways than you would think. It's not just in the rooms but what is outside the room. Walk the building and look around at the exposed beams, electrical/data lines, and HVAC units. The building lets you see so much of what goes into a structure; it lets you see behind the walls to see how what you learn in school is applied to the real world.”

Jon said his favorite aspect of the project was the people he worked with and all those involved. He said one of the many reasons he loves what he does is the people he interacts with. For this project, that included contractors, engineers, MCC faculty and staff, and students.

When asked what his construction team mascot would be, he said a honey badger.

“This project had an impossible schedule and faced challenge after challenge, and no matter what we faced, we did not let those challenges take us out. We always pulled it together and moved forward to deliver a world-class building. “

Veronica Chiesi Brown
Community Relations
08/31/2026