Farrukh Bashir serves as Associate Vice President and Director of Facilities Management at the University of Iowa. In this role, he provides executive leadership and strategic direction for Facilities Management, overseeing comprehensive campus operations—including Design and Construction, Building and Landscape Services, Utilities, and Business and Financial Services—in support of the university’s academic, research, and health care missions. He leads an organization of more than 500 employees responsible for the stewardship of the university’s-built environment.

Farrukh joined the University of Iowa in February 2026 and brings more than 20 years of leadership experience spanning higher education and health care environments. His professional expertise includes facilities operations, financial and capital planning, strategic and organizational development, workforce engagement, and operational excellence. He is deeply committed to advancing safety, sustainability, and a strong culture of employee engagement across the organization.

Prior to joining the University of Iowa, Farrukh served as Associate Director of Facilities Management at the University of Minnesota, where he provided operational leadership within a large, research-intensive institution. In that role, he collaborated extensively with academic and administrative divisions to support teaching, research, and outreach missions, while integrating environmental sustainability principles into all operational practices. He led continuous improvement initiatives focused on talent development, safety culture, staff diversity, and high-quality customer service, and represented Facilities Management on multiple university-wide committees. His responsibilities included managing and prioritizing multimillion-dollar annual operating budgets to address infrastructure needs.

Earlier in his career, Farrukh held senior facilities leadership roles in health care and private industry, as well as positions within university housing and residence life. His notable accomplishments include conducting comprehensive facilities audits to enhance the customer experience, establishing key performance indicators and data dashboards to track organizational performance, managing on-campus residential housing operations, and developing and teaching student development courses.

Farrukh holds a Doctor of Education (Ed.D.) in Higher Education Administration from the University of Minnesota, along with a master’s degree in human services and leadership development. He maintains professional credentials in facilities and project management, including the Certified Educational Facilities Professional (CEFP) designation, and is an active member of APPA.

Outside of work, Farrukh enjoys playing squash and badminton and traveling internationally.