Robert Ackerman, class of 1970 is being inducted into the Hall of Fame for his career achievements and for his generous support of the Alumni Association and student affairs.
Bob was very active in high school. He played three sports: basketball, football and track. He was captain of the varsity cross country team his junior year. In his sophomore year he was Section II, Class C Mile Champion. He was president of his class his senior year, Co-Editor of the Crest and Shield and treasurer of his class his junior year. Bob played in the full band and dance band all four years of school, and was its Vice President his junior year. As a member of band, he competed in the New York State School Music Association full band and ensemble competitions and All-County Music Festival.
Bob spent the next four years after high school at the College of St. Rose in Albany. After graduating with a BA degree, Bob held a variety of positions within New York State Government. In 1998 he left his job as a Deputy Commissioner with the N.Y.S. Division of Housing and Community Renewal to pursue a new career with a private start-up wireless infrastructure company, Crown Castle International. Shortly thereafter, the company went public and over the next 18 years has grown into the largest shared wireless infrastructure company in the US. Bob currently serves as a President of Crown Castle overseeing operations for the Western Area of the US.
In addition, Bob has investment interests in nine restaurants, primarily located in the Midwest and East Coast. He also is an investor and board member for a luxury sports car dealership in Scottsdale, AZ which helps feed his passion for collecting cars. He has been a guest lecturer for a variety of organizations on leadership and career development and has written a book, soon to be published, on the importance of decision making, entitled "Decision: A Measure of Success in Life and Leadership"
Once Bob found out about the Alumni Association, he joined as a member and has since donated generously to our fundraising efforts. Due to those gifts, the Association has been able to do so much more than it otherwise would have.
Bob was nominated by his classmate and friend, Beverly Finlay Ackerman (no relation). He is the son of Ruth Ackerman, who is also being inducted tonight. Bob, ,his wife Donna, and their 5 children currently reside in the Phoenix, AZ area and spend most of the summer in South Carolina.
