Bob Kearns

Bob 2009

Bob 2004

Bob Kearns
ALCO 
Email (Click Here)

Bob joined CopyRite in 1983 and it was sold to AOP in 1988.  Around 1990 or so, the SOG concept (Strategic Operating Group) was created and Jim Head was the SOG leader for the Midwest. Bob naturally became more involved with the finances of the companies in the Midwest group.  The Midwest  SOG consisted of: CopyRite, St Johns Business Machines, Copy Corp, Hovinga Business Systems, O’Brien Business Products, American Business Machines, DC Hey Company and CopyData

Bob explained:  "In the fall of 1993 John Stuart was named CEO of Alco Standard, Kurt Dinkelaker was promoted to CFO,  Jim Head and I were promoted to the Group level in Valley Forge.  AOP continued an aggressive acquisition pace and acquired 105 companies in 1994,  95 companies in 1995 and 100 companies in 1996.  Most were contiguous and absorbed by a larger AOP company, but not all certainly.  Here are some stats from that period:

• Cash Flow went from 41% of Income in 1993 to average of 109% in 1994 through 1996
• Revenue grew from $1.7B in 1993 to $4.1B in 1996 
• Share price grew from $22.00 in 1993 to $49.88 in 1996
• Share price outperformed the S & P 500 by 35.9% from 1993 to 1996
• Alco Capital Resource portfolio grew by  more than 40% to $1.5B (1993 to 1996), while its Return on Capital improved at the same time

Those were great times with lots of great people contributing to make it all happen”.

Bob Kearns 2004

Bob - May 2016

Bob left AOP in the summer of 1997 and co-founded Quench with Ed Kane in October, 1997.  In March, 2006, Bob and Ed consolidated Quench with Jim Kincer, Don Dudine, Rich Bova, Jon King, and John Peters to create Quench USA.  $72 million of private equity capital has been raised in Quench USA.  That’s a big number.  The company is the largest in the industry.

Bob and Pam 2011

Bob and Pam still live in Glenmoore, PA.  Their only daughter was married  in 2009.  Bob enjoys family, fishing and still loves Indy cars as you will remember he is a BIG race fan!