Robert Simpson Kinelski ‘Ski’, 70, of Southern Pines, passed away on February 23, 2019 at St. Joseph of the Pines.
He was born on November 1, 1948 in Buffalo, New York to the late Eugene and Dorothy Kinelski and was raised in Berkley Heights, NJ. Bob received a BA from Grove City College in PA and an MBA Marketing from The Wharton School of Business, University of Pennsylvania. He later became a member of Mensa. Bob proudly served in the United States Army, graduating from the Defense Information Journalism School with honors; serving as a feature writer/photographer – United Nations Command, Seoul, Korea; Ft. Carson, CO; and Ft. Benjamin Harrison, IN. He was awarded the Army Commendation Medal for meritorious service and excellence in journalism.
Bob was a creative, classically trained marketing executive who demonstrated leadership, business and brand-building skills with world-class consumer package goods companies and entrepreneurial environments. He began his marketing career with McNeil Consumer Products Co, a division of Johnson and Johnson, Inc. in Fort Washington, PA managing the wide range of Tylenol products.
He went on to work for Burroughs Wellcome Co in Research Triangle Park, NC, where he created their over-the-counter (OTC) Consumer Marketing Division and directed the development of Neosporin, Sudafed and Actifed. He won the advertising Gold Effie Award for these products three consecutive years in a row. Bob launched the first Bayer analgesic advertising campaign with Glenbrook Laboratories in New York, NY, focusing on reducing incidence of second heart attack via aspirin therapy. He retired from Colgate Palmolive where he led extensive market/consumer analysis for Colgate-Mexico and created a comprehensive line of over-the-counter (OTC) pharmaceutical products leveraging the Colgate equity. After retirement, Bob worked with two technology start-ups before moving to Pinehurst, NC.
After retiring to Pinehurst, Bob focused on philanthropic and personal endeavors. He became a Juror for the Grove City College’s annual Business Plan Competition which resulted in becoming a member of the Board of Directors for Deep Springs International, an exciting start-up which created a unique, holistic business model for bringing safe water to impoverished countries beginning with Haiti. Bob was on the Board of Directors for The Public Education Foundation of Moore County (NC) where he also was head of fundraising and a member of the Grant Review committee.
Bob served as the Moore County Development Leader for the Carolina Ballet Audience Development Committee. Bob also provided pro bono business advice to small businesses and organizations in the county and mentoring to local students and business people.
Bob had many talents and enjoyed several hobbies. Music was a big part of his life. He began playing the piano at the age of 4, he sang barbershop 4-part harmony with the Triangle Men’s Chorus and was a member of the Brownson Memorial Presbyterian Church and Moore County Choral Society.
Bob loved playing golf, especially walking the course which he claimed “was the way the game was meant to be played.” He was a member of The Tin Whistles and Pinehurst Country Club in NC, as well as Aspetuck Valley Country Club in CT and Whitford Country Club in PA. He loved wildlife and nature, was a hunter and an avid sporting clays shooter and won various awards throughout his shooting career. He was a collector and lover of antique cars and spent time restoring his ’65 Oldsmobile Starfire convertible which was showcased at the Pinehurst Concours d’Elegance in 2015.
Bob is survived by his wife of 48 years, Charlene Kinelski; two children, Ryan Kinelski and Lauren Kinelski; Sister, Judith Miceli and brother-in-law, Robert Miceli; niece, Jill Bernard and Nephew, Jim Bernard; father and mother-in-law Harry and Charlotte Austin; brother and sister-in-law, Richard and Chris Austin; niece, Jessica Barnes and nephew, Michael Austin; Sonya, Darren, Nick, Zach and Natalie Schroeder; …and an extended family which he loved sharing time with on any occasion.
A celebration of his life will be held on April 6, 2:00 at Brownson Memorial Presbyterian Church, Southern Pines, NC. A special service will be held at a later date at Arlington Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to The Public Education Foundation of Moore County, Inc, P.O. Box 1992, Southern Pines, NC 28388, https://www.ncmcs.org/page/625 or Dementia Alliance of NC, 9131 Anson Way, Suite 206, Raleigh, NC 27615 https://dementianc.org/donate/#memory.
Online condolences may be left at: www.bolesfuneralhome.com
Services are entrusted to Boles Funeral Home of Southern Pines.
