Dina Dwyer-Owens

Multi-Brand Maven, Author Motivator

Dina Dwyer-Owens is an ambassador of franchising. Not only did she have an illustrious career as a franchisor herself, but she helped others reap the benefits of franchising. She was born in New York, but her family moved around quite a bit before finally settling down in Waco, Texas when she was just eight years old. Her father opened up a couple restaurants and some car washes there. After attending Baylor University, Dwyer-Owens helped expand her fathers empire, with a goal in mind of acquiring companies that complemented each other. They launched Air Serve, a heating and air condition company, started Mr. Appliance, and acquired Glass Doctor.

“It’s not about money initially. At the end of the day, yes, we are in business to make a living. But it’s about how we treat one another with respect and dignity,” said Dwyer-Owens in an interview with Truth At Work.

After her father’s death in 1994, Dwyer-Owens became the CEO of the family business. The Dwyer Group now represents over 1,600 franchises and over $800 million in system-wide sales. Her success in franchising led her to work on the board of the International Franchise Association (IFA). She brought back their Vet Fran Program, which includes nearly 500 franchises that provide franchising financial incentives to veterans of the U.S. Armed Forces. Over 4,000 military veterans now own a franchise through the Vet Fran Program, and The Dwyer Group provided more than $1.3 million in financial donations. Then in 2010, DwyerOwens was elected by her peers to be the Chairperson of the International Franchise Association.