Robert was the beloved husband of Carol Swam for 60 years; devoted father of Christopher Swam and his wife Elizabeth, and Tracey Kuhn and her husband Doug; dear brother of the late Annabelle Baer, John Swam, Elwood Swam and Patricia Martak; cherished grandfather of Taylor, Cassidy and Benjamin Lumpkin, and Jackson and Nicole Swam.
Robert started his 25-year tenure at The Black & Decker Corporation in 1960 as a cost accounting clerk at its largest plant in Hampstead, Maryland. During his early years, he was drafted into the U.S. Army and completed a 7-year service of active and army reserve duty. Robert also completed a 7-year pursuit of his accounting education at the University of Baltimore. Later, he completed his MBA at Loyola University Maryland. In 1970, Robert was appointed Chief Financial Officer of Black & Decker and in 1974 was promoted to Vice President of Manufacturing with worldwide responsibilities. Following a very successful term in manufacturing operations and plant development, Robert became President of Black & Decker North America & Pacific Operations. In 1981, he was named Chief Operating Officer of Black & Decker’s worldwide operations.
After his tenure at Black & Decker, Robert served as President and Chief Executive Officer of The Easco Corporation, a conglomerate of Eastern Stainless Steel, Easco Handtools and Borden Metal Products. This Fortune 500 company would later become one of several core businesses that collectively formed the beginning of what is now The Danaher Corporation.
In the mid 1980’s, Robert served as President and Chief Executive Officer of The Arcata Graphics Corporation, one of the world’s largest printing and book manufacturing companies. In 1991, after a successful turnaround and rebuilding, the company was sold.
Robert concluded his career with The Raytheon Company serving as Executive Vice President and Group Executive responsible for Raytheon’s major appliance group which included Amana Refrigeration, Caloric Corporation and Speed Queen Company. He retired in 1997.
Over the course of his career and retirement, Robert served on numerous public, private and not-for-profit boards, offering his extensive business acumen and experience.
Robert spent a well-deserved retirement with Carol at their beloved farm on Maryland’s Eastern Shore. He was an avid outdoorsman who enjoyed gentlemen farming, hunting, fishing and golfing with his family and friends.
A funeral mass will be celebrated at the Church of The Nativity, 20 E. Ridgely Road, Timonium, Maryland 21093 on Friday, January 26, 2024 at 1:00pm.
In lieu of flowers, expressions of sympathy may be directed in Robert’s memory to Notre Dame Preparatory School, ATTN: Swam Family Scholarship Fund, 815 Hampton Lane Towson, Maryland 21286 www.notredameprep.com/give or to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105 https://www.stjude.org
DONATIONS
Notre Dame Preparatory SchoolATTN: Swam Family Scholarship Fund, 815 Hampton Lane, Towson, MD 21286
St. Jude Children's Research Hospital 501 St. Jude Place , Memphis, Tennessee 38105
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