Ontiveros was born in Moline in 1938, the second of twelve children. He graduated from Moline High School, then immediately enrolled in Moline Community College (now Black Hawk), graduating in 1960. From there he went to the University of Cincinnati. Short of money his last semester, he left school to marry his sweetheart, Blenda Lou Crummer, and return to his Moline home. Mr. Ontiveros has a solid history of dedication to Moline.

 

An active member of both the Illinois and U.S. Hispanic Chambers of Commerce, he founded the Greater Quad Cities Hispanic Chamber of Commerce. Robert is a dedicated board member of the Mississippi Valley Boys & Girls Club, and a Junior Achievement whole school sponsor, which supplies educational materials to classrooms.

 

He’s received a Legacy Award from the U.S. Department of Commerce; Lifetime Achievement Awards from the National Minority Supplier Development Council and the Chicago Minority Business Development Council; has Illinois’ highest honor, the 2013 Order of Lincoln Award; is a member of JA’s Quad Cities Area Business Hall of Fame and the Jeremiah Milbank Society, a national society that honors individuals who give $10,000 or more to the Boys and Girls Clubs.