Robert Pinkas

Robert Paul Pinkas, 58, beloved husband, devoted father and caring brother, passed away March 18, 2012 from complications following a double transplant in January. Bob, the first of his family to be born in the United States, was born in Cleveland on November 11, 1953. He is predeceased by his parents, Ludvik and Esther Pinkas, who lived in the former Czechoslovakia and immigrated to Cleveland following World War II. Bob's entrepreneurial spirit was evident early on as his clever reorganization of the local paper route landed him an esteemed scholarship to The Hotchkiss School. Continuing on scholarship, he then attended Harvard University as a George F. Baker Scholar. He rowed lightweight on the Varsity Crew team, walked onto the cross-country team, and received both his AB in Government and AM in Intellectual History in four years. After graduating, he was awarded a scholarship to the University of Pennsylvania Law School where he received his JD before beginning his career as a lawyer at Simpson Thacher & Bartlett in New York, where he worked for two years. Transitioning away from law, Bob moved back to Cleveland with McKinsey & Co. in 1980, and in 1984 founded his own firm, Brantley Partners, above the garage of his home on Brantley Road in Shaker Heights. Focusing on venture capital and private equity investments, Bob built a successful portfolio of business over the following 25 years. He served on dozens of corporate boards nationwide, as well as the boards of The Cleveland Playhouse and Hathaway Brown School, and was a member of the Visiting Committee to the College of Harvard University. Bob had a strong commitment to education, which stemmed from his deep belief in giving back. At Harvard he established a professorship in Engineering and Applied Sciences, as well as a scholarship program for financial aid students. Bob's passions and pride revolved around his family, which was always his priority. Bob lived a full and loving life. He was a devoted husband to Jane and a remarkable father to his five children, Robbie, Callie, Benny, Lissa and Katie. He is also survived by his older brother Morton A. Pierce, and nephews Matthew Silvia and Nicholas. The Pinkas family would like to sincerely acknowledge and thank The Cleveland Clinic's entire kidney and liver teams for their support these past two years, and especially recognize the unconditional guidance they received from Dr. Titte Srinivas. His burial was private, and a memorial service will be held Saturday, April 7, 2012 at 4:00 PM at The Shaker Heights Country Club, 3300 Courtland Blvd, Shaker Heights, OH. For those who wish to honor his memory with a gift, his family would request donations to either the Robert Pinkas Scholarship Fund at Harvard University, c/o Harvard Recording Secretary, 124 Mount Auburn St., Cambridge, MA 02138, or The Cleveland Clinic, 9500 Euclid Avenue Cleveland, OH 44195.


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