Bob Schlegel was raised on a small farm in rural Ontario. Resources were limited, but his loving parents were always quick to share with others in need. Despite at least two near-death experiences as a child, including a broken neck and being mauled by two Great Danes, he proved to be a natural-born entrepreneur at a young age. Although he wasn't a top student, he excelled at mathematics and graduated from Wilfrid Laurier University with a bachelor's degree in economics. He later became a CPA and married his high school sweetheart and registered nurse, Myrna. Together, they launched their first family business, a chain of fifteen high-end senior living centers in Texas. In 1980, Schlegel and a partner launched Pavestone Company, a manufacturer of concrete landscape products, which struggled in the late '80s due to a recession, but rebounded and became the nation's leading supplier of concrete landscaping products for big box and commercial customers. The Schlegels sold both of those businesses for substantial profits and today are involved in a myriad of new enterprises and philanthropic endeavors. Their four entrepreneurial children are also involved in some of those business, as well as their own
