Insights into today’s facility owners with Howie Ferguson, executive director of the Construction Owners Association of America

Howie Ferguson is an experienced leader and is the Executive Director of the Construction Owners Association of America. The national association consists of public and private owners who manage facilities development and capital improvement projects. The organization supports owners' success in the design and construction of buildings and facilities through education, information and collaboration.

Howie has a thorough background in civil engineering, serving over nine years as a commissioned officer in the Civil Engineer Corps of the US Navy. He spent roughly 28 years as an institutional owner, including almost two decades as a Project Manager at the University of Florida where he oversaw their planning, design and construction.

In this episode:

AEC firms have a particular need for high standards of quality. So many small details come into play during construction, any of which can have catastrophic effects on the build. Furthermore, those potential defects can directly correlate to the longevity and even safety of the finished product. This creates a demand for higher standards and a sense of trust.

For the Construction Owners Association of America, this is exactly what they aim to do. They utilize education and collaboration across their members to improve the quality of the building process. Howie Ferguson, the Executive Director of the association, has upheld these standards in his own work and as director. So what lessons can be learned by other AEC firms?

Michelle Calcote King has an informative interview with Howie Ferguson, the Executive Director of the Construction Owners Association of America, to discuss the association and the principles behind their work. They go through the organization’s background and how they use education to raise standards. They also touch on a variety of topics for AEC firms, including procuring clients, the value of authenticity and accountability. Hear all this and more on this episode of the Spill the Ink podcast.