Former Penn State University and Oakland Raiders football star Dave Rowe will be the speaker at the Second Annual Celebration of Industries, showcasing local Augusta industries and featuring the “Richmond County Industry of the Year”, on Tuesday, November 15, 2016.

Sponsored by the Augusta Economic Development Authority, the Celebration of Industries event will feature the annual award for manufacturing excellence, following judging for the local industries.  Nomination forms were mailed earlier this month to all local Augusta-Richmond County industries.

The event will begin at 11:30am at Augusta Country Club, with attendance priority being given to local industries and local sponsors.  All representatives of Richmond County industries will be the guests of the Augusta Economic Development Authority.  All non-industrial attendees may also attend at a modest $10 per person.

Dave Rowe graduated from Penn State University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Education, after starting for the Nittany Lions football team under legendary coach Joe Paterno.  More than 300 Penn State football players were drafted into the NFL while Paterno was the coach, and Dave Rowe was the very first.  Dave played 13 years in the National Football League, starting with the New Orleans Saints before moving to the New England Patriots and, later, the Super Bowl Champion Oakland Raiders.  

Dave played in the 1969 and the 1970 Pro Bowl.  In 1977, Dave played in Super Bowl XI when the Raiders beat the Minnesota Vikings 32-14.

Upon completion of his NFL career, Dave began his second career in broadcasting.  He worked for NBC Sports for ten years, broadcasting NFL games.  Then, for the next twenty years, Dave handled weekly college football broadcasting with Raycom/Jefferson Pilot and Lincoln Financial.  Those broadcasts focused primarily on Southwest Conference and Southeastern Conference football.   Dave retired after a 30 year career in broadcasting.

During his broadcasting career, Dave also worked for Randolph Electric Membership Cooperative in Asheboro, North Carolina as Manager of Public Relations.

Dave and his wife of fifty years, have three children and eight grandchildren.  Dave and Faith Rowe live in Boone, North Carolina.

Reservations for local industry can be obtained by contacting Jonathan Davis, Existing Industry Coordinator of the Augusta Economic Development Authority, at 706-821-1321, extension 3 or by email at [email protected].