Fowler brings more than 20 years of experience in engineering, infrastructure planning, facilities management and capital project delivery.The University of Alabama at Birmingham has named James Fowler associate vice president and chief facilities officer following a national search. Fowler, who currently serves as chief of Public Infrastructure for the City of Birmingham, will join UAB on Nov. 1 and succeed Greg Parsons, who is retiring Jan. 31, 2027.
Fowler brings more than 20 years of experience in engineering, infrastructure planning, facilities management and capital project delivery. In his current role with the city, Fowler oversees 11 departments and divisions comprising more than 1,000 employees and collaborates on the city’s annual budget of more than $600 million.
Fowler served as director of Planning, Design and Construction at UAB prior to joining the city. He also led the development of the university’s 2015 Campus Master Plan and helped guide major campus infrastructure and facilities projects.
“James is an accomplished engineer and strategic leader whose experience aligns with UAB’s mission and future growth, and we are excited to have him back on campus,” said Ray L. Watts, president of UAB. “His knowledge of our institution and its footprint, combined with his proven record of leading large-scale infrastructure initiatives and complex organizations, makes him the ideal person to help guide the continued development of our campus and support the university’s long-term strategic priorities.”
As chief facilities officer, Fowler will serve as UAB’s senior facilities executive. He will provide leadership for campus planning, design and construction, facilities operations and maintenance, utilities, and capital projects across the university’s academic and research environments. Fowler will also serve as the primary liaison with the UAB Health System and UAB Medicine on capital planning efforts and shared infrastructure initiatives.
“Throughout the search process, James distinguished himself through both his extensive expertise and his collaborative leadership style,” said Stephanie Mullins, vice president for Finance. “His experience and ability to engage all stakeholders and deliver transformational projects will be invaluable as we continue to invest in facilities that support education, research, patient care and community engagement.”
Fowler has overseen major initiatives related to transportation, parks, sustainability, capital projects and infrastructure planning during his tenure with the city. As Birmingham’s director of Transportation and city traffic engineer, Fowler led planning and maintenance of the city’s transportation network. He also helped implement significant mobility and infrastructure improvements.
“UAB has played an important role in my professional career, and I’m honored to have the opportunity to return in this capacity,” Fowler said. “UAB’s campus is critical to its mission to educate students, advance research, improve health and serve our community. I look forward to working with faculty, staff, students and partners throughout the institution to build upon the already strong foundation and support its continued growth and success.”
Fowler is a licensed professional engineer in Alabama and Georgia. He earned a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering from Auburn University and serves on the advisory board for UAB’s Department of Civil, Construction and Environmental Engineering. Fowler also has leadership roles with numerous regional and national organizations.
UAB also extends its appreciation to Parsons for his years of leadership and service. Parsons has helped guide the university through a period of historic growth and campus development since assuming the role of chief facilities officer in 2017. Under his leadership, UAB delivered major construction and renovation projects that have modernized the campus and strengthened the environments for teaching, research, patient care and student success, advancing the university’s long-term growth and strategic priorities.