Robert A. Swanson

Robert "Bob" Swanson (1947–1999) was an American venture capitalist who co-founded Genentech in 1976 with Herbert Boyer. Genentech is one of the leading biotechnology companies in the world. He was CEO of Genentech from 1976 to 1990, and chairman from 1990 to 1996.

Swanson graduated from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, where he was a member of the Sigma Chi fraternity. He completed a B.S. degree in Chemistry as well as a master's degree in Management from the MIT Sloan School of Management. Both degrees were conferred in 1970.

He is regarded as an instrumental figure in launching the biotechnology revolution. The authors of the book, 1,000 Years, 1,000 People: Ranking the Men and Women Who Shaped the Millennium ranked Mr. Swanson number 612. Mr. Swanson was inducted into the Junior Achievement U. S. Business Hall of Fame in 2006. He received the 2000 Biotechnology Heritage Award posthumously with Herbert Boyer.

On December 6, 1999, he succumbed to glioblastoma, a type of brain cancer, at the age of 52.

Early life and education Robert S. Swanson was born in Brooklyn, New York, in 1947 to Arthur J. Swanson and Arline Baker Swanson.

According to Swanson, he was taught from an early age that his generation would do better than the last generation of his family. His performance pleased his supervisors, and he and a colleague were chosen to open a San Francisco office for Citicorp Venture Capital.

From here on, Swanson would focus on pursuing his vision of Genentech as a self sustainable biotechnology company, not a contract research operation. Distinguished Entrepreneur of the Year, Recipient 1993 (Awarded by Babson College) Exemplary Leadership in Management Award, Recipient 1997 (Anderson School of Business) National Medal of Technology, Recipient 1999 Biotechnology Heritage Medal, Recipient 2000 (Posthumously Awarded by the Biotechnology Industry Organization and the Chemical Heritage Foundation) Royal Swedish Academy of Engineering Sciences, Appointed Member