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Not too many 18 year old young men know what they want to be when they "grow up", but Robert "Bob" Rudisill of Plainfield, IL was a notable exception. Raised in Findlay, Ohio, Bob developed an early appreciation for the electrical business as his Dad owned an electrical contracting firm where Bob learned the trade in his formative years. Bob then made an excellent undergraduate choice in Purdue University, world renowned for its Engineering curriculum, and paid his own way through Purdue as a journeyman electrician. Following Purdue, Bob pursued an MBA at University of Colorado - Boulder. In addition to gaining an excellent education at Colorado, Bob met his future wife on a blind date ominously arranged on a Friday the 13th however Bob and Jana recently celebrated their 50th anniversary, and have been blessed with 3 daughters and 7 grandchildren.
Bob first worked for AT&T Long Lines in Minnesota then to Kansas City for about 4 years. Afterward he had a 2 year stint back in Minneapolis working for Control Data. Bob then settled in the southwestern Chicago suburbs and gained ownership of an electromechanical manufacturing business which grew over time to 40 employees, and flourished for 30 years under his leadership. Selling that business in 1999, Bob spent the next 12 years as a Contract Engineer/Program Manager for Navistar, specializing in the design of in-line diesel engine products and applications. During that time, Bob used Microsoft Project and Excel extensively, and successfully established a collaborative suggestion system between the Engineering and Manufacturing divisions.
Retirement came in October, 2011, and shortly thereafter Bob found SCORE through a fishing buddy and Engineering colleague active in the Holland, MI chapter. After joining Fox Valley SCORE, Bob quickly realized mentoring small business owners was his greatest interest within the organization, consistently imparting the importance of cash flow management to budding entrepreneurs. His knowledge and experience in financial analysis, business planning, product development and project management are of great value to his SCORE clients. Bob also serves on the chapter's Executive, Technical and Strategic Planning Committees.
Bob occasionally spends his spare time out on the golf course or a sailboat, but his snow skiing skills are noteworthy, having been recognized as an age group Gold medal competitor.
Bob mentors at and is Branch Manager of the Plainfield Library and Joliet Junior College SCORE locations, and can be reached at rudysail@att.net or (815) 436-6662. |
