Bob Sullivan (far left) with Pat Canning, Andy McKenna, and Ellen Costello at United Way of Metro Chicago’s Celebration event in 2018.
Bob Sullivan and Fifth Third colleagues volunteer at the Salvation Army in 2015.
More than 50 years ago, a young banker in South Bend, Indiana, was asked to serve as a United Way loaned executive during the community campaign. Just two months after graduating from the University of Notre Dame, Bob Sullivan accepted the opportunity without realizing it would shape a lifetime of service.
He remembers thinking the title “executive” sounded pretty impressive. That experience marked the beginning of a lifelong relationship with United Way.
Visiting local nonprofits, meeting families, and helping lead workplace campaigns gave Bob an early appreciation for the difference a community can make when people come together. It was a lesson he carried with him throughout his banking career, serving communities in Indiana, Ohio, Kentucky, and eventually Chicago.
For Bob, however, none of those accomplishments happened alone. “If it wasn’t for Linda,” he said, “all the things we’ve been able to accomplish wouldn’t have happened.” His wife was “there every step of the way,” supporting countless community events over the years while giving back through organizations that were important to her as well.
Today, Bob and Linda are among the founding members of United Way of Metro Chicago’s new 1837 Society, recognizing donors who have made a planned gift to support the organization’s and Chicago’s future. Their planned gift builds on more than 50 years of supporting United Way through both their generosity and volunteer leadership.
“To know that 100 years from now the city is flourishing and you played a small part in making that happen,” Bob said. “That’s a wonderful legacy.”
Giving back has long been part of the Sullivan family’s story. Bob’s father chaired United Way campaigns in both South Bend and Newark, New Jersey. His sister, Mary, dedicated more than 40 years to United Way in Louisville, where the organization’s annual volunteer service award now bears her name.
As Bob’s banking career took him across the Midwest, United Way remained a constant.
When Fifth Third Bank brought Bob to Chicago in 2011, he wasn’t sure what to expect. After spending much of his career in smaller cities, Chicago felt intimidating at first. But one of the first people he met was civic leader Andy McKenna, who encouraged him to get involved with United Way of Metro Chicago.
“Chicago was such a warm and welcoming community,” Bob said. “Within six months, I knew as many people in Chicago as I probably knew after years in Cincinnati. There was no greater place I could spend my time and my resources than with United Way,” he said.
As a member of United Way’s Board of Directors, Executive Committee, and Campaign Cabinet Chair, Bob watched the organization sharpen its focus through the Neighborhood Network Initiative, investing alongside residents to create lasting change.
“You can’t really understand it until you go into the neighborhoods and see the work,” Bob said. “When you visit Austin, Little Village, and the other Neighborhood Networks, you see what’s possible when people come together around a shared vision.” Those visits reinforced something Bob believes deeply: “A zip code should not determine your opportunities in life.”
As a career banker, Bob has always believed in return on investment. “I’ve always felt you get the biggest bang for your buck with United Way,” he said. “United Way knows where the needs are greatest. I trust them to put resources where they’ll make the biggest difference.”
That philosophy has shaped Bob and Linda’s giving for decades. Their planned gift is another way Bob and Linda are investing in United Way’s future, helping strengthen neighborhoods and expand opportunities for generations to come.
Bob often shares a story his father used when speaking about philanthropy. Imagine driving through Chicago years from now with your grandchildren. One of them looks out the window and asks, “Grandpa, did you help build this city?” The first instinct is to answer, “Of course not.” Then comes another thought. “Well,” Bob says with a smile, “maybe we did.”
No one transforms a city alone. It takes neighbors, businesses, nonprofits, volunteers, and philanthropists working together over generations.
Through the 1837 Society, Bob and Linda hope their legacy, and the legacies of others, will help build a stronger Chicago for generations to come.
Banner Photo: Bob and Linda Sullivan (Provided)
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