Education
Robert Ufer graduated from Ann Arbor High School in 1967. He obtained his undergraduate degree from Yale University (Phi Beta Kappa, Magna Cum Laude, with honors and exceptional distinction in economics) in 1971, and a law degree from Harvard University in 1974.
Practice of Law
Bob joined the Detroit firm of Dickinson, Wright (“DW”) in 1974 and became a partner in 1981, specializing in the representation of closely-held corporations, real estate and commercial litigation. Earlier on, he also practiced sports law and environmental law. In November, 1983, Bob became the first attorney in the history of Dickinson Wright to argue a case before the Supreme Court of the United States. Case No. 82‑960, NLRA v. City Disposal Systems, Inc. In 1984, he left DW with Tony Spaniola to develop his practice in a more entrepreneurial setting. Bob and Tony founded their own firm in 1987, and Bob is still a member of Ufer, Spaniola & Frost, P.C. (the “Firm”).
Professional Hockey
While remaining of counsel to the Firm, Bob left the full-time practice of law in 1994 to become President, CEO and Commissioner of the International Hockey League (“IHL”), which was a “triple A” minor league for professional hockey in the United States and Canada. He served in that capacity until 1998. This experience provided valuable insights into unconventional business structures.
Franchising Businesses
In 2000, Bob joined with two other member owners to form Service Brands International, L.L.C. located in Ann Arbor, Michigan, became an owner in Molly Maid, Inc. Bob served as president of SBI from its inception until early 2009, when he was appointed Co-Chairman. Building on success they experienced with Molly Maid, Inc., SBI developed additional service business, franchise concepts, and provided hundreds of people with the opportunity to realize their dream of owning their own business(es). The SBI family of companies ultimately included Molly Maid, Mr. Handyman International, L.L.C., ProTect Painters International, L.L.C., Certified Restoration DryCleaning Network, L.L.C., Ductz International, L.L.C. and 1-800-DryClean, L.L.C. In 2007, Bob and his SBI partners purchased a 50% ownership interest in PuroSystems, L.L.C., a restoration fire and water cleanup franchise concept.
Over the years, many of these companies were sold. Then, in June, 2015, SBI, Molly Maid, Mr. Handyman and ProTect comprised approximately 750 franchise business territories, and on June 12, 2015, SBI had a liquidity event and sold to a strategic purchaser, which owned other service franchise concepts.
Other Businesses
Software Development Company
Since 2011, Bob has worked with Roger Rupp, the founding owner of The Solutions Group, Inc. (“TSG”), and became an owner, officer and director in 2012. TSG is a Michigan software development company, which creates and owns its own modular systems that can be reconfigured to meet individual customer needs in the variable data printing industry.
Self Storage Facilities in Western Florida
Bob was one of the original owners of Swift Self Storage, LLC, which is a ±78,000 square foot self storage, single story, climate-controlled facility in Bradenton, Florida, with ±900 storage units. The market was sufficiently “hot” that the Bradenton property was sold before the end of its first year of operation. Bob and his partner have a second facility now under construction in Port Charlotte, Florida. Other types of storage facilities in Florida are also under consideration.
Pointe Alarm and Detroit Fire Company
Bob is currently an owner and officer of Pointe Alarm, LLC (www.pointealarm.com), Detroit Fire Company, LLC (www.detroitfireco.com) and Controllor Systems Corporation (www.controllorsecurity.com). These companies provide both commercial and residential customers with state-of-the-art security, video monitoring and fire detection/alarm technologies.
Commercial Real Estate Ventures
Throughout his career Bob has also been personally involved in commercial real estate acquisitions and management in and around Ann Arbor, Michigan. Bob has also been involved in commercial real estate and apartment investments in Arizona, California and Florida.
Charitable
For the past ±10 years, Bob has served on the Advisory Board of Horizons-Upward Bound (HUB), which brings inner-city, high school students to the Cranbrook Schools campus in Bloomfield Hills every other Saturday during the school year, and for six weeks each summer, for college preparatory courses and personal growth.
In 2017, Bob, along with Tim Wilson co-founded Washtenaw Promise (“WP”), a 501(c)(3) Michigan non-profit, community-oriented corporation, focused on preschool education in the Ypsilanti/Willow Run communities principally through volunteer mentors from the University of Michigan, Eastern Michigan University and Concordia University, as well as retirees from surrounding communities. WP has also begun a teacher wellness program to support the emotional health of preschool teachers, and a program to promote preschoolers’ physical fitness, and WP is helping to lead an early childhood literacy cooperative in Washtenaw County. For further details on WP programs and their impact on the community, see the WP website: www.washtenawpromise.org.
In January, 2022, Bob formed Camp Bruin, L.L.C. and funded the purchase of a former Boy Scout camp, consisting of 117 acres of mostly wilderness on Bruin Lake in northwestern Washtenaw County. This Camp and its facilities will be utilized extensively by Washtenaw Promise for youngsters from Ypsilanti/Willow Run, as well as other surrounding communities, to learn in a new educational setting, and experience special connections to the natural world. Activities will include field trips, retreats, team/staff building, and a myriad of other programs, which just keep increasing.
Bob also regularly donates to numerous other charities, including Battier Take Charge Foundation, City Year, and the Family Learning Institute, which help young people recognize and better realize their full potential.