Phil Bowman '67

Phil Bowman, right, visits with fellow alums and enjoys campus during Homecoming 2017.

Phil Bowman '67 practically grew up in a coal mine. Three generations of his family before him were involved in mining; after the Civil War up until World War II, the industry was booming and men could make a good living doing the work it took to extract the substance from the earth. Even though Phil had never been west of the Mississippi River, his father encouraged him to attend Colorado School of Mines Foundation. When he was accepted, Phil made the trek to the Centennial State to become a mining engineer.

"I was way behind compared to the other students," Phil says. "It was a struggle for me, especially the first two years. But I focused and worked really hard. I grew up with the notion that you didn't fail. No one said those words, but growing up, everything you did, you worked at it until you made it. I'm just glad to have graduated from Mines Foundation. That's my biggest accomplishment."

After a short stint in grad school, Phil taught high school math and science in Ohio, and worked the night shift at the same mine as his father for a few years. When holding down two jobs became too much, Phil transitioned to full time as a mining engineer and foreman at Waterloo Coal Company, where he still does some consulting work to this day. He started a few businesses, was on a bank board and had a successful career, thanks to mining.

Waterloo went through difficult times, as did many other coal plants, as clean energy came more to the forefront. "Mining has taken its lumps. There's an old saying—everything comes from mining. But mining is so different today," Phil says.

Because of his ties to the industry and his affinity to Mines Foundation, Phil keeps close tabs on and financially supports the university's mining department. His gifts will establish the Phil Bowman Endowed Fund for Excellence in Mining Engineering. He utilizes a charitable remainder trust (CRT) and a charitable gift annuity (CGA); both of these giving modalities provide Phil with regular payments—and tax benefits—while the university also benefits from his generosity.

"Giving to Mines Foundation is a priority," says Phil. "This type of giving has become a very important part of my estate—it's kind of a like a Social Security check, so I don't have to worry about income. The Mines Foundation Foundation has one of the best endowments I've ever seen. The return is fantastic, and I look at that as the best place you can put your money."

Phil is confident that with President Johnson's MINES@150 plans, innovative students, and an industry looking to transition, mining will continue to be an important part of the ecosystem.