Rob O'Brian

Rob O’Brian is founder and principal of O’Brian and Associates, LLC, a consultancy in economic, workforce and community development. With more than 35 years in chambers of commerce and economic development, Rob is dedicated to assisting organizations that help their communities thrive including chambers of commerce, economic development entities, local government, education and not-for-profits.

He has led board and committee planning sessions, conducted workforce studies, researched education levels in poverty areas, assessed business park development opportunities and advised fund-raising efforts. Rob has also been a disaster recovery contractor for the U.S. Economic Development Administration and the U.S. Small Business Administration.

Rob was president of the Joplin Area Chamber of Commerce when the community was hit by an EF-5 tornado in 2011; the most devastating and deadly tornado in U.S. in more than fifty years. Rob was one of the many leaders who worked to bring the Joplin community back stronger than before. Some of those efforts included direct assistance to small businesses, the attraction of a major medical school, creation of a downtown arts center and attraction of numerous new firms. The Chamber’s efforts to bring back small businesses were recognized nationally by the U.S. Small Business Administration. Rob has spoken on disaster recovery and preparation to a number of groups from the local to the national level.