John J. Bowen

John J. Bowen’s commitment to Johnson & Wales University has sustained a long haul. In the course of four decades, he has worked to move the school forward, through new offerings and re-positioning. An alumnus himself, Bowen is dedicated to making the institution relevant, valuable and known for more than its culinary offerings.

The story of its bold evolution fits with the university’s founding – by two women – at a time when women couldn’t even vote. With four campuses, Bowen has positioned JWU as a competitor in multiple job markets, in part by adding new ingredients to an old recipe: mixing science with food.

With food as a launch point for programs in nutrition, sustainability and health sciences, the school’s efforts are all about jobs. A physician’s assistant program was added, housed in a Jewelry District building renovated at the cost of $13.3 million. The program goal: possible student entry-level salary of up to $93,000. Health and fitness are career fields with a great promise of growth, Bowen says.

In addition to his commitment to the university, Bowen also helped foster investment in Providence itself. The school tripled the amount it remits to the city in lieu of taxes to $14.5 million over 10 years, the first of seven nonprofits to help the city during its financial travails.

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Always with an eye on the future, Bowen acquired land for its Engineering and Science Academic Center on former Interstate 195 land, with more programs to come. •

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