Get to Know Executive Leader, Bob Manion

Vice President of Sales & Marketing, Bob Manion, has been with the company since the very beginning. In fact, Bob is an original owner.

Let’s rewind the clock, shall we?

The first 25 years of Bob’s career were spent in corporate America, primarily in the pump industry. He began in an inside sales role out of Buffalo, NY, which led to various other sales positions, prompting him to relocate to different areas in the South at least four more times over the span of ten years.

As Bob’s life began to settle down, he decided it was time for his career to do the same. He moved back to Western New York, eventually meeting Jeff Gambrill in the executive MBA program at RIT. The two classmates soon became good friends, sharing the same motivation as they were both on the fast track in their respective organizations.

Fast forward 26 years, and Bob took the next step in his career—to lead his own company. He bought Lambert Material Handling in Syracuse, NY. (Spoiler alert) This endeavor marked the beginning of the journey to Adaptec.

In 2008, Jeff and Bob acquired Aloi Materials Handling. Jeff managed Aloi’s day-to-day operations while Bob ran Lambert—until they decided to merge the two companies and dedicate their time and energy exclusively to Aloi. From there, they partnered with Wincove Private Holdings and completed three acquisitions, integrating operations with Automated Cells & Equipment, Mainstream, and Integrated Solutions. Ultimately, the company was rebranded as Adaptec Solutions.

From Bob’s perspective, Adaptec’s value lies in the unique position the company holds. Through strategic acquisitions, and the combination of several strong teams, Adaptec is uniquely positioned to provide a complete solution with a single team—no matter the customer’s needs. From concept design to installation and lifecycle services, Adaptec handles every step with our own team. This allows Adaptec to maintain full control over the quality of products, services, and solutions, which is what truly sets the company apart.

With his extensive experience and leadership, Bob is a valuable asset to Adaptec, driving innovation in the automation and material handling industries. When he’s not mentoring and leading the sales and marketing team, you can find him on the golf course or spending time with his grandkids.