April Leader of the Month - Bob Ronstadt

A better Founder we could not hope to have! In addition to hosting our end of year celebration at his gorgeous restaurant last fall, and sitting on the AK Board of Directors, Bob maintains an active role improving the lives of kids.

He has now founded a new foundation called CASA (College Advisory Services of America), which helps teens navigate the college application process with the intention of accruing minimal debt and maximum reward. He partners with Advantage Kids on that project, offering his services to any one of our high schoolers who is interested.

Bob has been part of a Strategic Planning Committee for the past several months, as well as continuing to sit on our Board of Directors and act as an advisor and mentor to Brittany & Dawn, whom he passed AK leadership onto about two years ago.

‍

Some might have difficulty transitioning from the Founding Director, the Big Man in Charge, to playing a supporting role in his own organization - but Bob continues to navigate his role with grace, encouragement, optimism, and compassion. The Committee recently decided to change the mission and vision statements to include yoga . . . and that was largely Bob’s influence.

“Sometimes, the time comes when we must make a bold move. We must plant a flag. Now is one of those times - and I believe in this program. It works, and it’s important, and we are ready,” he declared with those steadfast eyes when the mission came up for vote.

‍

Bob knows a revolutionary idea when he sees it. Before he founded Advantage Kids, he played the keystone role in creating the first ever Entrepreneurship Degree Program at Babson College. A paper detailing that iconic pivot point states,

“Dr. Robert Ronstadt received the 1985 Leavey Award for Excellence in Private Enterprise Education from the Freedoms Foundation for his work at Babson College. The award was given to recognize five years of work that resulted in  books, articles, technical notes, cases studies, and films about entrepreneurs that were used to develop Babson’s undergraduate major and MBA concentration in Entrepreneurial Studies, academic programs that were spearheaded by Dr. Ronstadt as Babson’s first Academic Head of Entrepreneurial Studies.”

To be carrying on the mission this man created is our greatest joy and honor, and we are committed to doing it justice. We know he is proud of where we are, supportive of where we are going, and on our team - for life. 

Bob isn’t just the Leader of the Month. He’s the Leader of Us All. (Though he’d never say so!)

Visit him at his gorgeously preserved, charmingly historic, art-filled Gilmanton Tavern for dinner and drinks one night, and tell him we sent you. He’ll be happy to have you.