Robert W. Roth is the Executive Chairman of RoMan Manufacturing, Inc., formerly the President/CEO serving in that capacity from 1997 through 2022. Founded in 1980, RoMan Manufacturing is a multi-generation family business with operations in Grand Rapids, Michigan and a sales office in Shanghai, China. RoMan Manufacturing specializes in the design and manufacture of water-cooled transformers and DC power supplies used for industrial applications such as resistance welding, glass melting and forming, plating, furnace applications, semi-conductor, and data centers. Its subsidiary Macro Magnetics specializes in air-cooled, dry type transformers for industrial power conversion applications.
Robert (Bob) is a member of the second generation and joined the business in 1987, after his employment with the Hydra-matic Division of General Motors from 1980 until 1987. Robert graduated in 1985 from Kettering University, formerly General Motors Institute, with a Bachelor of Science degree in Industrial Administration. He was recognized by the University with its Engineering Achievement Award in 2012. Robert is also a graduate of Leadership Grand Rapids (2002) and the Institutes for Healing Racism (2004). He is married to Marcy and they have two children, Mike age 37 who is an M.D. practicing emergency medicine and Kayla age 34 who has the dual degrees of M.S. Industrial Psychology and an MBA working in HR for a global financial institution.
Robert served as the Interim Executive Director and CEO of the American Welding Society from April 2023 through January 2025. The AWS is a 45,000-member professional society dedicated to advancing the science of welding and allied processes. Located in Miami, FL, its staff of 150 support the numerous member volunteers and committee members. It is a standards writing body, provides certifications, education, publications, conferences, and trade shows. Its Foundation has over $100 Million endowed supporting scholarships, fellowships, and grants.
Robert served six years on the board of directors and as Board Chair in 2004 of the Grand Rapids Area Chamber of Commerce. In 2012 Robert completed eight years of service on the Priority Health Board of Directors serving as Board Chair from 2009-11. He is a founding member of the Family Business Alliance and served for eight years as a member of its advisory board. Concluding in 2016 Robert served his community and the citizens of Grand Rapids Township for six years as a township trustee. He concluded eight years as a trustee of the Grand Rapids Community Foundation at the end of 2016 and chaired the board in 2013. He formerly served on the Board of Directors of the American Welding Society as a Director and past-President in 2020/2021. He concluded 12 years as a Director of Corewell Health (formerly Spectrum Health) in 2023, where he served as board chair for 2020 and 2021.
Currently he serves on the boards of for-profit corporations Grand Rapids Label Inc., United Bank of Michigan, Progressive Companies, Portland Products, and DeWys Manufacturing Inc. He is also a mentor in the Jandernoa Entrepreneurial Mentoring program and works with next-generation, family business members through the Family Business Alliance. Robert and David Edwards are the General Partners and managing directors of Second Act Partners, a mezzanine lending fund they founded.