There are people that some of us are lucky enough to work with every day, who have an energy and a curiosity and a standard for quality and taking action. These people are not in the majority. It’s a rare chance to know one and even rarer to have one as your boss. I’ve personally been very fortunate as I’ve had the opportunity to be connected to a couple of these individuals.

Bob A. Amato, who was the visionary behind what was to become Jobson’s “Optical Group” of publications and brands including Vision Monday and 20/20, told me when we first met, “Kid, what do you want to do, keep writing about a bunch of boring home furnishings people? Nothing ever changes there...the eyewear business is where it’s at! We’re going to do great things! You’ve got to come with us, we’re gonna go great places!”

That was in 1988. Yep, I’m still here. But, sadly for those of us who knew Bob so well, unbelievably, he is not.

Curious, passionate, always reading, always thinking, Bob loved to keep pushing and trying out new things. Yeesh, it could be exhausting—the group of us who’ve worked together here for a long time will smile as we remember him suggesting the “next thing” while we were still working to pull off the prior three.

But what was significant about Bob was that he “got” the big picture and imagined new ones. He understood through his own experience what it took to build up a company, what it took to take a risk, share the vision and go for it. He saw what could happen, moving past the way things were. He honored his word, was very loyal and respected others. He loved the way that the publications and communications could be the center of the action and catalysts for change. He enjoyed matching people up and pointing out the potential of collaborations. And Bob was fascinated by this new, multimedia world.

He was personally so very supportive. I will miss him and, on behalf of us all, I thank him. ■


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