Jason Benson, of West Fargo, North Dakota, joined the Metro Flood Diversion Authority as its executive director in February 2025.
Prior to that role, he worked for the Cass County, North Dakota, Highway Department. He started as a design and construction engineer in 2000 and was promoted to county engineer in 2011. He was responsible for infrastructure management of more than 630 miles of paved and gravel roads and 560 bridge structures. When flooding occurs, as it did in 2019, 2020 and 2023, he served as the incident commander for Cass County’s flood response efforts.
As Cass County engineer, Benson served as a senior technical advisor for the FM Area Diversion project, collaborating with agencies on design and technical aspects for some components.
He has served on numerous technical teams and committees for Metro COG, Red River Basin Commission, North Dakota Department of Transportation, North Dakota Local Technical Assistance Program, North Dakota Association of County Engineers, North Dakota Association of Counties, and Upper Great Plains Transportation Institute.
Benson enlisted in the U.S. Army in 1989 and currently serves as a brigadier general in the Minnesota Army National Guard. His overseas deployments have included missions in Kuwait, Iraq, Macedonia, Kosovo, Germany and Bosnia-Herzegovina.
Benson earned a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering from North Dakota State University, a master’s degree in management from the University of Mary’s Fargo campus, and a master’s degree in strategic studies from the U.S. Army War College. He’s a professional engineer and has completed numerous FEMA Incident Command Center courses.
His recognitions include a Gold Star Award from the North Dakota Ready Mix and Concrete Products Association for his work as a lead designer and project manager for North Dakota’s first County Highway Bonded Concrete Overlay. He received the NDDOT Vision Zero Safety Award for 2023, was named County Engineer of the Year by the North Dakota County Engineers Association in 2021, received the National Achievement Award from the National Association of Counties in 2020, and was awarded the Outstanding Community Leadership Award by the Boy Scouts of America, Northern Lights Council, in 2019. Additionally, his department received the Asphalt Recycling and Reclamation Association’s Annual Project Award for Excellence in Soil Stabilization as well as the inaugural Vision Zero Safety Program Award, both in 2019.
Among Benson’s numerous military awards and badges are a Legion of Merit Medal, Bronze Star Medal, Meritorious Service Medal, Combat Infantryman Badge, Airborne Badge and Ranger Tab.