Robert Price
LGNA President. Old Time Hockey Player. Unpretentious Poet-In-Training. Truth-Through-Data Forager.
Bob began his career in the medical/surgical products industry and advanced through progressively responsible positions, including the national sales trainer and operating room surgical products division manager for a multibillion-dollar medical company. He next left the medical business to found and operate Power Play Sports, LLC, a chain of Kansas City-based health, wellness, and fitness facilities. Bob and his team grew the operation to seven locations in seven years and successfully sold the firm to private investors.
After the sale of his company, Bob joined the National Center for Manufacturing Sciences (NCMS). As a VP, Bob directed the business development activities of this nonprofit, member-based research and development consortium. The NCMS's objective is to drive the global competitiveness of North American manufacturing firms through collaboration, innovation, the development of advanced technologies, and technology transfer. Member companies include Ford, GM, IBM, Raytheon Technologies, and hundreds of other firms of all sizes. Member dues and contributions were matched by federal funds, primarily from the Defense Advanced Research Project Agency (DARPA). The funding was invested in research and technology transfer programs.
He next started the Meridian Group, a strategic planning and marketing advisory firm serving early-stage high-tech product development and manufacturing companies. Meridian assisted small firms regarding their planning and marketing of proprietary technologies and assisted clients in attracting partners and investors. During that time, Bob served as the marketing consultant to then Missouri Governor Mel Carnahan's economic development commission, created to attract high-technology companies and investments to the state.
In 2002, Bob led an investment group of three principals to acquire a large wholesale distributor in the specialty equipment automotive market. Bob assumed the duties of CEO and Chairperson. The team grew the firm significantly to become one of the largest distributors in the industry. The firm was sold successfully to Bain Capital in 2006. During his time in the automotive industry, Bob served on the Board of Directors for the Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA). He worked closely with the Association’s management and founded the SEMA Education Institute (SEI), a not-for-profit education and training organization for the $40 billion automotive aftermarket. Bob served as the SEI Executive Director and was awarded the Aftermarket Educator of the Year Award in 2008 from Northwood University.
In 2011, Bob became an investor in a technical company providing test solutions for highly integrated software and hardware systems for mission-critical applications. The company serves national security, aerospace, automotive, medical, and transportation industries. He subsequently served as the firm’s COO and CSO until he retired from the firm in 2023. His next adventure was creating the LGNA---and the future awaits!
Bob holds a BS in Psychology from Loyola University of Chicago and did graduate work in Marketing/Communications at the University of Michigan.