Author Robert B. Eaton
Robert B. Eaton is alum of Cornell University’s School of Industrial and Labor Relations and owner of BlueFront Academy a management training company specializing in blue collar, front line and middle level manager training and coaching. Bob has performed many management turnarounds and consulted with small businesses, as well as brokering PEO services. He is the former COO of Purchase Area Laundry Service, a healthcare laundry serving over 25 hospitals and nursing homes in four states. His family goes back to the 1780s in Perry County, and his roots are in Southern Illinois. Bob left home in 1977 to go out in the corporate world, which took him and his family to Orlando, FL, twice, Memphis, TN, three times, Birmingham AL, and Montgomery AL transferring all over the South for almost 20 years.
He has sold and performed a range of management and HR related services before starting BlueFront Training. Bob was the COO a health care laundry service returning it to profitability and nearly doubling sales in one year. Bob has grown from a young assistant manager in the food service industry with Morrison’s Cafeterias and Arby’s to an HR director and regional manager for a national automotive services chain Xpert Tune that grew from 2 to 277 stores. He also served as Corporate Division Manager for Roto-Rooter Services Company in Birmingham, AL, and COO of Purchase Area Laundry Service in Metropolis, IL. Bob worked personally for or with the following people during his career: Robby Outlaw, Morrison’s / Marshalls Biscuits, Mobile, AL; O. Mason Hawkins, of Southeastern Asset Management, Tom Flournoy, Xpert Tune, Memphis, TN; Russ Umphenour, Arby’s, Focus Brands Atlanta, GA; Rick Arquilla, Roto Rooter, Cincinnati, OH; and Ron Smith, Service Experts, Nashville, TN.
Bob Eaton writes a business blog, “Inside the Drawer,” at www.checkyourdrawers.com and offers outsourcing services, management consulting and management training seminars through his company BlueFront Academy, at www.bluefrontacademy.com. Bob is married to Charl Lynn Eaton, lives in the Memphis TN. Area and has a Son Robert Eaton Jr.(Rob) and daughter Robin Eaton Casey. Between them he has 14 grandchildren.