Bowen; photo provided.
Retired homebuilder Rudy Bowen of Suwanee was acclaimed as the Gwinnett Citizen of the Year for his long-standing dedication and service to the county and the metro Atlanta area at the 76th annual dinner of the Gwinnett Chamber of Commerce on February 2. He joined a distinguished group of citizens honored at the meeting.
Bowen, 84, first came to Gwinnett in 1964, after being born in Atlanta, and having graduated from Dawson County High School and the University of Georgia. In 1962, he married Jean Kirby of Dunwoody and they bought their first home in Gwinnett in 1964.
Bowen began building his first house for sale in Gwinnett in 1969, which sold quickly, as did the next. Within five years, he was building 50 homes a year, primarily mid-range homes, which gained the reputation of being of good quality and high value in one of the fastest growing areas of the nation. Soon his company started to develop land and create entire communities.
Meanwhile, Bowen was contributing to the overall county in service on various boards. That included the Lake Lanier Recreational Authority, Gwinnett Airport Authority, Gwinnett Board of Appeals, Johns Creek Hospital Board and as a deacon at Johns Creek Baptist Church.
In 2007, he was named to the Georgia Department of Transportation Board, representing initially the 6th District. He has continually served since, twice as chairman of the board. Bowen has been credited with providing steady leadership during unprecedented times to keep roadwork and maintenance projects on or ahead of schedule.
As his company grew, his son, David, and sons-in-law, Mike Phelps and Tip Cape, became involved in building homes. Now Bowen’s grandchildren are also in the companies.
Other winners at the Chamber dinner were:
Because One Matters was recipient of the D. Scott Hudgens Humanitarian Award, in recognition of their impactful efforts to help those in need.
Moneypenny was honored with the James J. Maran International Award, acknowledging their significant contributions on the global stage.
Recipients of the Public Service Award, included
- Deirdra Cox (Community Sustainability Enterprise);
- Ron Garrard (Garrard Construction Group);
- Veronica Maldonado-Torres (Georgia Hispanic Chamber of Commerce);
- Dr. Uday Parikh (Dentistry4You); and
- Linda Schoepf (ABS/LMS Franchising Little Caesars).
Thomas D. Moreland and Dorothy Rainey were posthumously bestowed with the R. Wayne Shackleford Legacy Award, in remembrance of their enduring legacy and contributions to the community.
The event also marked a significant transition as the gavel was passed from Gwinnett Chamber’s immediate past Chair of the Board of Directors, Dean Collins, to its newly appointed 2024 Board Chair, Lanier Levett.
Levett articulated the Chamber’s vision for 2024, emphasizing a commitment to innovation and inclusivity, and heralding a future characterized by collaboration. “Together, we will continue to write the Chamber’s story; a story of innovation, inclusion, and prosperity,” Levett says.
- Have a comment? Send to: elliott@brack.net
Follow Us