Business Matters

College of Business Recognizes Contributions of Tom Dowling

“The year was 1982. Michael Jackson’s now iconic album, Thriller, had just been released. The average cost of a home was $82,000. Gasoline was a mere 91 cents per gallon. This also was the year Tom Dowling began a 36-year career educating students in the OSU College of Business…” begins Daniel Lykins, director of teaching and learning, in his roast to honor retiring instructor Tom Dowling’s three-plus decades of service to the college at the 2018 Celebration of Achievement.

Dowling, who began his career teaching undergraduate courses, has most notably contributed to the college’s MBA program with leadership of the students’ Integrated Business Projects.

Read more of Lykins remarks below:

“The most visible portion of Tom’s career is perhaps his work with our MBA program. In 1992 Tom started a new role in the graduate program as a thesis advisor, and in 2001, was a key contributor to the development and introduction of the Integrated Business Project or the IBP.

“Tom played a large role in our MBA IBP program. One of his peers noted that Tom has a knack for helping struggling teams do a more credible job by the end of the year. His role was more than a teacher – it required diplomacy, coaching, leading.

“The first IBP plan was written for Corvallis’ very own NuScale Power, a successful power technology company, which still maintains a close relationship with OSU.

“Many IBP projects led to successful businesses, including a new malaria medication, the first portable dialysis unit approved by FDA, a medical isotope approved by the NRC, and countless others.

“Since 2001, these partner companies have generated more than a billion dollars in revenue based on the projects completed by our MBA student teams.

“Tom was one of the first recipients of the Betty & Forrest Simmons Graduate Teaching Award. He also received the Byron L. Newton Undergraduate Teaching Award. Additionally, he was awarded not one, but two of those prestigious and highly coveted Bernie Newcomb Awards.

“In these last two decades, Tom has served as thesis advisor to more than 200 MBA student teams, and over the course of his career, taught more than 10,000 students.

“Tom’s colleagues fondly remember him as ‘just-in-time Tom’ — which might explain why he was the last one to arrive tonight.

“Nonetheless, there is no doubt that his efforts over his time at OSU will leave a lasting impact on the quality and reputation of our MBA program, and the future achievements of our graduate students.

“Tom, thank you for your three and half decades of service to this college. We wish you well in your retirement.”

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Tom Dowling earned his bachelor’s degree in international studies from Ohio University, graduating summa cum laude, and in 1978, earned his master’s degree in management from the University of Pittsburgh. 

Shortly after his graduation, Tom founded Dowling Consulting Services, Inc., a firm providing consulting services in strategic analysis, strategic planning, and business plan creation. The firm has served both domestic and international clients, from small organizations to Fortune 100 and 500 firms. Tom also later co-founded American Computer & Electronic Services, an IT services and computer engineering consulting firm in 1981, and founded ACES Medical in 2014.