ד''ר בוב שילמן

Dr. Robert J. Shillman is the Founder, President, C.E.O. and Chairman of Cognex Corporation, the world's leading supplier of machine vision systems (computers that can "see").

Since founding Cognex in 1981, Dr. Shillman has gained international recognition not only for the high growth and profitability of Cognex, but also for his unique work hard/play hard management style that includes perks such as a company pinball room, elaborate Halloween parties, and free trips to the seven wonders of the world for long-term employees. The company's outstanding financial performance has earned it repeated recognition from publications such as The Wall Street Journal, Business Week, Forbes, Fortune, Barrons and Industry Week. Dr. Shillman was named Inc. Magazine's High-TechEntrepreneur of the Year in 1990 and has received the Leadership Achievement Award from the Automated Imaging Association in 1992.

Prior to founding Cognex Corporation in 1981, Dr. Shillman held faculty positions at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and at Tufts University in the departments of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science. He holds a B.S.E.E. from Northeastern University, and an M.S.E.E. and a Ph.D. from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Dr. Shillman is a member of the Board of Trustees of the Lahey Clinic, a Member of the Board of Trustees of Northeastern University, a Member of the Board of Trustees of the Combined Jewish Philanthropies, a Member of the Board of Directors of the Friends of the Israel Defense Forces and a Member of the Executive Council of the Inner-City Scholarship Fund founded by Peter Lynch. In addition, Dr. Shillman is a Visiting Professor of International Business at the Graduate School of Asia-Pacific Studies at Waseda University in Japan. In June, 2000, Dr. Shillman received a Doctor of Business Administration degree from Northeastern University (honorary).

Dr. Shillman splits his time between running his business, helping his wife, Mao, to raise his two young boys (Max and Barney), racing cars (to relax!) and various philanthropic causes ranging from supporting a "retirement home" for Gibbons in South Carolina to providing financial aid for inner-city children in Boston. He has made major contributions to Northeastern University that named its major classroom building, Shillman Hall, in his honor, and to Waseda University that named a building that houses its center for entrepreneurship, Shillman Hall, in his honor. He has also pledged $1 Million to the Israel Institute of Technology. He tells everyone that his Ph.D. no longer stands for Doctor of Philosophy, but for Doctor of Philanthropy!