Bob is the Past President and Vice-Chancellor of Wilfrid Laurier University (WLU), Waterloo, Ontario having served from 1997 to 2007. Before that, he served 13 years as President and Vice-Chancellor of Lakehead University in Thunder Bay, Ontario. Bob is the past-chair, and a current Board member, of St Paul's University College at the University of Waterloo. Bob holds honorary degrees from University of Waterloo, Nipissing University and WLU as well as degrees in chemical engineering from the University of Waterloo.