Since High School:
I played American Legion baseball the summer of 1967 before
entering into the University of Illinois in the fall. I originally
entered into engineering with the idea of being a civil engineer,
but after taking a number of aptitude tests, I figured they knew
what they were doing and transferred into accounting my
freshman year and stayed there my entire four years at Illinois.
While at Illinois I lived in the dorm my freshman year with Dick
Schuettner and moved into Theta Delta Chi fraternity my
sophomore year serving as Treasurer and President of the
fraternity. I earned my freshman numerals in baseball for the
University of Illinois and tried to be a walk-on my sophomore
year but didn't make the grade. I received a BS in Accounting in
June 1971 and a 2nd Lieutenant commission for the Army.
Thank goodness Viet Nam ended my senior year so all I had to
do was serve a couple years in the active reserves.
After college, I went to work for Union Oil Company of California
(in the building that is now Roosevelt University across from
Woodfield shopping center in Schaumburg). I worked for Union
Oil for almost ten years, primarily in the Schaumburg office for a
division called AMSCO (American Mineral Spirits Company),
although I did spend almost three years in LaMirada, California
outside of Los Angeles. They marketed and sold the
by-products from refineries and resale chemicals. During that
time I completed my MBA through extension classes for Northern
Illinois University.
I worked for Motorola for a year before taking the Corporate
Controller job at AXIA (a $350 million conglomerate) in
Oakbrook for nearly four years. I tried my hand at my own
executive search firm for a year; but when the economy was
down (1983-84), I decided to place myself and did so with
Abbott Laboratories where I worked for 17 years before retiring
in 2001. I held the jobs of Group Controller Diagnostic
Products, Assistant Corporate Controller Financial Planning,
and Vice President & Controller, Pharmaceuticals.
Since retiring I have held the treasurer position for a couple
non-profit organizations and enjoy playing tennis three times a
week and golf a couple times a week. I have improved a little in
tennis, but can't get the mustard at improving on my 16
handicap in golf.
I played American Legion baseball the summer of 1967 before
entering into the University of Illinois in the fall. I originally
entered into engineering with the idea of being a civil engineer,
but after taking a number of aptitude tests, I figured they knew
what they were doing and transferred into accounting my
freshman year and stayed there my entire four years at Illinois.
While at Illinois I lived in the dorm my freshman year with Dick
Schuettner and moved into Theta Delta Chi fraternity my
sophomore year serving as Treasurer and President of the
fraternity. I earned my freshman numerals in baseball for the
University of Illinois and tried to be a walk-on my sophomore
year but didn't make the grade. I received a BS in Accounting in
June 1971 and a 2nd Lieutenant commission for the Army.
Thank goodness Viet Nam ended my senior year so all I had to
do was serve a couple years in the active reserves.
After college, I went to work for Union Oil Company of California
(in the building that is now Roosevelt University across from
Woodfield shopping center in Schaumburg). I worked for Union
Oil for almost ten years, primarily in the Schaumburg office for a
division called AMSCO (American Mineral Spirits Company),
although I did spend almost three years in LaMirada, California
outside of Los Angeles. They marketed and sold the
by-products from refineries and resale chemicals. During that
time I completed my MBA through extension classes for Northern
Illinois University.
I worked for Motorola for a year before taking the Corporate
Controller job at AXIA (a $350 million conglomerate) in
Oakbrook for nearly four years. I tried my hand at my own
executive search firm for a year; but when the economy was
down (1983-84), I decided to place myself and did so with
Abbott Laboratories where I worked for 17 years before retiring
in 2001. I held the jobs of Group Controller Diagnostic
Products, Assistant Corporate Controller Financial Planning,
and Vice President & Controller, Pharmaceuticals.
Since retiring I have held the treasurer position for a couple
non-profit organizations and enjoy playing tennis three times a
week and golf a couple times a week. I have improved a little in
tennis, but can't get the mustard at improving on my 16
handicap in golf.
Family:
I met Cheryl Smith (a '72 Conant grad) at Union Oil; we married
December 8, 1973, honeymooned in Hawaii and on the way
back, stayed and lived in Los Angeles for a couple years. We
moved back to Elk Grove in 1976 and then into Inverness in
1982.
We had daughters Melissa (1977) & Heather (1978) and son
Eric (1982). All three graduated St. Theresa grade school in
Palatine and Fremd High School. Melissa was on the state
champion Fremd pom squad, Heather was a cheerleader in
grade school and Eric played travel baseball and played
football, basketball and baseball in high school where he was
honorable mention All Area catcher his senior year. Eric played
baseball for Oakton Community College before transferring to
the University of Iowa where he received a BA, Sociology.
Melissa graduated Western Illinois University in Education; and
Heather graduated Columbia College in Chicago in Fashion
Management.
Heather married Chicago policeman Paul Peraino in 2003, lives
in Chicago, gave birth to our first grandson, Jake, in April,
2006, and to our third grandson, Nicholas, in September, 2008.
Melissa married Fremd grad Chas Pettrone in 2005, lives in
Crystal Lake, gave birth to our second grandson, Charlie, in
May 2006, and our fourth grandson, Anthony, in November,
2008. Eric married Melissa Donovan. his girlfriend of nine
years in August 2009 and works for Arthur Gallagher as a
senior claims adjuster
I met Cheryl Smith (a '72 Conant grad) at Union Oil; we married
December 8, 1973, honeymooned in Hawaii and on the way
back, stayed and lived in Los Angeles for a couple years. We
moved back to Elk Grove in 1976 and then into Inverness in
1982.
We had daughters Melissa (1977) & Heather (1978) and son
Eric (1982). All three graduated St. Theresa grade school in
Palatine and Fremd High School. Melissa was on the state
champion Fremd pom squad, Heather was a cheerleader in
grade school and Eric played travel baseball and played
football, basketball and baseball in high school where he was
honorable mention All Area catcher his senior year. Eric played
baseball for Oakton Community College before transferring to
the University of Iowa where he received a BA, Sociology.
Melissa graduated Western Illinois University in Education; and
Heather graduated Columbia College in Chicago in Fashion
Management.
Heather married Chicago policeman Paul Peraino in 2003, lives
in Chicago, gave birth to our first grandson, Jake, in April,
2006, and to our third grandson, Nicholas, in September, 2008.
Melissa married Fremd grad Chas Pettrone in 2005, lives in
Crystal Lake, gave birth to our second grandson, Charlie, in
May 2006, and our fourth grandson, Anthony, in November,
2008. Eric married Melissa Donovan. his girlfriend of nine
years in August 2009 and works for Arthur Gallagher as a
senior claims adjuster
Bob Hoffman
Standing: Melissa (Eric's girl friend),
son Eric, wife Cheryl, Bob, 2 cruise
waiters, and son-in-law Chas;
Sitting: son-in-law Paul, daughter
Heather and daughter Melissa.
son Eric, wife Cheryl, Bob, 2 cruise
waiters, and son-in-law Chas;
Sitting: son-in-law Paul, daughter
Heather and daughter Melissa.
Recreation:
Since retiring, I have been involved in "old man's" tennis and
golf. I am part of a group of 25 "generally" retired men that play
tennis on Wednesday and Friday mornings for about three
hours at the MidTown Health Club in Palatine. I'm also involved
with a 150 member golf group called the Palatine Hills Golf
Association. I was treasurer for each for a couple years. My
tennis partner and I are Club Doubles Champions for our
bracket three years running (2005-2007) and my golf partner
and I won the end of year Takahashi Classic Tournament
finishing 1st out of 44 teams in 2005.
My wife and I travel as much as we can. We have a winter
home in Fort Myers, Florida, try to make Las Vegas once a
year, and take family cruises once every other year. In 2003,
my wife's family (32 in all) went on a one week cruise to the
Caribbean which I highly recommend to everyone.
For my 40th birthday, my brother gave me a trip to the St. Louis
Cardinal Fantasy Baseball camp ran by Randy Hundley. It was
"the time of my life". I got to share lockers with Lou Brock and
Curt Flood and hit off of Bob Gibson. We played in Busch
Stadium (the old St. Louis Cardinal's home field) and it's a trip
I'll never forget.
Since retiring, I have been involved in "old man's" tennis and
golf. I am part of a group of 25 "generally" retired men that play
tennis on Wednesday and Friday mornings for about three
hours at the MidTown Health Club in Palatine. I'm also involved
with a 150 member golf group called the Palatine Hills Golf
Association. I was treasurer for each for a couple years. My
tennis partner and I are Club Doubles Champions for our
bracket three years running (2005-2007) and my golf partner
and I won the end of year Takahashi Classic Tournament
finishing 1st out of 44 teams in 2005.
My wife and I travel as much as we can. We have a winter
home in Fort Myers, Florida, try to make Las Vegas once a
year, and take family cruises once every other year. In 2003,
my wife's family (32 in all) went on a one week cruise to the
Caribbean which I highly recommend to everyone.
For my 40th birthday, my brother gave me a trip to the St. Louis
Cardinal Fantasy Baseball camp ran by Randy Hundley. It was
"the time of my life". I got to share lockers with Lou Brock and
Curt Flood and hit off of Bob Gibson. We played in Busch
Stadium (the old St. Louis Cardinal's home field) and it's a trip
I'll never forget.
Cheryl and Bob Hoffman
| Daughter Melissa, Cheryl, Bob, Daughter Heather and Son Eric |
| Bob in High School |
| Grandpa Hoffman with grandsons Jake and Charlie celebrating the big 6-0 |