Leathem named chair of the Nieri Department of Construction and Real Estate Development

Following a highly competitive national search, Tom Leathem has been named as the new chair of the Nieri Department of Construction and Real Estate Development at Clemson University, effective July 1, 2025. Leathem will join Clemson from Auburn University, where he is the current undergraduate program chair and JE Wilborn associate professor in the McWhorter School of Building Science.

Leathem said he was drawn to Clemson because of its long history of excellence in construction education that’s built on a strong foundation of great people with a focus on the students and advancing research. He added, “They have an extensive alumni network with great pride for their alma mater and an administration that believes in supporting the program’s continued success and growth.”

Leathem brings a powerful combination of industry and academic experiences to his new role as chair. After earning his undergraduate degree in construction management from Western Illinois University, he worked for more than a decade in construction and real estate businesses in the Chicago area. He earned his M.S. in Integrated Design & Construction from Auburn University, and shortly afterward joined Mississippi State University’s Building Construction Science faculty. He completed his Ph.D. from MSU’s Department of Curriculum, Instruction, and Special Education in 2017 before joining the faculty at Auburn.

My vision is for us to make the Nieri Department of Construction and Real Estate Development the program that all other construction programs aspire to be like.

Tom Leathem, Chair, Nieri Department of Construction and Real Estate Development

“Dr. Leathem brings passion, energy, and a strong blend of academic and industry experience from his distinguished career,” said Ece Erdogmus, dean of the College of Architecture, Art and Construction. “Through his research, he has made significant contributions to construction education. Uniquely, he also previously taught collaborative studios between construction and architecture programs, which aligns perfectly with our vision to strengthen inter-departmental collaboration in the College of Architecture, Art and Construction to advance our education, research, and service activities fiercely forward. I am confident that the Nieri Department of Construction and Real Estate Development will thrive under his guidance for years to come,” she added.

At Auburn, Leathem was actively involved in competitive student success, most recently leading a team that took first place in the Associated Schools of Construction (ASC) Region 8 competition in the Design-Build category. He is active in several national professional organizations, serving as 2^nd Vice President for ASC, Executive Director of the Architecture + Construction Alliance, and as a member of the Training Committee for the American Council for Construction Education.

Leathem will take the reins of the department from Interim Chair Dhaval Gajjar, who has led the department since December. Previously, the department was led by Professor Mike Jackson, whose tenure saw the department grow through the transformative generosity of the Nieri family in 2019. For more than a decade, the construction science and management program has enjoyed a 100 percent hired-before-graduation rate for its undergraduates in addition to back-to-back championships in the Associated Builders and Contractors’ (ABC) annual Construction Science and Management Competition.

“It may be a lofty goal, but my vision is for us to make the Nieri Department of Construction and Real Estate Development the program that all other construction programs aspire to be like,” Leathem noted. “Some might say you can’t be great at everything, that you have to pick one thing — research, the student experience, service to the community, great working environment with great people, et cetera — and make that your thing.

“They might be right, but I’m one of those who believes you don’t know until you try.”