Sir Robert Owens

Sir Robert Owens, Founder and President of Owens Group, died in September 1999.

Sir Robert's story is an inspiration to those with entrepreneurial flair.

From humble beginnings his belief in hard work, his can-do attitude and tenacity built an enormously successful business and made a difference to many aspects of New Zealand civic and business prosperity.

His passing was commemorated with the naming of a new Port of Tauranga tug “Sir Robert“. It's a fitting tribute. Sir Robert pulled the Owens Group along in his wake just as a tug pulls a mighty ship. He relished storms and over the years took on politicians, unions and excessive bureaucracy and beat them all. His entrepreneurial, never-say-never spirit genuinely produced value, employment and business.

Sir Robert was born in Manchester, England and went to sea when he was 16. He served throughout the Second World War in the Marine Service, gaining a Master Mariner's Certificate and for two years of the war he was on a Royal Navy transport tanker in the Mediterranean.

After the war, Sir Robert emigrated to Auckland and in 1953 he moved to Tauranga. He started a shipping agency and stevedoring business with only 140 Pounds. With numerous changes over the following years, this start was the foundation of the Owens Group.

In 1958 Sir Robert obtained a contract at the Port of Tauranga for loading logs to Japan and his initiative contributed enormously to the growth of exporting New Zealand forestry products.

He became a member of the Bay of Plenty Harbour Board in 1962, became Chairman in 1981, and over time was the longest serving member.

Sir Robert made an immense contribution to civic affairs in the Bay of Plenty as well as the port and the business sector. He was elected Mayor of Tauranga in 1968 and he retired from the Mayoralty in October 1977 having served three terms. For a period he was also the Mayor of Mt Maunganui, a unique status. He was a staunch advocate for a harbour bridge connecting Mt Maunganui and Tauranga and after 20 years of fighting for it, Sir Robert had the satisfaction of cutting the ribbon and officially opening the bridge in March 1988.

In 1981, following the tragedy of the Mt Erebus plane crash, Sir Robert was appointed Chairman of Air New Zealand. In his three-year term he restored morale and made sure the airline was re-organised and back on track. In the 1990's Sir Robert's contribution to transport, to business and to civic and community New Zealand were recognised as he was given many different honours, awards and medals from both New Zealand and Chile, where he had interests in forestry and transport.

In 1996 Sir Robert was inducted into the New Zealand Business Hall of Fame. But the culmination of recognition of his services to the country came in 1997 when, in the Queens Birthday Honours list, he became a Knight Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit.

Sir Robert, mariner, stevedore, shipping agent, transport provider, businessman, benefactor and local government politician became Sir Robert Owens.