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Originally from Long Island, NY, Bob has lived in Pennsylvania since the mid-seventies.  A graduate of Muhlenberg College, he is a former Navy Supply Corps officer and a retired business executive. He is past President of the Native Orchid Conference (NOC) as well as a long-time Director and past President of the Southeastern Pennsylvania Orchid Society (SEPOS). 

A number of Bob’s photos and articles have appeared in the monthly publication of the American Orchid Society.  He has worked closely with the North Branch Land Trust (NBLT) and Longwood Gardens on a project to preserve a unique population of native orchids in Pennsylvania. He has collaborated with the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center collecting material for DNA analysis of North American Platantheras. Bob has spoken at numerous orchid societies and garden clubs in the mid-Atlantic area as well as the NJ Pinelands Commission, PA Master Gardeners, NJ Native Plant Society, Mt. Cuba Center and the North Carolina Botanical Garden. He has also led field trips for NBLT, Mt. Cuba Center and the NOC.

Bob and his wife Amy travel extensively in pursuit of orchids and birds and they grow tropical orchids in a home greenhouse. Bob has been co-Chairman of the SEPOS orchid show for many years. He has also been volunteer President of Helping Hands, Inc. (a social service agency) for over thirty years.

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The 59-acre Valmont Bog Sanctuary and uplands are located in northeastern PA. The area adjoins a wetland containing a large variety of native orchids, carnivorous plants, mosses, and even cranberries. Due to the sensitive nature of the habitat, the Valmont Bog Sanctuary is open to scientific research only.