Learn More About Bob
Upon graduation from Harvard in 1967 as an Economics major and member of the Naval Reserve Officer Program, Bob was commissioned as United States Naval Officer. Following Nuclear Power Training and submarine school, he served aboard the Polaris submarine, U.S.S. Patrick Henry.
After more than four years of service in the U.S. Navy, Bob attended Cornell Law School where he excelled as an editor and business manager of the Cornell Law Review and graduated with highest honors.
He has been a practicing lawyer for over 25 years. Since 1987 his law practice has concentrated on representing Howard County families and businesses. As a private attorney, he successfully fought Howard County’s decision to allow a waste transfer facility to be built on Route 1 in Elkridge. This victory paved the way for future upgrading of the Route 1 corridor that Bob later launched as Maryland Secretary of Transportation.
In 1986 Bob was elected to the Maryland House of Delegates. Many Howard County residents remember him knocking on doors and waving at commuters with his good friend, Bob Kittleman. He was elected by his fellow Republicans to be their Whip, a position he held for five years. For six years, Bob was also elected by both the Democratic and Republican members representing Howard County to serve as the Chair of the County’s Delegation. As such he presided over hearings on local county bills and led the County’s successful efforts to obtain state funding for school construction. Bob served for four years on the Judiciary Committee and twelve years on the Appropriations Committee. While on the Appropriations Committee he was recognized as fiscal conservative who fought against unfunded spending mandates.
In 2003 Governor Robert Ehrlich nominated Bob to serve as Maryland Secretary of Transportation, a position he held until the Governor left office in 2007. During that period Transportation was responsible for many of the Governor’s legacy projects. Successes included construction of the new Southwest terminal at BWI Marshall Airport and a new cruise ship terminal off of I-95, improving cost effective public transportation, fixing the transportation system for people with disabilities in the Baltimore region and commencing construction of many key highway improvements and community enhancements.
