Bob Oborn: A Life of Service, Leadership, and Community Engagement
Bob Oborn was born and raised in Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio, and graduated from Cuyahoga Falls High School in 1976. After high school, Bob chose to serve his country by enlisting in the United States Army as a Military Policeman. He completed tours both stateside and in West Germany, before receiving an honorable discharge in 1979.
Upon his return to civilian life, Bob pursued a career in private security before joining Kent Elastomer Products, Inc. (formerly Kent Latex Products) in 1981 as a general laborer. Over the course of his remarkable 42-year career at Kent, Bob worked in a variety of roles, including positions in manufacturing and operations. In 2011, he was named President of the company.
While building his career, Bob also focused on his education, earning a BA in Administration with a minor in Management from Malone College and later an MBA from Kent State University. His commitment to continuous learning and improvement led him to become an expert in Continuous Improvement and Lean Manufacturing. Bob gave many presentations to local companies on reducing waste and improving profitability.
Under Bob’s leadership, Kent Elastomer became a key player in the community. The company, along with Bob, supported several local initiatives including The Kent Community Center, Ronald McDonald House of Northeast Ohio, and Birdie Bags, a school food initiative founded by Candace Curtis, wife of professional golfer Ben Curtis. Kent Elastomer was also involved in the Kent Chamber of Commerce and the Northeastern Ohio Better Business Bureau.
In 2009, Bob was sponsored by Jeff Wagner and joined the Rotary Club of Stow-Munroe Falls. Throughout his time in Rotary, Bob has held numerous positions, including Interact Chair, Board Member, and President. He also became highly involved at the district level, serving as Assistant Governor for Northern Summit County, District Interact Co-Chair, and Chair of the Conference of Clubs. Bob’s dedication to Rotary’s ideals is reflected in his status as a level 1 Major Donor, a level 1 Bequest Society member, a level 5 Paul Harris Fellow, and a member of the Paul Harris Society. He was honored as Rotarian of the Year in 2016-17.
Bob and his wife Annette, whom he married in 1987, reside in Munroe Falls, Ohio. They have two children: Allison (married to Alex) who lives in Cuyahoga Falls, and Patrick (married to Emma) who resides in Richmond, Virginia. The Oborns are also proud pet owners of a lovable Chocolate Lab named CJ and a moody, spoiled cat named Delilah.
All proceeds will directly benefit Rotary Camp, helping to send children to camp
and providing them with life-changing experiences.
BUY RAFFLE TICKETS - PLAY - VOLUNTEER
Rotary Camp’s annual Cornhole Tournament is less than 2 weeks away! The 16th Annual Tourney presented by Buckeye Corrugated, Inc. will take place on Saturday, August 23, 2025, at Rotary Camp. This annual fundraiser supports Akron Rotary Camp’s scholarship fund, ensuring that no child is turned away from attending camp due to their family’s inability to pay!
Help us make a difference for kids with special needs with the purchase of a Raffle Ticket. For just $10 per ticket, or 3 for $25, or 7 for $50, you have the chance to win some fantastic prizes:
For those who already bought tickets, thank you! We appreciate your support and your help in creating a world where there are only abilities at Rotary Camp for Children with Special Needs!
Akron Rotary is continuing its support of the supplemental food service program through Open M to help provide food for insecure students at Innes Middle School.
SIGN UP to view available slots and book yourself directly online.
Event:
Open M Backpack Food Packing
Date:
Wednesdays Through Dec 17, 2025 at 4:00 PM
Chair:
Sandy Naragon 330-256-5315
Location:
Open M 941 Princeton Street Akron, OH United States of America 44311
We are delighted to welcome our inbound Rotary exchange student Luciana "Lou" Ortiz Ancí, from Arequipa, Peru.
Thanks to Jacinto Nunez, a special informal picnic was hosted August 10th to get to know her.
Karen Hrdlicka and her husband Jeff Jones had the privilege over the past few days to be hosts to Lou and took her to several places. She also visited the Club meeting August 12th.
We will be seeing her again as she gets settled in and we look forward to hearing about her activities and experiences.
We have created a photo album on our website to log all the photos you share of Luciana during her stay with us. You can send them via email to cawarren@neo.rr.com - please do not text.
Volunteers are needed for the One Hot Meal and Food Pantry at the Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church.
We began helping the folks at Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church with their One Hot Meal Program the week of Thanksgiving in 2024 and had a wonderful Rotarian turnout to help serve.
The Rotarians involved loved the project and the the Church now does this once a month, on a smaller scale.
We have scheduled volunteer opportunities to serve once a month through the end of the calendar year.
Time: 4:45 pm - 6:30 pm
Location: Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church, 129 S. Union Street, Akron, OH 44304
Click on the respective Tuesday below to view available time slots and book yourself to volunteer directly online.
