Local Philanthropist Discusses Ethical Business Leadership During National Entrepreneurship Conference

The namesake of the Fowler College of Business,Ron Fowler, discussed his business ethics during the California Entrepreneurial Educators Conference

Local philanthropist, CEO of Liquid Investments, and Vice Chairman of the San Diego Padres, Ron Fowler, served as a keynote speaker during the 2021 California Entrepreneurship Educators Conference. The online conference, hosted by SDSU’s Lavin Entrepreneurship Center, was held virtually April 14 – 16.

Laura Dunham, professor of entrepreneurship at the University of St. Thomas, served as moderator for Fowler’s keynote discussion. Fowler is an alumnus of the University of St. Thomas and he grew up in St. Cloud, Minnesota, which is near the university. 

Fowler has a special interest in higher education and has been actively involved at SDSU, the University of St. Thomas, and the University of San Diego since 1975. In 2016, SDSU’s College of Business Administration was renamed the Fowler College of Business in honor of Ron and his wife, Alexis, after the couple donated a $25 million endowment gift to the university to provide scholarships, professorships, lecture series, and international experiences, and expanded programming for SDSU business students.

Laura Dunham from the St. Thomas moderated the discussion with entrepreneur and San Diego Padres executive, Ron Fowler

Dunham opened the session by asking Fowler about his philosophy on business ethics and philanthropy toward SDSU, the University of St. Thomas and many other educational entities. Fowler said his mother was a strong influence on him. “She used to say ‘we make a living by what we get; we make a life by what we give’ which is a quote by Churchill,” he said.

Fowler continued the conversation by discussing how his career plans evolved after entering the University of St. Thomas as a freshman. “I thought I was going to be a high school counselor when I started college, but I didn’t feel a passion for it,” he said. “You have to follow your passion.” He later found he had a passion for sales and marketing and got experience through summer jobs. He launched his career in the beverage industry when he landed his first job out of graduate school at Theodore Hamm's Brewing Company in St. Paul, Minnesota and he has remained in the industry since then.

Fowler worked his way up the corporate ladder and eventually became the owner and CEO of Mesa Distributing (and later, Liquid Investments). During his career ascent, he stressed that he always placed a high value on ethical leadership. “My decisions were guided by an inner voice. If you do what’s right, somehow, things are going to come together for you.”

The conversation turned to baseball as Fowler talked about how he got involved with the San Diego Padres and Major League Baseball. Since his youth, he has been interested in baseball and played the sport continuously until an injury sidelined him. “At that point, I became interested in the business of sports,” he said. 

At the conclusion of the discussion, Fowler discussed his passion for paying it forward to help guide the next generation of entrepreneurs. “It’s a priority. People took the time with me. It’s really about passing it forward,” he said. 

Fowler’s final advice for future entrepreneurial business leaders: “Dare to be great. It’s okay to fail, but I think entrepreneurship is about following your passion.”