DATE: Thursday, October 2, 1997             TAG: 9710020702

SECTION: LOCAL                   PAGE: B1   EDITION: NORTH CAROLINA 

SOURCE: STAFF REPORT 

DATELINE: KILL DEVIL HILLS                  LENGTH:   32 lines

CHAMBER HAILS OWENS AS CITIZEN OF THE YEAR

Robert V. ``Bobby'' Owens Jr. was named the 1997 Outer Banks Citizen of the Year Wednesday by the Outer Banks Chamber of Commerce.

Honored at the chamber's annual awards dinner at the 3rd Street Oceanfront Grille, the former chairman of the Dare County Board of Commissioners was praised for his commitment to community services, education and family recreation throughout the county.

``His accomplishments are many and what he's meant to Dare County unmeasurable,'' said chamber president Rick Mizelle. ``We appreciate his years of dedication to making Dare County and eastern North Carolina a better place to live and make a living.''

Owens, 64, recently left local politics after more than 20 years to serve in Raleigh on the state Utilities Commission.

Also honored during the awards ceremony were outgoing chamber directors Chris Toolen, Ron Bennett, Brenda Sitz, Larry Ott and Michael Moore, who were presented with pewter mugs. Outgoing officers Debbie Burgess, Wilson Shearing, Chris Toolen, Dawn Enochs, Jon Summerton, Stan White, Ron Bennett and Sterling Webster received personalized Glenn Eure drawings.

At evening's end, outgoing board chairman Rick Mizelle handed his gavel over to incoming chairman Sterling Webster. ILLUSTRATION: Color photo

Robert V. Owens KEYWORDS: CITIZEN OF THE YEAR

Send Suggestions or Comments to webmaster@scholar.lib.vt.edu