About Bob Blackstock

Clear - Capable - Consistent

Business Background

My interests led me to be a Silicon Valley engineer (AMD, one of the leading AI companies), a mergers and acquisition consultant in downtown Los Angeles (KPMG, one of the biggest business consulting firms in the world), a venture capitalist in Santa Barbara (funded by several, very large, international companies), and chief technology officer for a small tech company in the Bay Area that uses my patents in fluid mechanics. My current work is writing C# code to investigate stochastic domain interfaces with possible applications in social as well as hard sciences.

Due to my many years as a wide-ranging business consultant, there is hardly an industry that I haven't worked in in some capacity (eg, semiconductors, entertainment, oil and gas, solar energy, energy storage, electricity distribution, micro grids, consumer electronics, medical, dental, software, farming, ranching, transportation, insurance, real estate, retail, manufacturing, warehousing, transportation, litigation, aerospace, defense, law enforcement, telecommunication, agriculture, food processing, biotech, finance, government). I have worked across the country and internationally.

I have attended several of the annual economic forums put on by the Economic Development Authority of Western Nevada (EDAWN). They provide an in-depth look into local, state, and national economic issues.

In sum, wouldn't you want to have someone with such a diverse and robust business background work for you?

Political Background

I have been active in many aspects of the local Reno community, from government policy to business engagement.

For example, I was a citizen lobbyist during the regular session of the last legislature, going there several times a week to attend committee meetings, talk with fellow lobbyists and journalists, meet with legislators to discuss various bills, and attend floor sessions, including to the very end of Sine Die.

I was a volunteer lobbyist during the last Nevada State legislative session for the Planned Parenthood day, and also for the Sierra Club day.

I was a poll observer, poll worker, and vote count observer for the last two general elections. I reported on my findings during the public comments section of the Washoe County Commission meetings for their required "Canvass of the Vote" sessions.

I have attended several meetings of the Washoe County Commission, Reno City Council, Truckee River Flood Management Authority (TRFMA), Nevada Public Utilities Commission (advocating for lower electricity rates for consumers), Washoe County School Board, Truckee River Water Authority, and Washoe County Library Board of Trustees. I have spoken at several of those meetings and know several of those board members.

I am a Central Committee member of the Washoe Dems, and a member of the platform committee (economics and environmental subcommittees). I often attend meetings of the affiliates (South Washoe Dems, North Washoe Dems, Heart of Reno Dems, the Black Caucus, Women's Caucus, the Hispanic Caucus). I am also a Central Committee member of the Nevada State Democratic Party. I am the chair of the Northern Nevada Huddle (west Reno). In that capacity I have had several candidates speak to our group about their campaigns.

I worked hard in getting playing fields (eg, soccer fields) approved by the TRFMA board (Reno needs 45 more playing fields for a city of its size).

I am a member of the NAACP and have attended several of their annual dinners. I have attended several of the "No Kings" rallies (Reno, Carson City).

Labor Unions

I was a dues-paying member of the labor union at the local Safeway grocery store when I was 16. I've been a strong supporter of unions ever since.

I've attended three of the last four LaborFests here in Reno (a celebration along the Truckee River on Labor Day). I had a wonderful time talking to union members (IBEW, UAW, Culinary, Building Trades, Teamsters).

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Personal Background

I grew up on a large cattle ranch in Oklahoma. Also, we grew wheat, soybeans, and hay, as well as hunted and fished on those five square miles (which was one of the biggest ranches in the area). Yes, we had bird dogs and I loaded my own 12-gauge shotgun shells. I rode horses and drove farm tractors starting at a young age.

I was on the debate team (went to the state championship) and golf team (also went to the state championship). I worked at the local Safeway grocery store, becoming a union member in the process. I studied math (number theory, probability, computer science) under an NSF program at SMU in Dallas, TX, then finished high school in Washington, DC as a page on the US House Floor. I was vice-president of the student council. As one of the graduation exercises I organized, we planted trees on the edge of the east Capitol lawn.

For a summer job in college, I was a roughneck (lead and backup tongs, threw the chain -- I still have all my fingers) on a deep gas drilling rig in western Oklahoma.

I am a FAA licensed pilot (glider, SEL) and certified SCUBA diver. I enjoy hiking, skiing, sailing, and playing Ultimate Frisbee (similar to soccer) several times a week.

I have been very happily married to Lisa for 30 wonderful years. She is originally from Connecticut, has relatives in Reno (a family line that is traceable to more than 100 years in Nevada, the Evasovics, a Basque family), and has had her own business for 20 years in patient advocacy.

I've donated more than 10 gallons of my O- blood. It has been used for premature babies, cancer patients, and trauma victims.

Education

BS, Materials Science (Device Physics) and Engineering, Stanford University

MBA (finance), University of Southern California