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Celebrating 20 Years with Bob Scribner

People like Bob Scribner don’t come around too often. Not only is he an excellent leader, but a cherished member of our community. If he does get the chance to read this, knowing how busy he is, he will probably think it is cheesy and unnecessary, but that’s okay Bob, we appreciate your humbleness. Having spent the last 20 years at G.F. Sprague, Bob Scribner has gone from Salesman to Production Manager, then General Manager, and now Design Manager. While he excelled in every position he held, his favorite was Production Manager. He says that the most joy he gets out of all of these positions is being able to bring all the trades together to complete a project.

Bob’s greatest skill is being a leader. Every craftsman, salesman, and customer can attest to how excellent he is at explaining a situation and providing the best solution. Ask Bob a question and your answer will be direct and to the point! No nonsense. But with that comes a man that truly cares about you and your situation. As tough as he is, he is right 99.99% of the time. And with that, here is a piece of advice from Bob for future leaders at G.F. Sprague, “Count to ten before you open your mouth in a pressure situation and always look for an alternative.”

Bob began working at G.F. Sprague on 9/11 in 2001. I asked him to recall a memory of his first sale. He said, “I had gone to see a customer for my first sale and the woman looked very ill and was on a ventilator. She had three weeks to live. I was in tears. She told me that she was dying and wanted her son to take over her house with a brand new roof. I will always remember how important that moment was.”

In our interview, Bob shared all the fun and exciting memories of working at G.F. Sprague. Including the time when he had to go rescue fellow salesman, Mark Vaccaro, off a roof after his ladder fell in freezing temperatures. Bob said Mark isn’t the only one guilty of this. Other stories include ice blocks and Mark’s head, but I won’t go into detail. All in all, Bob’s favorite memories from work involve helping customers who don’t know what they want and solving the problem in the end.

During our interview, Project Manager Matt D’Agostino walks in and offers a question. He asked, “what has been your greatest motivation that has kept you going for all of these years?” Bob answered, “generally the new guys because I like to teach. I don’t like being the disciplinarian, I prefer to teach.” Not only has Bob been a leader at G.F. Sprague, but a coach for Natick baseball and basketball teams, many of which included his son and Production Coordinator, Bobby Scribner, and Marketing Manager, Joey Fernandes. When asked what he was most proud of in the 20 years of working at G.F. Sprague, it was working at the same company as his son.

After reaching out to members of our community to share a memory of Bob, Vice-President, Jake Sprague’s response stood out.

“What about Bob? Celebrating his 20th year at GF Sprague, Bob Scribner is a mentor, a winner, and a friend. Beloved and trusted by customers and team members alike, he instills a sense of calm mixed with wizardry and just the right hint of rub. Bob excels individually as a top sales performer while also managing the team as a player-coach. This last year has been a tough one for many, however, it is through Bob’s innovation, courage, and collaboration with other key contributors that our sales team has not only survived but thrived. Good on you, keep rockin Bobo!

Favorite Quote: “Keep rockin'”

Favorite “Theory”: You should not eat soup that you can’t see the bottom on.

Favorite Story: At Jerry’s wedding in DR, Bob and I were hanging out at the pool bar. We bought drinks, Bob tried to give me money, I refused, so he threw the money in the water. Score: Bob -143, Jake -2.”

Thank you Bob for being an essential part of G.F. Sprague and spreading your wisdom and kindness to anyone and everyone. We are so lucky to have you and hope you don’t retire anytime soon!