Bob Fisch

Retailing innovator Bob Fisch has built a landmark career on bedrock beliefs that sets him apart from cookie-cutter executives. Bob is your truth-telling CEO next door. He easily relates to all kinds of people, who gravitate to him for his down-to-earth Tribal Knowledge on how to "Get a Life" (one of his two motivational titles published by Forbes Books). Working especially well with younger generations, Bob’s mantra is “I teach them business. They teach me life.” In the role he relishes as Disruptor-in-Chief, Bob brought retailer rue21 from the brink of extinction to a $1 billion valuation on the strength of his creating a 1,200-store national chain, making it America's largest specialty retailer (in store count) at the time. Now, Bob’s turned his Midas touch to giving back. He has created the Bob Fisch Graduate Student Award Program for the Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT), the world-renowned college where he both mentors and incentivizes students (through scholarships) to exceed their own expectations.