WACO, Texas - Dina Dwyer-Owens, chairwoman and CEO of The Dwyer Group, was honored with the Crystal Compass Award for leadership by the International Franchise Association’s Women’s Franchise Committee during the association’s 51st annual convention in Las Vegas.

“This is an incredible honor both for what the award represents and the remarkable men and women I join who have been honored before me,” Dwyer-Owens said.

The IFA’s Women’s Franchise Committee bestows its Crystal Compass upon an individual within the franchising community who epitomizes the ideals of leadership. Recipients of the award have earned reputations for leadership by making significant contributions within their respective franchise organizations, the franchising community in general, and in their local communities.

Dwyer-Owens is a Certified Franchise Executive with more than 29 years of industry experience. In 2010, Dwyer-Owens and her executive team led the $150 million acquisition of The Dwyer Group by the New York-based private equity firm TZP Group to help take the company to its next level of expansion. She served as the immediate past-chair of the IFA, being a spokesperson to the media and peer organizations to support the positives of franchising as a business format. She attained a record $1 million in VetFran discounts (providing opportunities for veterans) as well as the 200th VetFran recipient among The Dwyer Group’s brands - a program developed by her father, the late Don Dwyer Sr., that she helped relaunch with the IFA after 9/11. She also found time to give back in other ways, and traveled to Haiti last year with other members of The Dwyer Group, family and friends on a mission trip to deliver medical supplies and introduce clean water to people in need.

The author of Live R.I.C.H., Dwyer-Owens has been an advocate of ethics in business, speaking frequently about The Dwyer Group’s Code of Values as its foundation for success. And she credits that corporate culture for helping The Dwyer Group earn recognition as one of The Best Companies to Work for in Texas for four consecutive years.

In her acceptance speech for the Crystal Compass Award, Dwyer-Owens paid tribute to her faith, being surrounded by a great team, and having great systems with a strong code of values as strengths in her ability to lead.

The Dwyer Group, based in Waco, Texas, is a holding company of seven franchise businesses, each selling and supporting a different franchise under the following service marks: Aire Serv®, Glass Doctor®, The Grounds Guys™, Mr. Appliance®, Mr. Electric®, Mr. Rooter® (Drain Doctor in the UK and Portugal), and Rainbow International®. For more information, visit www.dwyergroup.com.

Publication date: 02/21/2011