About Bob

Bob was born on Long Island (the one in New York) and grew up in Philadelphia and New York City (Queens). He went to the State University of New York at Buffalo as an undergraduate, obtaining a B.A. degree in chemistry. After a stint working at Brookhaven National Laboratory (working on coal liquefaction), Bob took a bus to Berkeley (the one in California), got a job at the Lawrence Berkeley National Lab, and then began the chemical engineering program at the University of California, Berkeley. He finished his studies and research at the University of South Australia in Adelaide, and received his Masters in Chemical Engineering. He did research on car batteries at Berkeley, and developed biofuel technology in Australia.

Back in the U.S., Bob worked for a company that makes fluorescent pigments and then for a computational chemistry firm in the Bay Area. He moved to Seattle in 1989, to do computational chemistry with a biochemical research institute. He met his beautiful wife Nancy on a hiking trip with The Mountaineers, and enjoys hiking, along with ice hockey, ultimate frisbee, gardening and travel when he can. Bob worked for 12 years at the Washington Department of Ecology, helping businesses, governments and other organizations to comply with environmental rules, and to improve their technology and economic performance. He retired from his job in 2004 to spend more time helping at his son's school.

Since moving to Astoria in 2005, Bob has been involved in various activities. He has been an instructor in the science class of the ENCORE program, which is run through Clatsop Community College. This excellent program (mainly) for retirees has a great variety of interesting courses and activities. Bob is a volunteer programmer at KMUN, the local community radio station, currently subbing for some music shows, and reads Bedtime Stories every other Sunday. He also sings bass/baritone in the North Coast Chorale.

Bob and family on the beach on New Year's Eve

Bob as Judas in Godspell at the Astor Street Opry Company

Jacob Marley and the Turkey Boy (Bob's son Tevan) pose for the camera after a production of A Christmas Carol at the River Theater last year

Rabbi Bob on the set of Fiddler on the Roof at the Coaster Theatre

Bob and the bottom of a huge tree on the trail near Fort Columbia

Bob has caught the thespian bug from his son, Tevan, and just finished a production of Godspell at the Astor Street Opry Company theater in Astoria. Maybe you saw him in Our Town at the Coaster Theatre in Cannon Beach, or as the ghost of Jacob Marley in A Christmas Carol at the River Theater (now sadly closed) last fall, or as the rabbi in A Fiddler on the Roof at the Coaster a couple of years ago. He's also been in Do I Hear a Waltz and Break A Leg at the Coaster, and Twelfth Night at the River. And this past summer, Bob performed in a pirate dinner theater production at the Astoria Events Center (arrrrr). Community theater is a big part of Bob's and Tevan's life, and they've met many wonderful people there. [Update: Bob has acted in many other plays in theaters across the region. He is slated to be in a production at the River City Playhouse in Ilwaco this fall called The Brothers Grimm Spectaculatron.]

There was a stint volunteering at the county animal shelter, with the result that Bob's family has increased by two (cats). And Bob has been involved in the county mentoring program, and is involved with The Healing Circle, participating in VOCA (Victory Over Child Abuse) camps most years since he arrived in Astoria. He served one year as board member of the Astoria Cooperative, and continues to be involved in the co-op's product selection committee. He ran unsuccessfully for Astoria City Council, losing by 3 votes, and also ran and lost for Astoria School Board and the Sunset Empire Transportation Board.

Bob is now a very infrequent writer for HIPFiSH, the coast's alternative monthly newspaper, though he still does their website and has worked for the East Oregonian Publishing Company (publishers of the Daily Astorian) posting web sites for their various newspapers. He currently is doing substitute teaching in and instructional aide work in most schools (pre-K to 12) in Clatsop County. And in his copious spare time, he helps several friends and clients with their web sites.

Bob recently celebrated his 66th birthday, and lives in Uppertown with his wife and 2 cats.