THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Saturday, October 15, 1994 TAG: 9410150195
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B1 EDITION: NORTH CAROLINA
SOURCE: BY LANE DEGREGORY, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: NAGS HEAD LENGTH: Medium: 69 lines
He's helped build new bridges to Colington, Manteo and Kitty Hawk. He made sure sand and ocean overwash didn't block the only road to Hatteras Island. His restaurants have fed thousands.
Now, the 37-year-old man whose motto is ``Treat you like family'' has been honored for his contributions to the community.
Dare County native R.V. Owens III is the Outer Banks Chamber of Commerce's 1994 Citizen of the Year.
``R.V. is always giving back to this community that he obviously loves so much,'' said Chamber Executive Vice President John Bone, whose group gave Owens the annual award at a dinner Friday night at a Nags Head restaurant.
``When committee members search for a Citizen of the Year, they look for someone who has made significant contributions to the entire Outer Banks - not just in one year or just to the business community - but over time, to the area as a whole. R.V. exemplifies all those qualities.''
A 1975 graduate of Manteo High School, Owens grew up on North Carolina's barrier islands. His family runs Owens Restaurant, where the Chamber presentation dinner was held.
An active member of the Outer Banks Chamber of Commerce, Owens served as its president from 1990-91. He helped form the Dare County Tourist Bureau Board and chaired that advisory group in 1992. Owens also led the campaign to get funding for tourism promotions - by instituting a tax on lodgings and meals.
Hunt appointed Owens to the state's Transportation Board in 1992.
In that capacity, Owens helped keep Dare County traffic flowing following the March 1993 ``Storm of the Century,'' Hurricane Emily and dozens of smaller blows. He also has made sure at least five major Outer Banks bridges have been or will be replaced. He was instrumental in getting a trooper stationed at the Wright Memorial Bridge to the Outer Banks during times of heavy summer tourist traffic. And he kept state road work from eliminating at least one local institution: When a new, higher bridge was completed to Colington Island this month, Owens convinced highway workers not to demolish the old one so that people could continue catching crabs from the smaller span.
``He works very hard to do the right thing,'' Bone said. ``He gives an untold amount of time, energy and effort for the people of the Outer Banks.''
After high school, Owens attended Fork Union Military Academy for a year. He then enrolled at the University of Richmond on a football scholarship and completed a four-year business degree. Then Owens worked in the office of former U.S. Congressman Walter B. Jones Sr. for one year before moving back to the Outer Banks.
RV's Restaurant on the Nags Head-Manteo Causeway was his first business investment. He later opened Keepers Galley in Kitty Hawk, and owns two Kentucky Fried Chicken restaurants. Locally filmed television advertisements for both eateries feature a jovial R.V. as a giant, Duracell rabbit, and, of course, a family man.
Owens and his wife, Julie, have two children: Shannon, 7, and Robert ``Bo,'' 4. The family lives on Roanoke Island. But Owens spends much of his time at his restaurants - and working on local and state activities. ILLUSTRATION: Photo by DREW WILSON, Staff
R.V. Owens III was named 1994's Citizen of the Year by the Outer
Banks Chamber of Commerce on Friday. The restaurateur has been
instrumental in forming state transportation and tourism policies.
KEYWORDS: PROFILE by CNB