WOMEN AT THE TOP, continued
DWYER-OWENS continued from page 22
ing me listen to those leadership tapes
as a teenager, my father provided me
with many mentors. I was surrounded
by great inspiring minds like Zig Ziglar, Stephen Covey, Paul Meyer, Earl
Nightingale, Napoleon Hill, and of
course Don Dwyer.
Female leaders you admire: My
mother, Theresa, is one of the strongest
and most admirable women I know. She
taught me how to be kind to all, one of
the greatest lessons anyone can learn.
She also taught me the precious role of
being a good mother with her devotion
to raising me and my brothers and sisters. I value my own station in life as a
mother and the priorities that I give to
my faith, my family, and my career in
the right order by her example.
Then there is Mother Teresa. I admire her challenge for us to always be
our best. There is a gift in spirit and
in service she will always embody that
speaks volumes about the influence one
person can have on so many others.
My sister Debbie Hood, chief administrative officer for The Dwyer Group,
is one of the smartest, hardest-working
women I know. Whether it involves organizing the most complex aspects of
our company or making time in a busy
schedule for service to the school board,
leading food drives, organizing donations
and supplies after the explosion in the
city of West, Texas—you name it, and
she takes the lead in bringing people
together to get things done.
Mary Thompson, president of Mr.
Rooter, also is an inspiration. She
sets a high bar of excellence in life
and continues to make me a better
leader. Her roles as a wife, a mother,
a retired U.S. Marine, a leader for our
VetFran program, the “Mrs.” behind
Mr. Rooter, a volunteer for overseas
disaster relief work, and every other
role she embraces make her a oneof-a-kind individual.
Advice for young female CEO aspirants: I subscribe to the idea and the
power that comes from being one’s true,
authentic self. And that applies to anyone,
whether you 7