Engaged Ownership

Owen Family—June 2, 2011

Michael Owen, Age 41, President of Owen Products, Ltd

It was a complete shock when my father died. I was coming home from a sales convention when I got the call on my mobile phone. My dad had been so healthy, we all expected him to live into his nineties, at least. The memorial service was amazing—just about all our suppliers and customers came. He was so well liked, my dad. The success of Owen Products is a testament to him—he grew it from a small company that my grandfather started in 1948. Sixty-two years later, we're the biggest terra cotta pot manufacturer in the country, with the highest quality. That's a tough act to follow. Our customers depend on us, and we deliver. Sometimes I wonder if I'm really the guy to do this job, but then I think, my granddad and dad learned to do it, so I can, too.

The company means a lot to me. Knowing all that goes into making our pots, and everything we've sacrificed as a family to stay in this business, keeps me motivated. My grandmother gave her most prized possession, her grandmother's diamond ring, for this business. My grandfather sank every penny he earned back in the business and then rebuilt the plant after the kiln explosion in 1959. My dad opened Owen Products West and tripled the size of the business. So now it's my job to lead it forward. I think my sisters and brother feel the same way about our family ...