In his 14th year in Georgia, Mr. Cowgill is the President and co-founder of Georgian American University’s (GAU’s) Business; Law & Social Sciences; and Natural Sciences & Engineering Schools in Tbilisi, Georgia. He has over 35 years of experience in managing all phases of projects in over 40 countries in the energy and education industry with emphasis in project/construction management; environmental, regulatory and strategic analysis; operational risk management; corporate social responsibility (CSR); and global business development. From 1999-2003 he was the pipeline advisor for the Government of Georgia providing strategic, regulatory, and technical assistance for the implementation of the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan (Oil) and South Caucasus (Natural Gas) Pipelines.
A summary of his Associations and Affiliations are as follows:
- Board of Directors, First Vice-President, American Chamber of Commerce, Tbilisi, Georgia, Chair of CSR Committee, Past VP & Treasurer and Past Chair of Education and Training Committee\
- Steering Committee, UNDP Global Compact Program for Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) in Georgia
- Salvation Army, Georgia, Advisory Board
- Dog Organization Georgia (DOG), advisor to Board of dog shelter NGO
- President, First Private Club
- Co-Director, International Energy Group, Tbilisi, Georgia
- U.S. Dept. of Commerce Good Governance Working Group, Tbilisi, Georgia
- Association of Georgian Private Universities, Founding Member
- USAID Georgia Community Connections Program Interviewer
- Georgian Business Ethics Association Founding Member
- U.S.-Caucasus Institute for Democracy (2003): Adviser
- Rustavi 2 Television Station: Adviser for obtaining international funds & grants
- Georgian Arts Research Library: Supporter, Fundraiser, & Adviser
- Board of Directors of the Central Texas Chapter of Junior Achievement
- Board of Directors of the Interstate Natural Gas Association of America (INGAA)
- Adviser to the University of Texas’ Business and Environmental MBA program
- Texas Independent Producers & Royalty Owners (TIPRO) Environmental Committee
- Eagle Scout
Mr. Cowgill has an MBA from UC Berkeley. He has a wife and daughter in Tbilisi and 2 sons in America.