Bruce McCorkle
If you had the privilege of working alongside your dad when you were a youngster, repairing things around the house, doing carpentry and electrical work, fixing cars, and basically doing anything that needed to be done, you have some insight into Bob Clark’s younger years. That partially explains how he was able to rebuild a 1947 Studebaker when he was a teen!
Bob is our new IMGA vice president, the chairman for our upcoming Member/Guest Tournament, and is our IMGA Golfer of the Month for February.
Growing up in Tulsa, Oklahoma, his parents were the most honest people he’s ever known, and he greatly admired them. Bob lived the typical suburban life, hanging around with neighborhood kids, playing baseball as a catcher, and working hard to become a pitcher. Once he decides to do something, he has a dogged determination to “put in the time” required to produce excellence.
Like many kids, his first business endeavor was running a paper route at age 11.
After his newspaper career, it was the grocery business. Going to work at 6 a.m. before school stocking shelves, working produce, checking, and delivering groceries… only to return after school to work another three hours. The starting wage of 25 cents per hour eventually increased to a whopping $1.25 per hour.
His high school calculus teacher Gus Klentos was his most influential teacher. He was very competent and talked “with” you without making you feel inferior.
After a post-high school stint at Oklahoma State, Bob entered the Army, going through basic at Fort Bliss. (Whoever named it “Bliss” had a sense of humor.)
At Fort Eustis for AIT, the Army discovered that he could type 125 words per minute (amazing) and put him to work. Since he controlled the typewriter, he decided to type up orders for OCS which his company commander signed in a stack of papers (clever). After his commission, the Army decided that his administrative skills needed to be put to use, so he remained at Fort Sill as a personnel officer until his honorable discharge.
He then moved to Tulsa for a marketing education and worked in the pharmaceutical industry. His knack for recognizing people who had a strong desire to work and were determined to succeed caused him to be promoted into management with the responsibility for half of the United States and supervising 30 people.
He topped off his career representing an eyewear frame manufacturer and driving over 70,000 miles per year… calling Overland Park, Kansas, his home.
His desire to achieve difficult things has been severely tested since having back surgery in 2012. Being unable to play golf for 7-1/2 years has been a huge mountain to climb with many valleys. Bob started playing golf again in 2018, and you will often see him at the driving range perfecting his swing.
Bob, we appreciate the work you do for IMGA and wish you the best in your determined persistence to be the best you can be!