Dean McCormick (BSConE’81), director of Iowa State University design and construction services, was recently named president of the Construction Owners Association of America (COAA) beginning in 2016. McCormick’s appointment as president was announced at COAA’s 2015 Fall Owners Leadership Conference, held in Henderson, Nev., earlier this month.
COAA’s membership includes public and private owners who buy design and construction services, including colleges and universities, local and state government, health care organizations, K-12 school systems, and a variety of private companies representing industries such as lodging, manufacturing, and retail. The association is committed to supporting facility owners in planning, design, and construction processes through education and information exchange. “Current initiatives include the expansion and improvement of the Owner Training Institute courses, expanding partnerships with other industry organizations, and finding positive ways that owners can influence current workforce issues,” McCormick said.
As president, McCormick leads a 13-person board of directors that manages COAA business and affairs. He was appointed and served as vice president from 2014 to 2015, serves as president in 2016 and 2017, and will assume the role of past president from 2017 to 2018.
McCormick has been involved with the COAA for more than 15 years, meeting many Iowa State alumni along the way. “Iowa State’s College of Engineering alumni and College of Design alumni are well represented in the COAA, as owners at institutions and as design professionals and contractors providing services to COAA owner members,” he said.
McCormick has been in his Iowa State position since 1994, overseeing nearly $1 billion in accumulated construction and expansion. Watch him talk about the recent $37.4 million Jack Trice Stadium South End Zone project. Since 2009 McCormick has served on the Iowa State University Construction Engineering Industry Advisory Council, where he has contributed to industry-leading curriculum improvements and program outreach efforts.
“The COAA has been a valuable resource for me in my role at Iowa State,” he said. “This is an opportunity to give back.”