Mr. Robert (Bob) William Galvin

A US executive, he was the son of the founder of Motorola, Paul Galvin, and served as the CEO of Motorola from 1959 to 1986. Born in Marshfield, Wisconsin, he went to work for Motorola in 1940. In 1956 he was named President of the company. Two years later he succeeded his father as Chief Executive Officer. During the 1980s, he was assisted by Dorian Shainin in his effort to improve quality at Motorola. In 1986, he gave up the title of CEO while remaining Chairman of the Board. Under his leadership, Motorola sales had grown from $216.6 million in 1958 to $6.7 billion in 1987 and cash flow per share had grown from 89 cents to $6.10. He also was instrumental, along with Motorola engineer Bill Smith, in implementing the Six Sigma quality system at Motorola. As a result of the Six Sigma program, Motorola received the first Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award in 1989. In 2005, he created the Galvin Electricity Initiative, a nonprofit organization dedicated to transforming the electrical grid so that it meets with Six Sigma standards of quality. He was a longtime supporter of Illinois Institute of Technology and became a trustee in 1953. He served as chairman from 1979 to 1990 and sat on three steering bodies on the future of IIT, in 1975, 1985, and as chairman in 1993. At the time of his death he served as a University Regent. In 1990, IIT presented him with an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degree, and in 1996, he received the university?s Henry Heald Award. IIT dedicated the Paul V. Galvin Library in 1985 to recognize the Galvin family?s commitment to the institution. In 1991 he was inducted into Junior Achievement's U.S. Business Hall of Fame and in 1993, he received the Bower Award in Business Leadership. In 2000 he was awarded the IEEE Founder's Medal for "For his distinguished leadership in promoting quality, technological excellence and' cooperation between government and the private sector, and expanding the applications of electronics and communications technology globally." In 2005, he was awarded the Vannevar Bush Award for "his visionary leadership to enhance U.S. innovation, competitiveness, and excellence at the interface of science and technology with the Nation?s industrial enterprise. In the counsels of government, industry, and academe, he unselfishly gave the Nation the benefit of his knowledge, experience and creative wisdom while leading his company in its great contribution to the computing and telecommunications transformation of society."