Bob grew up on the south side of Indianapolis, Indiana on property that had been in his family since President John Tyler deeded it to an ancestor who served in the War of 1812. In his youth, he spent many days playing in fields behind his home and fishing in creeks and ponds. He and his family also enjoyed many visits to Brown County State Park in southern Indiana. All these experiences instilled in him an appreciation for the environment and natural green spaces.
As Vice President of Human Resources, Bob is responsible for staffing, compensation, benefits, and other HR programs. He spent almost 35 years in the polymer and plastics manufacturing industry, retiring as a human resources executive in February 2016 from PolyOne (now Avient) Corporation in Avon Lake, Ohio. At the time he retired, he had HR responsibility for a nearly $1 billion business unit with operations in the U.S., Canada, Mexico, and China. He was drawn to Western Reserve Land Conservancy’s urban work, initially as a volunteer, and then began doing pro bono HR work for the Land Conservancy. He became its first-ever HR employee in September 2016. He is proud to be a certified Land Conservancy Tree Steward and a 2022 recipient of the Excellence in HR Award from Crain’s Cleveland Business.
Bob has a bachelor’s degree in history from Wabash College and a master’s degree in industrial relations from Purdue University. He has a strong interest in non-profit organizations and is a long-time board member of Family Promise of Greater Cleveland, where he served as board president for 10 years. He is also board secretary for the Fair Housing Center for Rights & Research.
Bob and his wife, Cathy, live in Rocky River. They have a daughter who lives with her husband, son, and twin daughters in Fayetteville, New York, and a son who lives with his wife and infant son in Willoughby. Bob and Cathy enjoy attending numerous Cleveland Guardians games, watching independent films at the Cedar Lee and Capitol theaters, attending the Cleveland Independent Film Festival and various concerts, and vacationing every summer in Brewster on Cape Cod. Bob also enjoys playing golf and following Wabash College football and basketball, Indiana University and Purdue University basketball, and the Cleveland Browns.