Born in Minneapolis, MN and raised in western PA and NY State, Rob Hendry has over a decade of retail and wholesale management experience, and an additional 35 years in the Structured Cabling business, in both sales and as a business owner.  After living in 19 states and 32 cities, he is happy to call Memphis, Tennessee his home.

After graduating high school, Rob studied engineering at St. Francis College in Loretto, PA before enlisting in the Army in 1966. While serving his country at Ft. Hood, Rob advanced quickly from the level of “Private E2” to a “Specialist 5,” and he ranked number one on the promotion list for “E6” in Data Processing. In this capacity, he was in charge of a section of 20 men during the last 18 months in the service and was awarded an Army Commendation Medal for his work.

Rob was discharged from the Army in 1969 and entered the Florida Institute of Technology, receiving his BS degree in Management Science with a minor in Computer Science in only three years and graduating on the Dean’s List. 

In 1970, two years before he graduated from college, Rob was hired as a department manager for Montgomery Ward and ran two departments until he was transferred in 1973 to become Operations Manager at the company’s Jackson, TN location. He thereafter was transferred to their much larger Rocky Mount, NC location to act as Operations Manager.

Rob left Montgomery Ward in 1976 to work for Service Merchandise Co. in Nashville, and was made Assistant Manager at their Memphis location. He went on to serve as Store Manager for Service Merchandise Co. in many cities throughout the country before leaving in the fall of 1979 to work in the electrical wholesale industry.

Rob began his career in electrical wholesale at Westinghouse Electrical Supply Company in Little Rock, Arkansas. In 1980, he transferred to their Memphis location and became Operations Manager. After 1½ years in management, Rob made the switch to where he felt he really belonged – in sales. In 1985, Rob took a new sales position at Tennessee Valley Electric Supply Company and continued his employment there until starting his own business, Datacomm Supply Company, in 1988.

Now known as Datacomm Services Corporation, the company is a structured cabling contractor which installs telephone and data cable in commercial buildings. He was inspired by the words of his father, a retired Senior Vice-President at Westinghouse, who said you need only offer two things to a customer to be a success: service and quality.  Trademarking his father’s motto, “SMTD” (Service Makes the Difference), Datacomm is the #1 ranked Quality and Service Company in Shelby County, Tennessee.

Rob turned Datacomm over to his son in 2009 and now works for him as Senior V.P. of Sales and Marketing.  He dedicates much of his life to his Catholic faith, which he rediscovered in 1992. Since that time, Rob has attended daily mass and spends an hour in the Eucharistic Chapel every day. He is involved, as both participant and instructor, in the Cursillo Movement, a study and support program which reignites members in their Catholic faith and challenges them to remain God-centered in all aspects of life.

Rob has known Jack Craciun III, Chairman/CEO of ITM (China) Ltd. and ITM (US) Ltd., since they attended high school together at St. John Kanty Prep in Erie, PA.   Recognizing that his knowledge of, and dedication to, the Catholic faith falls in line with The First Dragon™ dedication to enrich and empower people’s lives all around the world through education, Rob accepted ITM’s invitation to serve on its Board of Advisors as American Culture  and Business Advisor.  He is excited to be involved in the philanthropic aspect of The First Dragon™ Global Chinese Cross-Cultural Exchange Enterprise and The First Dragon Foundation, Ltd and their potential to create good-will, bridge the gaps between peoples of different cultures and religions, and enhance the human condition, one person at a time around the world.