Marshfield High School Alumni
Marshfield, Wisconsin (WI)
Bob Galvin
Businessman
What is Bob Galvin known for?
Robert William "Bob" Galvin, the trailblazing American businessman and notable alumnus of Marshfield High School, was born on October 9, 1922, in Marshfield, Wisconsin. He was instrumental in shaping Motorola, where he served as CEO from 1959 to 1986.
With Marshfield as his starting point, Galvin went on to attend the University of Notre Dame, furthering his education at the Illinois Institute of Technology. Following in the footsteps of his father, Paul Galvin, the founder of Motorola, Bob began his noteworthy career with the company in 1940.
By 1956, Bob was named the president of Motorola, later succeeding his father as CEO in 1958. His tenure at the helm saw Motorola's sales soar from $216.6 million in 1958 to a staggering $6.7 billion in 1987. Moreover, Bob Galvin played a pivotal role, along with Dr. Mikel J Harry and Motorola engineer Bill Smith, in implementing the Six Sigma quality system at Motorola. This innovative, quality-enhancing approach led Motorola to receive the first-ever Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award in 1988.
In addition to his leadership at Motorola, Galvin founded the Galvin Electricity Initiative in 2005. This non-profit organization was dedicated to transforming the electrical grid to meet the Six Sigma standards of quality. Along with his sons, Galvin also started a real estate investment firm, Harrison Street Real Estate Capital, as a nod to the very street where his father and uncle launched Motorola.
Throughout his life, Galvin was a steadfast supporter of the Illinois Institute of Technology, serving as a trustee since 1953. In recognition of the Galvin family's commitment to the institution, the university dedicated the Paul V. Galvin Library in 1985. Galvin's commendable work was recognized multiple times, with accolades like the Henry Heald Award (1996), IEEE Founders Medal (2000), and the prestigious Vannevar Bush Award (2005).
Bob Galvin lived in Barrington, Illinois, with his wife, Mary Barnes Galvin, and together they raised four children. An embodiment of exemplary leadership and vision, Galvin's contributions to technology and societal well-being were indeed monumental.