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At age 45, Bob Burns is pretty much set for life. Living in North Kingstown, R.I., the 1976 Charleroi Area High School graduate owns one company and is a 50 percent partner in another. He owns RLB Marketing Ltd., a firm that has for seven years served French Canadian companies that conduct business in New England. Burns co-owns Plante International, which manufactures and distributes children's Gummi-type vitamins. "I started out representing the company's owner in New England and ended up getting a share of the company," Burns said. Burns left the Valley in 1982 because he was unhappy with job prospects. "It was either work in the steel mills or find something better," he said. "I had worked in the mills for a couple of years and had been laid off a lot. There just weren't any jobs at the time." He moved to Connecticut, where his sister was living. "I've been all over New England, but I've been living in Rhode Island for about 16 years now," he said. While in Rhode Island, Burns met and married his wife, Barbara. They have two children, Brandon, 15, and Baylee, 11. Burns was a well-known athlete during his days at Charleroi Area. He was an all-state football player who received a scholarship to Indiana State University of Terre Haute, Ind. His brother, Scott Burns, still lives in Charleroi, and all of his aunts and uncles live in the area. He credits his success in business to the close proximity of Canada to New England. "There are about 34 million people living in Canada, and in New York and Boston, alone, about 34 million people living," he said. Burns said it is a natural fit for small Canadian businesses to target New England. "I serve as their marketing arm," he said of the Canadian firms. He recalled how he decided to leave college - giving up a full scholarship - and then how difficult it became 20 years ago to make a go of it in southwestern Pennsylvania's mills. However, with that in mind, Burns said he is not surprised by his life's path. "I was always an entrepreneur, even when I was young," he said. "I was always cutting grass, washing cars or shoveling snow for people. I used to sell newspapers on the street corner, and I had a Valley Independent paper route, too." He paused for a moment and then said, "Back then, I was trying to make money. That's what I do today." Jeff Oliver can be reached at joliver@tribweb.com or (724)684-2666. | John Woodward, '77 | Andrea Todora, '74 | James R. Moon, '73 | David Mudrick & Cindy Colvin, '74 | George Braunegg, '75 | Bob Burns, '76 | Bill Woytovich, '73 | Michael 'Reed' Popovich, '74 | Karen A. Theys, '74 | Keith Spear, '74 | Vicki DuJordan, '71 | Leslie Kibler, '77 | Valerie Marraccini, '76 & Dennis J. Stitch, '78 | Janey Potts, '75 | Joseph R. Scaccia, '75 | Cheryl Deep, '74 | Mark Mascara, '74 | Jeff Kossol, '71 | Philip J. Kellman, '72 | Sheri Monack, '75 | | TEACHERS/STAFF | THE 40's and PRIOR | THE 50's | THE 60's | THE 70's | THE 80's | THE 90's | THE NEW MILLENNIUM! | | Return Home | 'Contact Us'... Submit Profile & UPDATES | Class Directory | Reunions (Includes Possible ALL 60's Reunion) | Where Are They Now? / Where They Were | Photo Gallery | TOWN TALK | Sports! | SCHOLASTICS | |
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