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    Honorees  

Notable Classmates

• Richard C. Ward
• Dr. Lewis Pyenson
• John C. Bartlett

Robert H. Ogle

• Toms River High School
• Class of 1965
• Inducted in 1995

Bob graduated from Murray State College in 1969, where he had already begun to receive recognition for his talents. First, he was assisted in attending by a football scholarship and by an ROTC scholarship. During his tenure at college he received additional recognition by becoming Brigade Commander and recognition as a Distinguished ROTC graduate, and, at graduation, he was declared the Outstanding ROTC graduate.

After graduation, Bob fulfilled his ROTC commitment by accepting a Lieutenant's commission in the regular Army in June 1969. He then graduated with distinction from Officer Training School and Ranger School. He was then assigned to the 82nd Airborne Division as platoon leader and executive officer and was awarded the Army Commendation Medal for Outstanding Performance. His next assignment was to the 173rd ABN Brigade in Vietnam, where he was made Commander of the Battalion Reconnaissance Element and Commander of D Company 4503. As a measure of his achievement in carrying out his responsibilities one must note his promotion to the rank of Captain, his distinction in being awarded seven Air Medals, and even more importantly his award of the Vietnamese Cross of Gallantry and two Bronze Stars for Meritorious Service and Valor. Subsequent to this tour of duty in Vietnam, Bob was returned stateside and assigned as Commander of the Combat Support Company, 3rd Brigade ABN, 101st Air Mobile Division, Fort Campbell, Kentucky, While there he was selected for Cross-training in the Armor Advanced Course. His final military assignment was as Aide-de-Camp to Major General P. Power, Project Manager of the Pershing II and Commander of Army Readiness in Region II. For his work in this post Bob received the Meritorious Service Medal. He resigned his commission in 1974.

Bob then began his new career with Johnson and Johnson as Supervisor of Distribution, receiving the SOS Supervisor of the Year Award after only one year on the job. In 1976 he was named Supervisor of Customer Services. Shortly thereafter, he became Manager and was awarded the accolade, Manager of the Year (1976-1977). His next post came as Superintendent of Distribution, and in 1980 he became Superintendent of Manufacturing ESDP. In 1982, he moved to the position of Production Manager ESDP, and shortly after that he was given the responsibilities of Plant Manager of the Personal Products Company of Johnson and Johnson. In 1986, Bob became Director of Manufacturing and member of the Personal Products Company's Board. Bob was appointed to the position he presently holds in 1991 as Director of World-wide Quality Management. He has been called an Agent-for-Change, particularly in regard to organization, structure and effectiveness as well as in the employment of new technology and new operating systems.

In 1969, as an outgrowth of his success at Johnson and Johnson and in recognition of his talents, Bob was named a President's Executive Exchange Fellow, serving as Special Assistant to the United States Trade Representative, Executive Office of the President, Washington, D.C. His assignment areas included Policy Formation, Negotiations, and issues involved in United States competitiveness.

Bob is a frequent speaker on total quality management, benchmarking, and global competitiveness. He has been asked to speak on these issues at both national and international forums in such places as the London Business School, IMD in Lausanne, Switzerland, Duke University, and Michigan State University. He has also spoken at numerous health care forums, again both domestically and internationally.

In setting forth the career of Robert Ogle, one must not neglect his impressive record of public service. He has served on the Board of Directors of the Community-Kimball Health Care System, the Community Medical Center, the New Jersey Hospital Association, the TQM Council for the VHA of New Jersey and Pennsylvania, the United Way of Toms River, and First Option Health Plan, an HMO. He has also been a Steering Committee Member of the Strategic Planning Institute for the Benchmark Council and has served as both Deacon and Elder of the Presbyterian Church of Toms River.

To take a measure of this man we are inducting into the Hall of Fame of the Toms River Schools, we should remember that Robert Ogle's two Bronze Stars were awarded for "Meritorious Service and Valor." And in that phrase we have the perfect characterization of all that he has represented and all that he has achieved.