Parents and Friends
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For our Alumni, Parents and Friends |
| Fall 2006 | Table of Contents |
 Steven Bowman. |
Alumni Profile
Steven Bowman
(Class of '04)
By Andrea Evans
Steven Bowman recalls walking along the upper James River in Claremont as a boy with a crab net searching for soft-shell crabs. “Where can you go with a simple implement such as a crab net and be that close to nature and have a chance to observe not just the crab you are pursuing but the sub-aqueous grasses, the fish and the cleanliness of the water?”
In these waters, Mr. Bowman’s boyhood interests and his responsibilities as the newly appointed commissioner of Virginia’s Marine Resources Commission unite. “It is part of my responsibility as commissioner to ensure that my children and grandchildren will be able to do that as well,” he said.
As commissioner, he wades through the concerns of people with diverse interests and approaches to resource management – commercial watermen, recreational users, waterfront developers and next-door-neighbors who rely on the agency for regulation, conservation and law enforcement. Often the agency works with conflicting parties to develop a consensus regarding resources. “To sit and talk with all parties and work out a reasonable compromise is very rewarding,” he said.
Mr. Bowman put college on hold for 20 years, breaking the hiatus by coming to Christopher Newport University. He points to the CNU diploma hanging on the wall of his office and says, “I consider this valuable stock. As the University grows in stature and respect, it increases in value all the time, and it helped position me for this promotion. Indeed, it was a dream that came true.”
Mr. Bowman and wife, Amy, live in Smithfield. They have two children.