Best known as Lynda Wilhelm’s consort, Bob is in the middle of a long career of engineering, leadership, technology policy, and economic development. He has held executive and faculty positions with two research universities, Nebraska and UNC Charlotte, worked in engineering and management for the NAVY, DOE, Cincinnati Milacron, and Rockwell, and successfully run his own company. In his spare time, he pursues interests in art & design, the outdoors, reading, cooking, swimming, travel, casual golf, and marital bliss.
Born in Mobile AL, Bob grew up in Raleigh, NC and Morgantown, WV. He has studied and worked in cities across the country and around the world that include Washington, Wichita, Ironbridge, West Lafayette, Cincinnati, Champaign, San Francisco, and Lincoln, with over 25 years in Charlotte. Lynda and Bob’s children, Menaka and Amelia, both now in the Pacific Northwest, have been raised in a multi-cultural family with relatives on four continents.
Bob has served on many regional, national, and international boards. In Lincoln, he enabled key partnerships, large scale research and commercialization while serving on the boards of NICDC, NUtech, Bio Nebraska and NSRI. In Charlotte, he led the reorganization of the University Research Park as chair of University City Partners, worked to define a state-wide agenda for research and innovation while serving on the NC Board of Science, Technology, and Innovation, and supported commissioning of ten new works as collections board chair and trustee for the Mint Museum, nationally and internationally known for craft and design. When asked what excites him most about joining SVP Charlotte, Bob responded: ” “I am looking forward to pursuing public service with a friendly, social, and varied group of people.”