Robert Kays

Waynesville, Robert L. "Bob" Kays, age 79, passed away on Tuesday, November 2, 2010 at Haywood Regional Medical Center. He was the only son of Florine and C. Lisle Kays of Covington and Park Hills, KY. A native of Northern Kentucky, Bob was born November 12, 1930. He graduated from the University of Kentucky, where he was a member of Sigma Chi Fraternity. His education included completing advanced management courses at the Universities of Colorado and Georgia. He is survived by his wife and long term business partner, Betsy and three children; Kimberly Basile and her husband, Robert, Kelly Langston and her husband, David and Thomas L. Kays, five grandchildren, Meghan and Brendan McCarthy, Mica Gilleland, Rebecca Vanner and Nicole Kays and one great grandson, M.J. Gilleland. Bob was a jet-qualified pilot in the U.S. Air Force in the mid-50s. Upon his Honorable Discharge from the service, he returned to Northern Kentucky and became president of Kays Laundry & Cleaning, a family-owned business in Covington. In 1962, at the age of 32, Bob was elected the youngest president in the history of the Covington-Denton-Boone Chamber of Commerce. Taking a leave of absence from his business, he continued on with the Chamber as Executive Vice President for three more years. Bob had a passion for helping communities reach their full potential and for championing causes that benefited the cities and region he served. He was well-known for conducting community development rallies with as many as 1, 000 citizens participating. Having distinguished himself as a "turnaround specialist" in chamber of commerce management, Bob accepted challenging assignments in Cheyenne, WY, Daytona Beach and Fort Lauderdale, FL, plus Breckenridge and Grand Junction, CO. Under his leadership, these chambers launched major economic development/community improvement programs, resulting in numerous personal and organization awards - including the George Washington Freedoms Foundation Award for "Outstanding Achievement in Bringing about a Better Understanding of the American Way of Life." While president/ceo of the Fort Lauderdale Chamber, he served in a dual capacity as Executive Director of the National Alliance of Businessmen in South Florida. As a professional chamber of commerce executive for many years, Bob served as president of the Wyoming Chamber of Commerce Executives, Vice president of the Florida Chamber of Commerce Executive and was recognized as a key business leader in the state by the Kentucky Chamber of Commerce. Kentucky's Governor commissioned Bob a Kentucky Colonel. Following his chamber career, Bob became highly regarded in the publishing world, having published magazines and other publications in Florida, California, Colorado and North Carolina. He retired in 2007 as publisher of Builder/Architect Magazine in Western North Carolina since 1995. During this period, the magazine was voted "Best in the Mountains" and "Best in North Carolina." He personally interviewed high-profile golf legends for the magazine such as: Arnold Palmer, Gary Player and Jack Nicklaus. As accomplished golfer during his prime, Bob's office was lined with club championship trophies, regional tournament awards and four hole-in-one mementos. He played competitive golf with some of the nation's top-ranked amateurs, several of which later joined the PGA Tour. His favorite courses were Pebble Beach Links and Torrey Pines, where he was a member of the Men's Club. Bob had a wry sense of humor and often joked that he looked forward to playing that famous golf course in the sky-where the weather was always perfect, and there weren't any hazards, monthly dues or initiation fees, except one had to qualify in order to join the club. That's Bob on the first tee now, along with Bobby Jones, Sam Snead and Ben Hogan. Let the game begin- and may it never end! A Celebration of Life Service will be held at 3:00 p.m. on Friday, November 5, 2010 in the Waynesville Chapel of Wells Funeral Home. The family will receive friends immediately following the service at the funeral home. Military Services will be conducted by VFW Post 5202 and American Legion 47.

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