Bruce Watts has been named by Illinois Institute of Technology President John Anderson as vice president of facilities and public safety for the university. Watts will be responsible for management of the buildings and grounds as well as oversight of public safety efforts and management of security personnel at IIT’s five campuses.
Watts has more than 30 years experience in facilities and construction management organizations, including positions at the major national construction firms Barton Marlow Company, Rise Group and Bovis Lend Lease. Prior to his time in the private sector, Watts served a twenty-year career as an officer in the U.S. Navy Civil Engineer Corps, during which he managed design, construction and facilities services around the world.
“I’m pleased to welcome Bruce to IIT during this exciting time for the university,” said Anderson. “His extensive experience in construction and facilities management and his strong record managing sustainable projects make him the ideal candidate to guide IIT’s continued campus improvement and commitment to responsible resource management.”
Watts has managed a wide range of facilities services and building types. He also has a strong record in sustainability, starting with the first LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) pilot projects in the 1990’s. Through his training and experience as a naval officer and a private sector executive, he is highly attuned to public safety matters, including security and emergency response planning. As chief operating officer and director of construction, engineering, and environment for the U.S. Naval Facilities Engineering Command at Great Lakes, Illinois, Watts managed facilities at the Navy’s largest training and education campus, comprising 13.5 million square feet and 1100 buildings, 43 of them on the National Historic Register. In this role, he also served multiple other complexes throughout the Midwest, including the Navy’s research and development center in Crane, Indiana.
Bruce holds a Master of Science in Civil Engineering from Purdue University and a Bachelor of Science in Systems Engineering from the U.S. Naval Academy. He is a registered Professional Engineer and a LEED Accredited Professional.