COUNCILMAN FRED OWEN

Except for service in the Marine Corps during the Korean War and college and law school at The University of Texas, my permanent address was in Houston until a few years ago. While traveling in the Hill Country, my wife Beryl Ann and I visited Horseshoe Bay and knew immediately we wanted to be a part of this wonderful community.

During most of my active business career, I served as an attorney in the oil, gas and mineral industry, both domestically and in the international arena, during the last five years of that career as General Counsel of Pennzoil Company. While serving in that capacity, I was executive in charge of various company functions, including government relations, environmental compliance, public relations, shareholder relations and ranching and guest operations in addition to supervising 28 in-house attorneys. I also served on a number of boards and committees, including The Middle East Institute, Southwestern Legal Foundation, American Mining Congress and the International Bar Association.

After taking early retirement from Pennzoil, two cohorts and I formed a small oil company, which we later sold. I am an ordained elder in the Presbyterian church, and Beryl Ann and I are now active members of The Church at Horseshoe Bay. In 2007, I was elected a director of the HSB POA Board and served as president during my term. The Owen blended family includes four children and eight (and still counting) grandchildren.

Cooperation is the key to making our community work. Six years ago when we moved to HSB, there seemed to exist a “...we versus they...” attitude. Although painful at times, I have noticed in recent years a marked reversal in the “...we versus they...” attitude and a distinct move to a more cooperative effort. One example fresh in mind is the cooperation and hearty efforts put forth by the Mayor and City Council, the Resort executives and the HSB POA in structuring a meaningful method of transferring ownership of the roads to the City. A more recent effort is the recognition that the community needs expanded meeting facilities and the efforts made by the HSB POA, the Resort and the City to bring that project to fruition. I was fortunate to be a part of both those efforts and look forward to other possibilities on the horizon, perhaps involving hiking trails, expanded parks, a dog park or other suggestions not yet known. However, my main objective will be focused on finding a reasonable solution to a road improvement program, one which will benefit our entire community.

This “joining together” for the good of the community will move HSB comfortably ahead for the coming years and help to insure the continued existence of our wonderful Hill Country life.