Bowman Consultants, Inc.

Ian Bowman, President of Bowman Consultants, Inc. and former Adjunct Instructor at NewSchool of Architecture & Design, stopped by campus to meet with Construction Management Program Chair, George Welch. They discussed topics ranging from the most important aspects of a well-rounded CM education to the growing number of opportunities available to students in the industry. Bowman Consultants, Inc., an architectural design and construction management firm in San Diego, specializes in tenant improvements and post-litigation condo repairs, quality control, and inspection work.

The company’s commitment to excellence is highlighted in their mission statement – a promise “to hold your project higher than the industry standards, implement the finest, safest and most adaptive services available – on time, under budget, and beyond expectation” – as well as in Ian’s history of hiring NewSchool students and alumni.

Ian realized NewSchool was different in 2011 when he first began teaching as an Adjunct Instructor in the Construction Management program. He ran his classes as project management meetings, rather than instructor-centered lectures, giving his students real-world problems and helping them critically analyze each aspect to find a solution.

Instead of spouting information to a room full of disengaged students, Ian left his pupils with knowledge they could implement as soon as they entered the industry. This hands-on approach is reflected today in Ian’s style as a business leader.

When asked what type of role NewSchool students and graduates play at Bowman Consultants, Ian said, “They’re not sitting in a trailer. They’re doing actual work and going out to job sites. They’re not doing things in the abstract, they’re dealing with real things.”

He admitted that while he doesn’t coddle his employees, he does understand the time it can take for new hires to gain respect from seasoned members of the construction industry. Ian helps new team members work through problems and he is committed to the continuous education of himself, his employees, and the community.

George added that being out in the field is the extended lab of the classroom. Ian echoed this sentiment in his advice to anyone pursuing a job in the construction management field, “Quit the restaurant and get on the job site. Push a broom, be a helper. You learn so much just from being on a job site. You get in there at the ground level.”

For more information on Bowman Consultants Inc., visit: https://bowmandb.com/