David Hocker and the late Bob Anderson (1936-2020) were announced Thursday as the 2024 Owensboro Business Hall of Fame Inductees.
The laureates will be inducted at a celebration luncheon at 11:30 a.m. on April 18 in the German American Bank ballroom of the Owensboro Convention Center. Reservations/sponsorships will be available on the JA of West Kentucky website or by calling JA at 270-684-7291.
The announcement of laureates was made by Nick Thompson, Thompson Homes President and Junior Achievement of West Kentucky board chair, and Dr. Scott Williams, Owensboro Community and Technical College President. The duo served as co-chairs of this year’s laureate selection committee. JA of West Kentucky President Dan Douglas was also part of the announcement.
Individuals are nominated for their outstanding civic and business contributions to the Owensboro area and recognized for their business excellence, entrepreneurial spirit, courageous thinking and action, inspiring leadership, community impact, and service as a role model.
Bob Anderson (1936-2020): Sun Windows
Anderson was born in Detroit in 1936, but most of his life was spent in Owensboro after the family moved here in 1943. In 1979, after the death of his father and a changeover in the company structure, Anderson bought the company’s real estate, product lines, and equipment back and formed Sun Windows Inc., now run by his son and grandson.
Anderson’s vision for Sun Windows centered on producing high-quality products. The energy crisis of the early 1980s forced the window industry to seek new designs that were more energy efficient, and Sun Windows was at the forefront of this design movement. By 1988, Sun expanded its product offerings to include vinyl windows. Anderson retired in 1995.
Anderson’s son Frank and grandson Chris were at the ceremony.
“I think he would be very proud and grateful and appreciative of the honor, even though he was not one to be in the limelight, so to speak,” Frank said. “I think he always did appreciate recognition, but he never saw it. I know that he would be as well so I’m sure he’s smiling on us from Heaven right now.”
Frank Anderson said that about 93% of the products they manufacture go outside of Owensboro. He said they are not a retail operation, selling through building product chains, and they now cover about a 600-mile radius.
Still, he said the Owensboro community has been vital to the company’s success.
“Owensboro has been so supportive of our company,” Frank said. “We really value the work ethic, the family, and the culture that we have here. Our employees are like a big family to us, and so we greatly value that closeness within the family. Owensboro has been very supportive of us as a company, and really the employees are what make the company, so we’re extremely blessed and grateful for the people that we have here at Windows.”
David Hocker with David Hocker & Associates
Hocker was born in 1938 in Owensboro. As a young man attending Kentucky Wesleyan College, he worked for his father doing accounting work and began to expand his knowledge into construction work. Alongside his father Talmage, Hocker helped lead the development and construction of Wesleyan Park Plaza in 1964. Hocker continued to progress and focus on shopping center development and over the years amassed 45 shopping centers, 17 of which were enclosed regional malls in 13 states.
After opening Wesleyan Park Plaza, David Hocker and Associates grew into a top-50 national owner, manager, and developer of shopping centers. During that growth, there was a push to relocate the company to a larger city but Hocker felt home was in Owensboro and decided to stay here.
“We had a lot of good talent here,” he said. “I could pull them into Owensboro probably easier than what it would take to pull them to Nashville. We looked at Nashville — I have two daughters living down there — but I prefer Owensboro. I was born and raised here.”
He added, “Owensboro is special because of its size. It’s not too large and it’s not too small. It’s just a great town.”
Hocker was appreciative to join many other notable Owensboro figures in the Business Hall of Fame.
“It’s quite an honor,” he said. “It’s special in that I’m joining such a nice lineup of previous inductees.”
