A formula for success: Dennis Lowery has risen above his roots in poverty to head the largest Native American Indian-owned private company in the country.

Record Number: 
PORT001
Citation: 

Porter, Peggie. “A formula for success: Dennis Lowery has risen above his roots in poverty to head the largest Native American Indian-owned private company in the country.” The Business Journal (Charlotte, NC) 4.46 (February 19, 1990): Sec. 1 p. 8- .

Annotation: 

Profile of Dennis Lowery, president of Continental Industrial Chemicals Inc, a chemical repackaging and distributing company Lowery founded in Charlotte in 1975. The company is now one of the nation's fifty largest such companies. It has been cited by the U.S. Small Business Association as the country's largest Native American-owned private company.

Lowery earned a bachelor's degree in  biology from UNC-Pembroke and came to Charlotte right after graduation, with only $17.00, to work as sales representative for a pharmaceutical company. He got startup money for his company from an SBA loan, after being turned down sixteen times. His company's sales the first month were $180,000. Lowery owns two other related companies. Continental Industrial Company repackages and distributes chemicals such as de-icing fluid, antifreeze, jet fuel additive, chemicals used to manufacture cosmetics, and chemicals used to control nuclear waste. As of this writing, the company had 65 employees and 1,100 customers. Lowery is committed to helping aid employees in need and working to help Native American causes and individuals. He values his work with the Charlotte Mecklenburg Schools' Indian Education Program.

First Appeared in 1994 Book?: 
no
Publication Type: 
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