Retiring after 36 years at Bowman & Company – Vija Powell.

After 36 remarkable years with Bowman & Company, we are celebrating the retirement of a longtime colleague whose career has been defined not simply by the work she has done, but by the relationships she has built along the way.

Since joining Bowman in 1990, she has witnessed decades of change and growth—within the accounting profession, within our firm, and in the lives and businesses of the clients we serve. Yet when asked what she has enjoyed most about her time at Bowman, her answer is simple: the people.

“The wonderful relationships formed with staff and clients” are what she will remember most—and what she says she will miss most as she begins this next chapter.

Over more than three decades, those relationships have created plenty of wonderful memories.

Bowman’s Open House parties rank among her favorites, providing an opportunity to step away from the day-to-day work and simply enjoy time with clients and friends. And then there were the occasional Friday lunches in the 1990s with her colleagues Pam and Susan at El Torito’s—a tradition that included margaritas and, on at least one memorable occasion, a bartender who generously prepared a few “to go”. As she recalls with a smile, “Of course no one knew, which made our afternoon a delight!”

But some of her most meaningful memories are quieter ones.

In the later years of Mr. Bowman’s life, when he could no longer drive but still enjoyed coming into the firm to read, spend time on his computer, and be part of the office, she would pick him up in the morning and bring him to work.

She remembers those drives and their time together fondly: “I truly enjoyed our time together.”

It is a small story that says a great deal about the relationships that have defined both her career and Bowman & Company’s history.

As retirement approaches, saying goodbye is bittersweet. She has already spent months personally saying farewell to many of the clients she has come to know and care about over the years, and she plans to reach out to those she hasn’t yet had the opportunity to speak with before her final day.

“I love our clients,” she says. “I’m very sad that I won’t be seeing them again, as well as the wonderful people at Bowman—especially not seeing them every day.”

Fortunately, retirement comes with plenty to look forward to.

At the top of the list is spending more quality time with her granddaughter. She is also looking forward to gardening, visiting her daughter Katie in Arnold more often and tackling a retirement project that may prove almost as ambitious as a career in public accounting: purging the entire house and garage.

Travel may come later. For now, she is looking forward to having the time to enjoy family, home and whatever this next chapter brings.

Thirty-six years is an extraordinary tenure, and it is difficult to capture the impact of that much shared history in a few paragraphs. Careers are ultimately measured by more than years of service. They are measured in relationships built, clients cared for, colleagues supported, traditions shared, laughter remembered and the countless everyday moments that become part of a firm’s story.

We are deeply grateful that for 36 years, she has been part of ours.

Congratulations on your retirement—and thank you for everything you have given to Bowman & Company, our clients and generations of colleagues. We wish you much happiness, plenty of time with your granddaughter, a beautiful garden, and joy in the new memories you’ll make in retirement!