The Legend of Rowan

THE LEGEND OF ROWAN by Jeffrey L. Rodengen

Beginning with a small land-based steam rig powered by two 45-horsepower boilers, Arch and Charlie Rowan founded a company that has since become one of the premier drilling, rig construction and aviation companies in the oil industry. Today, Rowan owns and operates the mobile offshore drilling units known as the gorillas-class rigs, the largest in the world standing at more than 560 feet.

Throughout its 75 years, Rowan has struggled against stormy climates - both natures and the cyclical economics tendency of the oil and gas industry. From the heat of Louisianas marshes to the frigid cold of Alaskas North Slope, Rowanites overcame the elements to extract oil and gas from an uncooperative ground. They continue to challenge the oceans violence and its wind-driven waves to supply the worlds energy needs.

Along the way, Rowan has become a world-class aviation and construction company. The company acquired ERA, which brought Alaskan pioneer Carl Brady into the fold, and LeTourneau, builder of the Gorilla drilling rigs as well as its famous earth-moving equipment. Each acquisition has helped Rowan in its quest for hydrocarbons.

As the life blood of civilization, oil is a commodity affected by world politics, and Rowans fortunes have a followed the roller coaster of international relations. Under Chairman and CEO Bob Palmer, the company gambled heavily during uncertain times when oil prices plummeted amid worldwide recession. Rowan shook off the despair that gripped its industry to emerge with record revenues, and world-class equipment and personnel. The challenge is constant, however. Future company leaders, brought up in Rowans family-like culture, must face the reality of the technical, financial and political hurdles their predecessors have conquered.

In this comprehensive work, industrial historian and author Jeffrey L. Rodengen tells the fascinating story of The Legend of Rowan.

JEFFREY L. RODENGEN AUTHOR, COLUMNIST, HISTORIAN

Jeff was born in Minneapolis, MN, and grew up in the Land of 10,000 Lakes, accounting for an early interest in boating. After a brief tenure as the Assistant Director of the Naval and Underseas Museum in Newport, RI, Jeff migrated to Southern California, beginning a remarkable 15-year career as a writer, producer and director in Hollywood. Attending six colleges and universities along the way, Jeff earned degrees in psychology and post-graduate degrees in engineering. Having written, produced or directed nearly 30 films, network television specials (six for Arnold Schwarzenegger), Las Vegas revues and Broadway productions, Jeff moved to Florida in the early 1980s to write about the evolution of American technology and industry.

He became the editor of Southern Star magazine, then Florida's largest circulation magazine. To reach an even broader audience, Jeff began to syndicate his business, technology and industrial history columns, ultimately reaching nearly two million readers a month. His specialties include advanced technology, American industrial history, contemporary business strategies, corporate biography, corporate ethics and principles of business leadership.

Author of hundreds of technical and general interest articles, he is the author of 23 books on American technology and industry. Among his best-selling works are: The Legend of Chris Craft, Evinrude-Johnson and The Legend of OMC; Iron Fist: The Lives of Carl Kiekhaefer, which reached 14th on national best-seller lists in the highly competitive business book category, and Serving The Silent Service: The Legend of Electric Boat, which chronicles the evolution of the Electric Boat Division of General Dynamics, from their earliest electric launches to today's nuclear submarine fleet. During one busy week, he signed over 8,500 volumes of his best-seller in three cities in four days.