Tom Bowen - Director of Athletics
Tom Bowen was named San Jose State University's director of intercollegiate athletics on December 20, 2004. His leadership positions at the professional, collegiate and high school levels have prepared him to effectively deal with the complexities, i
The long-time Bay Area resident came to San Jose State after serving three years as the director of community affairs and the executive director of the 49ers Foundation for the San Francisco 49ers of the National Football League. He directed all of the team’s fund-raising activities and was responsible for alumni and current player participation in the community. San Francisco was the first NFL franchise to implement an annual giving program. The 49ers Foundation raised over $3.0-million during his tenure.
His Division I experience at the college level includes athletic administration positions at the University of California and Saint Mary’s College in Moraga, Calif.
As an assistant and associate director of athletics at the University of California from July 2000 through September 2002, he was responsible for all athletic fundraising. Credited with developing the first comprehensive planned giving program for the Golden Bears, the Athletic Annual Fund realized a $2.7-million increase in donations and contributions.
At Saint Mary’s College, he was the Director of Foundations and Corporate Relations for the Christian brothers institution from May 1995 to January 1997 before being appointed an associate director of athletics position by the president of the college. His grant proposal acumen helped raise $6.1-million in academic funding for the institution. From January 1997 through April 2000, he managed the athletics department’s budget, directed a corporate sponsorship program and interacted with the academic senate, faculty and university personnel on student-athlete issues.
The 1983 graduate of the University of Notre Dame played high school football at Moreau High in Hayward, Calif. He majored in theology/sociology and spent six years studying for the priesthood with the Holy Cross Fathers. Bowen went on to earn a master’s degree in administration/education from the University of San Francisco in 1990.
His first professional leadership appointment in athletics was at De La Salle High School. From 1987 through 1995, he held the positions of assistant football coach and athletics director.
The new San Jose State University director of athletics is a Level 2 certified member of the College Athletic Business Management Association (CABMA), the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA), the National Society of Fund Raising Executives and an associate member of the Indiana University School of Philanthropy.
Bowen currently is an adjunct professor at the University of San Francisco School of Sports Management. A senior faculty member of the Capital Campaign Institute based in Minneapolis, Minn., from 1996 through 2002, he has been a guest lecturer on the campuses of the University of California, Stanford, San Jose State and Saint Mary’s College. Bowen continues to speak before major corporations headquartered locally on the topics of leadership, management and motivation.
The Denver, Colo., native was born on May 27, 1961. He and his wife, Mia, are the parents of three children. Andrew is six-years-old; Peter, two; and, daughter, McKenna, one. The Bowen family resides in Danville, Calif.