Diener, Octavia, 2003 Leon S. Peters Distinguished Service Award recipient

Item

Transcript of Octavia Diener interview

Title

Diener, Octavia, 2003 Leon S. Peters Distinguished Service Award recipient

Description

Talks about being born in Texas and coming to Fresno as a child, running a business, serving as president of the Fresno Chamber of Commerce, as well as the challenges Fresno faces and giving back to the community.

Creator

Diener, Octavia
Mehas, Dr. Peter G.

Relation

Leon S. Peters Legacy Collection

Coverage

Fresno, California

Date

2/4/2003

Format

Microsoft word 2003 document, 4 pages

Identifier

SCMS_lspl_00023

extracted text

>>Dr. Peter G. Mehas: Name, place of birth, but I will skip the age.
[Laughing]
>>Octavia Diener: Octavia Diener, and I was born in Texas. I was an Army brat born
on a Army base in Texas.
>>Dr. Peter G. Mehas: When did you come to Fresno, Octavia?
>>Octavia Diener: I was very young, and I really claim Fresno. I came here in junior
high, and I've been here ever since. I love it.
>>Dr. Peter G. Mehas: What was it like growing up in Fresno going to school? I know
you're an alumnus of the high school in the Fresno area, Fresno High School. But
what was it like growing up in those days?
>>Octavia Diener: Well I grew up in the Tower District. And I feel very fortunate
because, back in those days, parents and -- sort of looked over all the kids in the
neighborhood. So we were never really able to get away with very much. There was
always a parent that would catch us or let us know that we shouldn't be doing that.
And so, consequently, I think that there was a lot of security in that, to know that
people cared about us and watched over us.
>>Dr. Peter G. Mehas: Did you think about business, then, when you were going
through high school, or how did you ultimately get involved in the business that
you're in and being recognized as one of the top professional businesswomen in the
Central Valley?
>>Octavia Diener: Well, I didn't think about it too much because, at the time, my
career thoughts were towards teaching, which I did teach school for four years. And,
actually, it's very unusual for me to own an engine remanufacturing company because
one of my first cars, I blew out the engine because I didn't put oil in it. So for
me to own an engine remanufacturing company now is -- is really an oddity.
>>Dr. Peter G. Mehas: In terms of your industry, you're absolutely correct. It's a
rarity to have a woman be a CEO, let alone in the industry that you're in. What do
you find about the nature of that work? Do people accept you as an equal? Obviously,
it's a very competitive business. What have you found about being the CEO of a major
corporation?
>>Octavia Diener: Well, what I find is, is that it's a business. It's run like a
business like any other business. And it just happens that we remanufacture engines.
And the people and the place that -- people, the employees are in place that
actually have the expertise in terms of rebuilding the engines. But the business is
the part that they depend upon. They want to see the business run well so that
they'll get their paychecks. And I run the business to the best of my ability to
ensure that they get their paychecks. So it's a mutual understanding and a mutual
respect. I respect what they do, and they respect that the company is run well.
>>Dr. Peter G. Mehas: When we speak of the Leon S. Peters Award, the Fresno Chamber
of Commerce, which is the initiator and the sponsor of this most prestigious award,
it wasn't just for success in business, because, clearly, you've been successful in
business. But it stood for what Leon S. Peters personified: Not only a successful
businessman but giving back to the community. Community involvement, involvement
with improving the quality of life of -- of our community. What did it mean to you
having known Leon S. Peters, having known the past recipients -- Helen Smades, Lewis

S. Eaton, Earl Smittcamp -- all of these community pillars, what does it mean to
Octavia Diener to be named the recipient of this award?
>>Octavia Diener: Well, it's a little overwhelming because I have such great respect
for all the people that you mentioned; and they have all been role models for me.
Their integrity and their dignity and the respect that they've had for others. And I
have had the pleasure and the privilege of working with so many people, capable
people in Fresno. To be singled out is really a humbling experience. I'm very
honored and delighted.
>>Dr. Peter G. Mehas: You've been recognized not only locally past president of the
Chamber of Commerce but at the state level. You were very, very instrumental. As we
look at our transportation highway system, you served on the state highway
commission. I don't know if that's the exact title.
>>Octavia Diener: The transportation commission.
>>Dr. Peter G. Mehas: Transportation; thank you. Transportation commission. And,
yet, you've always stayed in Fresno. Fresno has been -- has been your -- has been
your roots. How has that service shaped your thinking now? Where did you pick up
along the way that community service was important, other than just business?
>>Octavia Diener: That's a good question. I just feel like I have received so much
from my community: A wonderful place to live, place to bring up children, a place to
conduct business that it's just natural to want to give back to the community and
make it stronger and better and give back to the community that I live in, that my
children are living in and grandchildren are being raised in.
>>Dr. Peter G. Mehas: You've seen some changes, even though you're relatively young
-- and I can attest to that -- and you've seen some changes in the Fresno -- in
Fresno's community from the time that you first arrived here. What are you -- what
do you think are some of the biggest challenges? Obviously now we talk about air
quality that has become very much of a concern to everyone. But what are some of the
changes that you've seen from the time you initially came here as of today?
>>Octavia Diener: Well, Fresno is really beginning to grow. We're expanding and the
population is growing. I think we're becoming much more regional and metropolitan.
And, with that, I think we're going to begin to see our cultural arts blossom. We
are having more and more entertainers that are choosing to come to Fresno as a part
of their venue. And all of that is a part of a growing metropolitan area. We still
have a very high unemployment, which is a real challenge; air quality, which you
mentioned, which is a real challenge. But I think these things are doable. And I, if
we put our minds and energies together, we'll -- we'll accomplish those things.
>>Dr. Peter G. Mehas: You've raised a family and have been, say, a successful
businesswoman and mother and community leader. What advice would you give our young
people today? A lot of them look at you and see the success that you have. And even
though you are far too modest to want to admit it, but you're a role model,
particularly for a lot of the young women who aspire to be CEOs and people of
stature in the community. What advice would you give them? Because there's a lot of
work that went into that, and you did a lot of homework before you -- and paid your
dues. What advice would you give these young people?
>>Octavia Diener: I would say to young people today that core values really do
count. How you treat others, whether it's a customer, a family, or a friend, core
values count. Your integrity, your honesty, and your ability to get along with
people are very important. And it's something that evolves over time, to watch other

people's style and how they handle problems and people are all a part of what
becomes you as an individual.
>>Dr. Peter G. Mehas: You've always been pretty optimistic, at least the times that
I've known you, on anything that you've desired to challenge and get involved with.
What concerns would you have with the future of Fresno? If you had a crystal ball
and you could see things as it -- as it relates to the community of Fresno or the
Central Valley, what are some of the things that you would be concerned about and
for our leadership that we should begin addressing?
>>Octavia Diener: I guess there's two areas. One would be the San Joaquin River
Parkway. We have started that. I would love to see it continue to flourish and
become a core venue here in Fresno. I think it has wonderful potential. And it's
something that we really need to preserve and protect and, at the same time, use as
a resource here in the valley. And the other thing would be the continued
revitalization of downtown. And we're beginning to see buildings change our skyline,
but I think it also has to include people living and working in the downtown area
also.
>>Dr. Peter G. Mehas: Yeah. Both of those topics -- certainly the parkway and past
recipients James and Coke Hallowell with their commitment and involvement in the
Parkway Trust, as well as we look at the downtown area, both of us born and raised
in the downtown area, if you will, when it was vibrant; and then, for a long time,
it went in disarray. And, fortunately, we're beginning to see a renaissance back.
>>Octavia Diener: Right.
>>Dr. Peter G. Mehas: But any -- the quality of any city is really dependent upon
the core, not only for economic reasons but the social impact that it has where
people live and work and eat together in a downtown community. So those are probably
two very, very important areas for the future of Fresno.
>>Octavia Diener: Yeah. If we can continue to grow those two areas and treat them as
a resource and treat them well and develop them with good planning, I think the rest
of Fresno as it grows around it will also grow and blossom.
>>Dr. Peter G. Mehas: There was a coach at the University of Notre Dame by the name
of Knute Rockne who once said, "When the great scorekeeper records the score up on
the scoreboard, it not -- it matters not whether you won or lost but how the game
was played." How do you want people, future generations, to record the story of
Octavia Diener? And what would you want them to say about you?
>>Octavia Diener: That's a difficult one [laughing].
>>Dr. Peter G. Mehas: That's my surprise question.
>>Octavia Diener: It certainly is [laughing].
>>Dr. Peter G. Mehas: That's the only one, the curve ball I throw you.
>>Octavia Diener: I guess it would be that I'm a giving and caring person and with
integrity and respect for others.
>>Dr. Peter G. Mehas: I think people say that about you now, Octavia.
>>Octavia Diener: Well, thank you.

>>Dr. Peter G. Mehas: And on behalf of the Fresno County City Chamber of Commerce,
we congratulate you for a lifetime of achievement for this most prestigious award.
And certainly you have earned your place amongst those past recipients and personify
what the Leon S. Peters Award is all about: Success in business, community
involvement, and giving back to the community. So congratulations.
>>Octavia Diener: Thank you. This has been a wonderful experience. And I thank the
community for this experience, and I'm very honored and delighted.
==== Transcribed by Automatic Sync Technologies ====
>>Dr. Peter G. Mehas: Name, place of birth, but I will skip the age.
[Laughing]
>>Octavia Diener: Octavia Diener, and I was born in Texas. I was an Army brat born
on a Army base in Texas.
>>Dr. Peter G. Mehas: When did you come to Fresno, Octavia?
>>Octavia Diener: I was very young, and I really claim Fresno. I came here in junior
high, and I've been here ever since. I love it.
>>Dr. Peter G. Mehas: What was it like growing up in Fresno going to school? I know
you're an alumnus of the high school in the Fresno area, Fresno High School. But
what was it like growing up in those days?
>>Octavia Diener: Well I grew up in the Tower District. And I feel very fortunate
because, back in those days, parents and -- sort of looked over all the kids in the
neighborhood. So we were never really able to get away with very much. There was
always a parent that would catch us or let us know that we shouldn't be doing that.
And so, consequently, I think that there was a lot of security in that, to know that
people cared about us and watched over us.
>>Dr. Peter G. Mehas: Did you think about business, then, when you were going
through high school, or how did you ultimately get involved in the business that
you're in and being recognized as one of the top professional businesswomen in the
Central Valley?
>>Octavia Diener: Well, I didn't think about it too much because, at the time, my
career thoughts were towards teaching, which I did teach school for four years. And,
actually, it's very unusual for me to own an engine remanufacturing company because
one of my first cars, I blew out the engine because I didn't put oil in it. So for
me to own an engine remanufacturing company now is -- is really an oddity.
>>Dr. Peter G. Mehas: In terms of your industry, you're absolutely correct. It's a
rarity to have a woman be a CEO, let alone in the industry that you're in. What do
you find about the nature of that work? Do people accept you as an equal? Obviously,
it's a very competitive business. What have you found about being the CEO of a major
corporation?
>>Octavia Diener: Well, what I find is, is that it's a business. It's run like a
business like any other business. And it just happens that we remanufacture engines.
And the people and the place that -- people, the employees are in place that
actually have the expertise in terms of rebuilding the engines. But the business is
the part that they depend upon. They want to see the business run well so that
they'll get their paychecks. And I run the business to the best of my ability to
ensure that they get their paychecks. So it's a mutual understanding and a mutual
respect. I respect what they do, and they respect that the company is run well.
>>Dr. Peter G. Mehas: When we speak of the Leon S. Peters Award, the Fresno Chamber
of Commerce, which is the initiator and the sponsor of this most prestigious award,
it wasn't just for success in business, because, clearly, you've been successful in
business. But it stood for what Leon S. Peters personified: Not only a successful
businessman but giving back to the community. Community involvement, involvement
with improving the quality of life of -- of our community. What did it mean to you
having known Leon S. Peters, having known the past recipients -- Helen Smades, Lewis

S. Eaton, Earl Smittcamp -- all of these community pillars, what does it mean to
Octavia Diener to be named the recipient of this award?
>>Octavia Diener: Well, it's a little overwhelming because I have such great respect
for all the people that you mentioned; and they have all been role models for me.
Their integrity and their dignity and the respect that they've had for others. And I
have had the pleasure and the privilege of working with so many people, capable
people in Fresno. To be singled out is really a humbling experience. I'm very
honored and delighted.
>>Dr. Peter G. Mehas: You've been recognized not only locally past president of the
Chamber of Commerce but at the state level. You were very, very instrumental. As we
look at our transportation highway system, you served on the state highway
commission. I don't know if that's the exact title.
>>Octavia Diener: The transportation commission.
>>Dr. Peter G. Mehas: Transportation; thank you. Transportation commission. And,
yet, you've always stayed in Fresno. Fresno has been -- has been your -- has been
your roots. How has that service shaped your thinking now? Where did you pick up
along the way that community service was important, other than just business?
>>Octavia Diener: That's a good question. I just feel like I have received so much
from my community: A wonderful place to live, place to bring up children, a place to
conduct business that it's just natural to want to give back to the community and
make it stronger and better and give back to the community that I live in, that my
children are living in and grandchildren are being raised in.
>>Dr. Peter G. Mehas: You've seen some changes, even though you're relatively young
-- and I can attest to that -- and you've seen some changes in the Fresno -- in
Fresno's community from the time that you first arrived here. What are you -- what
do you think are some of the biggest challenges? Obviously now we talk about air
quality that has become very much of a concern to everyone. But what are some of the
changes that you've seen from the time you initially came here as of today?
>>Octavia Diener: Well, Fresno is really beginning to grow. We're expanding and the
population is growing. I think we're becoming much more regional and metropolitan.
And, with that, I think we're going to begin to see our cultural arts blossom. We
are having more and more entertainers that are choosing to come to Fresno as a part
of their venue. And all of that is a part of a growing metropolitan area. We still
have a very high unemployment, which is a real challenge; air quality, which you
mentioned, which is a real challenge. But I think these things are doable. And I, if
we put our minds and energies together, we'll -- we'll accomplish those things.
>>Dr. Peter G. Mehas: You've raised a family and have been, say, a successful
businesswoman and mother and community leader. What advice would you give our young
people today? A lot of them look at you and see the success that you have. And even
though you are far too modest to want to admit it, but you're a role model,
particularly for a lot of the young women who aspire to be CEOs and people of
stature in the community. What advice would you give them? Because there's a lot of
work that went into that, and you did a lot of homework before you -- and paid your
dues. What advice would you give these young people?
>>Octavia Diener: I would say to young people today that core values really do
count. How you treat others, whether it's a customer, a family, or a friend, core
values count. Your integrity, your honesty, and your ability to get along with
people are very important. And it's something that evolves over time, to watch other

people's style and how they handle problems and people are all a part of what
becomes you as an individual.
>>Dr. Peter G. Mehas: You've always been pretty optimistic, at least the times that
I've known you, on anything that you've desired to challenge and get involved with.
What concerns would you have with the future of Fresno? If you had a crystal ball
and you could see things as it -- as it relates to the community of Fresno or the
Central Valley, what are some of the things that you would be concerned about and
for our leadership that we should begin addressing?
>>Octavia Diener: I guess there's two areas. One would be the San Joaquin River
Parkway. We have started that. I would love to see it continue to flourish and
become a core venue here in Fresno. I think it has wonderful potential. And it's
something that we really need to preserve and protect and, at the same time, use as
a resource here in the valley. And the other thing would be the continued
revitalization of downtown. And we're beginning to see buildings change our skyline,
but I think it also has to include people living and working in the downtown area
also.
>>Dr. Peter G. Mehas: Yeah. Both of those topics -- certainly the parkway and past
recipients James and Coke Hallowell with their commitment and involvement in the
Parkway Trust, as well as we look at the downtown area, both of us born and raised
in the downtown area, if you will, when it was vibrant; and then, for a long time,
it went in disarray. And, fortunately, we're beginning to see a renaissance back.
>>Octavia Diener: Right.
>>Dr. Peter G. Mehas: But any -- the quality of any city is really dependent upon
the core, not only for economic reasons but the social impact that it has where
people live and work and eat together in a downtown community. So those are probably
two very, very important areas for the future of Fresno.
>>Octavia Diener: Yeah. If we can continue to grow those two areas and treat them as
a resource and treat them well and develop them with good planning, I think the rest
of Fresno as it grows around it will also grow and blossom.
>>Dr. Peter G. Mehas: There was a coach at the University of Notre Dame by the name
of Knute Rockne who once said, "When the great scorekeeper records the score up on
the scoreboard, it not -- it matters not whether you won or lost but how the game
was played." How do you want people, future generations, to record the story of
Octavia Diener? And what would you want them to say about you?
>>Octavia Diener: That's a difficult one [laughing].
>>Dr. Peter G. Mehas: That's my surprise question.
>>Octavia Diener: It certainly is [laughing].
>>Dr. Peter G. Mehas: That's the only one, the curve ball I throw you.
>>Octavia Diener: I guess it would be that I'm a giving and caring person and with
integrity and respect for others.
>>Dr. Peter G. Mehas: I think people say that about you now, Octavia.
>>Octavia Diener: Well, thank you.

>>Dr. Peter G. Mehas: And on behalf of the Fresno County City Chamber of Commerce,
we congratulate you for a lifetime of achievement for this most prestigious award.
And certainly you have earned your place amongst those past recipients and personify
what the Leon S. Peters Award is all about: Success in business, community
involvement, and giving back to the community. So congratulations.
>>Octavia Diener: Thank you. This has been a wonderful experience. And I thank the
community for this experience, and I'm very honored and delighted.
==== Transcribed by Automatic Sync Technologies ====

Item sets

Leon S. Peters Legacy Set