Bob Shreve was one of the versatile Stanford MBA graduates who, shortly after World War II, did a little bit of everything to build the fledgling SRI Economics Research Division. His specialties included project management, industrial operations research, feasibility studies, transportation economics, staff planning and budgeting, industrial marketing—and rescuing projects in trouble.
For much of this 30-year period, Bob’s organizational assignment was as business manager of the Economics and Management Group. His job included not only group planning, budgeting, and cost controls but teaching staff members how to prepare proposals and project budgets, project staffing, and time management—how to complete projects on time and within budget. He also taught many new program managers how to organize and manage their activities. He interviewed hundreds of prospective staff members, and his instincts were generally correct on who would be a good addition to SRI staff.
During this same time, Bob was frequently called on for project work—rescuing projects in trouble, augmenting professional staff, preparing proposals, negotiating major contracts, and conducting field research. Such assignments took him to the Philippines, Spain, London, the Middle East, Scandinavia, and elsewhere.
Bob’s legacy to SRI was a prime example of quiet leadership, integrity, and reliability in meeting client’s expectations while upholding the high standards of SRI research and fiscal soundness.