Mesa's Ron Fowler receives honorary SDSU doctorate.

San Diego State University has conferred an honorary doctorate on Ron Fowler of Mesa Distributing, as part of the spring 2005 commencement ceremonies. "This year's recipients build on SDSU's rich tradition of honoring extraordinary individuals that started more than 40 years ago when the university awarded its first honorary doctorate to President John F. Kennedy," said SDSU President Stephen L. Weber. "The three people we honored this year have made great contributions to business, literary scholarship and civic service." Mr. Fowler is the chairman and CEO of Liquid Investments, Inc., parent company of a number of operating entities including Mesa Distributing Co., Mesa Beverage Co., Colorado Beverage Distributing and Pierco Sales. Under Fowler's leadership, the business grew from a $7 million enterprise to an operation with estimated annual sales of more than $260 million. Fowler began his career at Theodore Hamm Brewing Co. in Minnesota. He also worked at Lucky Breweries and at Olympia Brewing Co. before moving to San Diego. Over the course of two decades, Fowler has expanded his beverage distribution business into Northern California and Colorado.