09/03/2014

In Memoriam: Robert Marshall Mitchell, Jr., 76

[photo – Robert Mitchell, CEO Omni Services, Inc.  pictured with his daughter, Karen Brandvold CFO and Vice President of Omni Services attending the 2013 NAHAD Annual Convention.]

Harvard - Robert Marshall Mitchell Jr., 76, of Harvard MA died Saturday August 30th 2014 at Martha's Vineyard Hospital due to a heart attack.

Born June 1st, 1938 in Boston to Robert and Janet Sawyer Mitchell, he was raised in Wellesley and graduated from (coed) Wellesley High after attending Fessenden and Belmont Hill. From a young age, "Mitch" embodied the entrepreneurial spirit, working as a Fuller Brush salesman and starting up car simonizing and "Hole in One" club businesses as well as the dear-to-his-heart M&M Landscaping Company. He earned his college degree from nearby Babson College where he garnered the college's distinguished "Business Initiative" Award and was instrumental in the founding of the Men's Hockey program. Several of his friendships with his Delta Sigma Pi fraternity brothers would last a lifetime. Upon graduation he joined the B.F. Goodrich Company as a salesman covering the New England region. He would later join the Hope Company and go on to a lifetime career in industrial sales and distribution, culminating with his founding of Omni Services Inc. in Worcester in 1976. As Founder and CEO for nearly 40 years, his company thrives to this day and, aside from his family, Omni Services remained his one true love...his baby.

Omni Services joined NAHAD in 1985 and Mitch was a loyal supporter, attending most annual conventions and continuing to play in the annual golf tournament until recent years. He lent his strong support to the association in very meaningful ways – first by lending the company president, Chuck Connors to provide rigorous board leadership which Chuck continued through the chairs to become NAHAD president. And more recently, his daughter, Karen Brandvold, Omni Services CFO and Vice President, as an active NAHAD Board member and committee chair. As news of his death spread to the NAHAD community, one past president shared this comment, “Bob was always the first to embrace a new technology, using cutting edge technologies to enhance his business.”

Mitch will be remembered for his profound belief in (the good of) people. This belief, combined with his natural optimism and strong "can do" attitude were at the heart of his personal and business success and help explain both his exceptional personal generosity, as well as his penchant for taking risk. In his approach to life, Mitch was an honorary member of the "Go Big or Go Home" club. Half-measures were decidedly not his style. His belief in the power of technology was yet another testimony to his progressive nature, a man who was always looking forward to see "Opportunity" - never backward, and never with regret.

He is survived by his wife of 52 years, Susan; his younger brother Chris and wife Susan; and his two beloved daughters, Karen Brandvold and Sandy Sloan, their husbands Paal and Scott and his four grandchildren Connor, Amalie, Liam and Victoria.

A memorial service will be held Sunday, Sept 7th at 2pm at The International Golf Club in Bolton, MA. Please omit flowers. Instead, those who wish may make memorial gifts to Babson College Men's Hockey Team, c/o Babson College, P.O. Box 57310, 231 Forest St., Babson Park, MA 02457 and/or the American Diabetes Association NE Chapter, 10 Speen St., 2nd Floor, Framingham, MA 01701.