With the Poor economy forcing owners to make tough decisions about layoffs and budget cuts, one position they should not consider eliminating is the owner's representative. That is because this job has become a vital tool in helping the owner save both time and money, especially as staff sizes shrink and the need for performance and quality-control monitoring rises. Ravi Bhatia, MRICS, PE, PMP, MBA, MSc, project executive at CNY Builders and instructor at New York University's School of Continuing Education and at Polytechnic Institute. He has 20 years of project leadership experience. Traditionally, ORs have served as an extension