Robert "Bob" Ackley
Davis-Standard, LLC
Inducted 2018
Robert Ackley (1950 – ) was instrumental in leading Davis-Standard, LLC, to become North America’s leading extrusion machinery manufacturer. After graduating from high school, Bob started his career at Davis-Standard as a draftsman. When Bob started, the company had fewer than 75 employees and several million dollars in sales revenue, primarily serving the domestic wire and cable production machinery market.
Bob continued his education by attending evening school and earned a B.S. Degree in Mechanical Engineering from Mitchell College and an MBA from the University of New Haven. This commitment to continued education served Bob well as he advanced through numerous roles at Davis-Standard, including VP of Operations and Engineering Research and Development before being named President in 1983.
When Bob took the helm, Davis-Standard had grown to 300 employees. During his tenure as President, the Company grew to over 1,000 employees and sales in excess of $300 million annually. Under his leadership, the Company embarked on a growth strategy by acquiring multiple companies in the extrusion machinery space. Bob also served in senior management roles for industry associations, as chairman of SPI (now PLASTICS) in 2000 and as a National Plastics Center and Museum board member.