Michael Owens and the Glass Industry

The ubiquitous glass container isan afterthought in modern life. Todayis marketing focus is on the beverageinside the bottle and the snappy jingle or ad that clamors for consumerattention. But before the bottle was filled, it had to be made. Prior to theautomated machines invented by Michael Owens, child labor was the backbone inproducing inconsistent and unsanitary containers for foods, beverages, andmedicines.In this biography of the unassumingvisionary, artist, and craftsman, Skrabecis historical account of glass makingsets the stage for the revolutionary inventions of Michael Owens, a big-picture,true-to-life Horatio Alger character. His automated inventions were vital toelectric lighting, food and beverage packaging, advanced optics, and automotivesafety. The reduction of child labor was a direct and significant outcome of hisinventions. With nine companies and forty-nine patents bearing his name, MichaelJ. Owens ultimately became known as the father of project management. This is anengaging account of this unpretentious, resourceful, colorful, and dynamicindustrialist and inventor.About the AuthorDr. Skrabecis long list ofacademic degrees includes a Ph.D. in manufacturing management from theUniversity of Toledo, an M.S. in metallurgical and industrial engineering fromOhio State University, and an M.S./B.S. in management, operations, systems, andorganizational leadership as well as an M.B.A. in business administration,organizational leadership, and behavior from Robert Morris University. He haswritten more than fifty articles and five books on history, industrial history,and business. Dr. Skrabec is an adjunct professor at Findlay University and is asought-after speaker for management conferences, having appeared at over thirtynational gatherings.Skrabec, Quentin R., Jr. is the author of 'Michael Owens and the Glass Industry', published 2007 under ISBN 9781589803855 and ISBN 158980385X.