Shane Lundgren
Quick Facts
Biography
Shane Christopher Lundgren is an American aviator, commercial aviation businessman, entrepreneur and adventurer.
A Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society and member of the Explorers Club Lundgren has led a number of aviation focused expeditions.
In 1994 he led the first "online" expedition sponsored by Wired magazine, Magnavox, and Apple Inc. flying across Arctic Siberia in a pair of Russian biplanes. Discovery Online was launched in 1995 through another of his biplane expeditions, this one chronicling indigenous people from Yakutsk to Alaska with the Smithsonian Institution. Subsequently, he led polar flying expeditions in 1997 and 1998 with National Geographic filming a documentary on the history of early polar flights.
Shane has been active in commercial aviation, aircraft leasing, finance and new technology ventures throughout his career.
Early life
Lundgren was born on March 21, 1961 in Palo Alto, California. He attended the University of San Diego and received a degree in economics and history in 1984. Concurrently he attended National Air College and obtained his Commercial Pilot License, Instrument Rating, Multi-Engine Rating and Instructors Flight Rating. In 1982, at 21 years of age, he was checked out in the Boeing 737 by Air Berlin USA, founded by father Kim Lundgren in Berlin, Germany. At the time, Shane was the youngest person to fly the 737 commercially.
Career
Lundgren flew as a captain for Air Berlin from 1982 through 1998, and remains current on the Boeing 737NG. With the fall of the Berlin wall he worked with his father during the transition of the company from being a US flag carrier to a German airline, the only airline in history to change nationality.
Lundgren served as executive VP for AMI, Limited during the company's expansion into trading activities in far east Russia, including Khabarovsk, Vladivostock and Sakalin Island. During travels in Russia, Lundgren hatched the idea of barnstorming Siberia in Russian Antonov An-2 biplanes. In 1994, he led the first "online expedition," sponsored by WIRED magazine, Magnavox, and Apple. The flight began in Moscow and proceeded north of the Arctic Circle across Siberia to Magadan. In 1995, the Smithsonian Institution's Arctic Studies Center joined Lundgren in another flying expedition to chronicle indigenous people from Yakutsk to Alaska across the Bering Straits. Discovery Online was launched through this expedition. Lundgren went on to found WorldSight, an early online magazine.
Lundgren led polar expeditions in 1997 and 1998, and was filmed by National Geographic Television in a documentary about the original polar flights. Pembroke Capital of Dublin, Ireland, sponsored his 1998 Polar flight and subsequently hired Lundgren to assist with marketing commercial aircraft to airline clients globally. He left Pembroke to found a business-to-business aviation software company, Avexus.
Lundgren then founded Dutch Pacific Properties to develop properties in Oregon, his home State. His Metolian eco-resort project won accolades internationally for innovation and sustainability but was killed by the Oregon Legislature in an unprecedented land use action in 2009.
Lundgren continues to work in commercial aircraft and engine leasing and financing with Pacific Brihar in Dublin. He is also an advisor to Air Berlin Germany's second largest airline.
Civic
Lundgren has served on the Black Butte School Board since 2007, as well been the President of the Black Butte School Foundation, which funds scholarships to local students annually.
Family
Lundgren's Great Grandfather was John Adam Zehntbauer, founder of Jantzen in Portland in 1915. Father Kim Lundgren founded Air Berlin.