Barry Bowen
Encyclopedia
Barry Mansfield Bowen, KCMG (September 19, 1945 - February 26, 2010) was a Belizean
bottling magnate
, politician and entrepreneur
. Bowen was the second wealthiest citizen of Belize
as of 2010. His business interests included Bowen and Bowen, Ltd., which was founded by his father, and is the exclusive bottler of Coca Cola products in Belize and the Belize Brewing Company, which brews Belikin
beer. Bowen also served as a former member of the Senate of Belize
and the financier
of the People's United Party
. In December 2007, Queen Elizabeth II knighted Bowen as a Knight Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George.
, British Honduras
, on September 19, 1945. Eric Bowen, originally from San Ignacio, Cayo District
, founded a lemonade
factory called Bowen and Bowen (and also known as the Crystal Bottling Co.) in 1930s. The company would eventually grow into Belize's largest bottler under his son, Barry.
Barry Bowen completed his bachelor's degree
at Cornell University
and returned to run Bowen and Bowen with his father. They began distributing Coca Cola products throughout what was then known as British Honduras. Barry Bowen became the manager
of his father's company in 1968. In 1971, the family-owned Bowen and Bowen acquired the Belize Brewing Company, maker of Belikin, which was first brewed in the late 1960s.
, brewed by the Belize Brewing Company, into the most popular beer in Belize. Before Belikin, most Belizeans drank imported Guinness stout or Heineken
. Once Bowen began producing the locally brewed Belikin in larger quantities, the People's United Party
(PUP) raised taxes on imported beers, which had the effect of switching most local drinkers to the less costly Belikin.
As of 2010, the Bowen family-owned brewing company controls virtually the entire beer market in Belize, as imports of brands from Mexico and Guatemala
are prohibited. Belikin is now the country's only domestically produced beer, following the failure of its competitor, Charger beer. The company currently brews several brands of beer - Belikin, Lighthouse lager, Belikin Supreme lager
, and Belikin stout
, as well as Guinness stout under a licensing agreement.
Bowen had a large number of other business interests, in addition to his Coca Cola and Belikin operations. He owned the Gallon Jug Estate, a 130000 acres (526.1 km²) private nature reserve
in Orange Walk District
. Within Bowen's Galon Jug Estate is the Chan Chich Lodge, a world famous Belizean rainforest hotel, and Gallon Jug Agro-Industries, a 3000 acres (12.1 km²) organic
experimental farm which Bowen established to produce cacao and cattle
. The farm is also the only commercial coffee
grower in Belize. He also owned Belize Aquaculture Ltd., a shrimp farm located near the village of Placencia
, Stann Creek District
, and a Ford
dealership in Belize City. He also served as the director of Belize Airways, established in 1976, which was the country's first national airline.
Bowen was killed around 5:30 p.m. on February 26, 2010, when the Cessna 206 he was piloting crashed on approach to the airstrip at San Pedro Town
, Ambergris Caye
. Bowen was 64 years old. The crash also killed Michael Casey and Jill Casey, teachers at Gallon Jug Community School on Bowen's Gallon Jug Estate, and their children, Makayla and Bryce, who were from Albany, New York
. Bowen was survived by his wife, Lady Dixie Summerscales, six children, and several grandchildren.
Sir Barry Bowen was granted a state funeral
on March 2, 2010, which was attended by Prime Minister Dean Barrow
and his wife, leader of the opposition, John Briceño
, former Prime Minister Said Musa
and other dignitaries. The funeral was held at St. John's Cathedral, Belize City
. Bowen was buried with his parents in San Ignacio Town, Cayo District.
Belize
Belize is a constitutional monarchy and the northernmost country in Central America. Belize has a diverse society, comprising many cultures and languages. Even though Kriol and Spanish are spoken among the population, Belize is the only country in Central America where English is the official...
bottling magnate
Magnate
Magnate, from the Late Latin magnas, a great man, itself from Latin magnus 'great', designates a noble or other man in a high social position, by birth, wealth or other qualities...
, politician and entrepreneur
Entrepreneur
An entrepreneur is an owner or manager of a business enterprise who makes money through risk and initiative.The term was originally a loanword from French and was first defined by the Irish-French economist Richard Cantillon. Entrepreneur in English is a term applied to a person who is willing to...
. Bowen was the second wealthiest citizen of Belize
Belize
Belize is a constitutional monarchy and the northernmost country in Central America. Belize has a diverse society, comprising many cultures and languages. Even though Kriol and Spanish are spoken among the population, Belize is the only country in Central America where English is the official...
as of 2010. His business interests included Bowen and Bowen, Ltd., which was founded by his father, and is the exclusive bottler of Coca Cola products in Belize and the Belize Brewing Company, which brews Belikin
Belikin
Belikin is the leading domestically produced beer brand in Belize.Belikin is brewed by the Belize Brewing Company, Ltd. which is owned by the Bowen family. The Belikin beer brand name was first marketed in the late 1960s or in 1971...
beer. Bowen also served as a former member of the Senate of Belize
Senate of Belize
The Senate is one of the chambers of the National Assembly. It has 12 members appointed for a five year term by the Governor General.- Establishment and appointment :Senators are appointed by the Governor General in the following manner:...
and the financier
Financier
Financier is a term for a person who handles typically large sums of money, usually involving money lending, financing projects, large-scale investing, or large-scale money management. The term is French, and derives from finance or payment...
of the People's United Party
People's United Party
The People's United Party is one of two major political parties in Belize, and currently the main opposition party. It is a Christian Democratic party; the current Party Leader is Francis Fonseca....
. In December 2007, Queen Elizabeth II knighted Bowen as a Knight Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George.
Biography
Bowen, a 7th generation Belizean, was born to Eric William Mansfield Bowen and Emilie Josephine Bowen, in Belize CityBelize City
Belize City is the largest city in the Central American nation of Belize. Unofficial estimates place the population of Belize City at 70,000 or more. It is located at the mouth of the Belize River on the coast of the Caribbean. The city is the country's principal port and its financial and...
, British Honduras
British Honduras
British Honduras was a British colony that is now the independent nation of Belize.First colonised by Spaniards in the 17th century, the territory on the east coast of Central America, south of Mexico, became a British crown colony from 1862 until 1964, when it became self-governing. Belize became...
, on September 19, 1945. Eric Bowen, originally from San Ignacio, Cayo District
Cayo District
Cayo District is a district in the west of the nation of Belize. The District capital is the town of San Ignacio.- Geography :The Cayo District is the largest district in Belize. It is located on the western side of the country which borders Guatemala. The nation's capital, Belmopan, is...
, founded a lemonade
Lemonade
Lemonade is a lemon-flavored drink, typically made from lemons, water and sugar.The term can refer to three different types of beverage:...
factory called Bowen and Bowen (and also known as the Crystal Bottling Co.) in 1930s. The company would eventually grow into Belize's largest bottler under his son, Barry.
Barry Bowen completed his bachelor's degree
Bachelor's degree
A bachelor's degree is usually an academic degree awarded for an undergraduate course or major that generally lasts for three or four years, but can range anywhere from two to six years depending on the region of the world...
at Cornell University
Cornell University
Cornell University is an Ivy League university located in Ithaca, New York, United States. It is a private land-grant university, receiving annual funding from the State of New York for certain educational missions...
and returned to run Bowen and Bowen with his father. They began distributing Coca Cola products throughout what was then known as British Honduras. Barry Bowen became the manager
Management
Management in all business and organizational activities is the act of getting people together to accomplish desired goals and objectives using available resources efficiently and effectively...
of his father's company in 1968. In 1971, the family-owned Bowen and Bowen acquired the Belize Brewing Company, maker of Belikin, which was first brewed in the late 1960s.
Businesses
Bowen purchased Bowen and Bowen, Ltd., from his father in 1978. Bowen focused on developing his business into Belize's only maker and distributor of Coca Cola products in the country. He also sought to turn BelikinBelikin
Belikin is the leading domestically produced beer brand in Belize.Belikin is brewed by the Belize Brewing Company, Ltd. which is owned by the Bowen family. The Belikin beer brand name was first marketed in the late 1960s or in 1971...
, brewed by the Belize Brewing Company, into the most popular beer in Belize. Before Belikin, most Belizeans drank imported Guinness stout or Heineken
Heineken
Heineken is a Dutch beer which has been brewed by Heineken International since 1873. It is available in a 4.6% alcohol variety in countries such as Ireland. It is the flagship product of the Heineken company and is made of purified water, malted barley, hops, and yeast. In 1886 H...
. Once Bowen began producing the locally brewed Belikin in larger quantities, the People's United Party
People's United Party
The People's United Party is one of two major political parties in Belize, and currently the main opposition party. It is a Christian Democratic party; the current Party Leader is Francis Fonseca....
(PUP) raised taxes on imported beers, which had the effect of switching most local drinkers to the less costly Belikin.
As of 2010, the Bowen family-owned brewing company controls virtually the entire beer market in Belize, as imports of brands from Mexico and Guatemala
Guatemala
Guatemala is a country in Central America bordered by Mexico to the north and west, the Pacific Ocean to the southwest, Belize to the northeast, the Caribbean to the east, and Honduras and El Salvador to the southeast...
are prohibited. Belikin is now the country's only domestically produced beer, following the failure of its competitor, Charger beer. The company currently brews several brands of beer - Belikin, Lighthouse lager, Belikin Supreme lager
Lager
Lager is a type of beer made from malted barley that is brewed and stored at low temperatures. There are many types of lager; pale lager is the most widely-consumed and commercially available style of beer in the world; Pilsner, Bock, Dortmunder Export and Märzen are all styles of lager...
, and Belikin stout
Stout
Stout is a dark beer made using roasted malt or barley, hops, water and yeast. Stouts were traditionally the generic term for the strongest or stoutest porters, typically 7% or 8%, produced by a brewery....
, as well as Guinness stout under a licensing agreement.
Bowen had a large number of other business interests, in addition to his Coca Cola and Belikin operations. He owned the Gallon Jug Estate, a 130000 acres (526.1 km²) private nature reserve
Nature reserve
A nature reserve is a protected area of importance for wildlife, flora, fauna or features of geological or other special interest, which is reserved and managed for conservation and to provide special opportunities for study or research...
in Orange Walk District
Orange Walk District
Orange Walk District is a district in the northwest of the nation of Belize, with its district capital in Orange Walk Town.- Main settlements :...
. Within Bowen's Galon Jug Estate is the Chan Chich Lodge, a world famous Belizean rainforest hotel, and Gallon Jug Agro-Industries, a 3000 acres (12.1 km²) organic
Organic farming
Organic farming is the form of agriculture that relies on techniques such as crop rotation, green manure, compost and biological pest control to maintain soil productivity and control pests on a farm...
experimental farm which Bowen established to produce cacao and cattle
Cattle
Cattle are the most common type of large domesticated ungulates. They are a prominent modern member of the subfamily Bovinae, are the most widespread species of the genus Bos, and are most commonly classified collectively as Bos primigenius...
. The farm is also the only commercial coffee
Coffee
Coffee is a brewed beverage with a dark,init brooo acidic flavor prepared from the roasted seeds of the coffee plant, colloquially called coffee beans. The beans are found in coffee cherries, which grow on trees cultivated in over 70 countries, primarily in equatorial Latin America, Southeast Asia,...
grower in Belize. He also owned Belize Aquaculture Ltd., a shrimp farm located near the village of Placencia
Placencia
Placencia is a small town located in the Stann Creek District of Belize. It is the most southern town on the largest peninsula of the Gulf of Mexico.-History:...
, Stann Creek District
Stann Creek District
Stann Creek District is a district in the south east region of Belize. According to the 2010 census, the district had a population of 32,166 people...
, and a Ford
Ford Motor Company
Ford Motor Company is an American multinational automaker based in Dearborn, Michigan, a suburb of Detroit. The automaker was founded by Henry Ford and incorporated on June 16, 1903. In addition to the Ford and Lincoln brands, Ford also owns a small stake in Mazda in Japan and Aston Martin in the UK...
dealership in Belize City. He also served as the director of Belize Airways, established in 1976, which was the country's first national airline.
Bowen was killed around 5:30 p.m. on February 26, 2010, when the Cessna 206 he was piloting crashed on approach to the airstrip at San Pedro Town
San Pedro Town
San Pedro is a town on the southern part of the island of Ambergris Caye in the Belize District of the nation of Belize, in Central America. According to 2005 mid-year estimates, the town has a population of about 12,400. It is the second largest city in the Belize District and largest city in the...
, Ambergris Caye
Ambergris Caye
Ambergris Caye, pronounced "am-BER-gris", is the largest island of Belize located northeast of the country in the Caribbean Sea. Though administered as part of the Belize District, the closest point on the mainland is part of the Corozal District....
. Bowen was 64 years old. The crash also killed Michael Casey and Jill Casey, teachers at Gallon Jug Community School on Bowen's Gallon Jug Estate, and their children, Makayla and Bryce, who were from Albany, New York
Albany, New York
Albany is the capital city of the U.S. state of New York, the seat of Albany County, and the central city of New York's Capital District. Roughly north of New York City, Albany sits on the west bank of the Hudson River, about south of its confluence with the Mohawk River...
. Bowen was survived by his wife, Lady Dixie Summerscales, six children, and several grandchildren.
Sir Barry Bowen was granted a state funeral
State funeral
A state funeral is a public funeral ceremony, observing the strict rules of protocol, held to honor heads of state or other important people of national significance. State funerals usually include much pomp and ceremony as well as religious overtones and distinctive elements of military tradition...
on March 2, 2010, which was attended by Prime Minister Dean Barrow
Dean Barrow
Dean Oliver Barrow is Prime Minister of Belize and leader of the United Democratic Party. An attorney by trade, he served as Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs from 1993 to 1998 and was then Leader of the Opposition until the UDP won the February 2008 election...
and his wife, leader of the opposition, John Briceño
John Briceño
Juan Antonio Briceño, commonly known as "John" or "Johnny" , is a Belizean politician who has been the leader of the People's United Party , as well as the Leader of the Opposition, since 2008. Previously, he was Deputy Prime Minister from 1998 to 2007.-Political career of Briceno:Briceño was born...
, former Prime Minister Said Musa
Said Musa
Said Wilbert Musa is a Belizean lawyer and politician. He was the Prime Minister of Belize from August 28, 1998 to February 8, 2008.-Early life and education:Said Musa was born in San Ignacio, Cayo District, Belize...
and other dignitaries. The funeral was held at St. John's Cathedral, Belize City
St. John's Cathedral, Belize City
St. John's Cathedral is an Anglican cathedral in the city of Belize City, Belize. The cathedral was the first church to be built in the colony of British Honduras. It was constructed in 1812, although it has numerous alterations dating to more recent renovations...
. Bowen was buried with his parents in San Ignacio Town, Cayo District.