Robert M. Thompson ('55)

Bob Thompson is retired president & former sole-owner of the Thompson-McCully Company, in Belleville, Michigan. Mr. Thompson was co-founder of Thompson-McCully (with his uncle, Wilfred McCully.) He sold Michigan's largest asphalt and paving contractor company for $422 million in July of 1999. The Dublin, Ireland-based CRH, plc, paid $340 million in cash and agreed to pay an additional $82 million over five years for the privately held firm.

Mr. Thompson remains very involved in the company even after its sale. He gave $128 million of his gains to his 550 employees. His profit-sharing plan awarded $2,000 per year of service to workers with retirement plans; those without plans received between $1 million and $2 million depending on seniority and merit.

He is involved with the engineering program at Auburn University. Previously, he was a fighter pilot in the U.S. Air Force (discharged in 1959), and also was an industrial arts teacher.

Published: 2008