National Inventors Day: Celebrating the work of Bob Schilling

Today is National Inventors Day. A day when we celebrate the work of men and women whose intellect, enthusiasm, resilience, grit, persistence, generosity of spirit and strength of character have improved the way we live. Inventors motivated by a passion to create things that not only make us better off, but whose example make us aware of how one individual, with one idea can change the world. We admire their passion, their discipline, their work ethic, and yes, their courage in the face of ridicule. One only needs to read through the list of famous inventors of the past to see the central relevance of this important day.

We at Infrasite are proud to highlight the folks who inspire us every day as we go about our work. Bob Schilling is one such individual. Bob was an entrepreneur, engineer, and inventor who came up with multiple “industry firsts” with two assigned patents, and a number of co-authored patents. His work for over 50 years spanned executive management, and project leadership in the field of telecommunications.

He was the  CTO and primary inventor at Xebra Enclosures LLC where he designed complex industrial enclosures for fiber optics. He also served as CTO and Product Design lead for Clear View Enclosures Inc. And as President of Comtronics Enclosures Corporation. Bob designed and sold enclosures for customers which  included NYNEX, Bell Atlantic, US West, Delmarva Power, and several independent phone and power providers. 

But perhaps Bob’s most enduring contribution to the pantheon of great inventions, and the reason we celebrate him today, is the invention inspired and named in his honor, Bob’s Box. This invention is the foundation of the work we do at Infrasite. And it is poised to become one of the main drivers for the development of Smart Cities all across America. We celebrate Bob today because our quality of life is enhanced due to the power of his imagination and his spirit of discovery. Today we pay homage to Bob Schilling and all the inventors whose creations  throughout the course of history and the present, have shaped, and continue to shape our lives for the better. Happy Inventors' Day!