Robert W. "Bob" Gore (born April 15, 1937) is an American engineer and scientist, inventor and businessman, who along with his father Bill Gore invented Gore-Tex, a waterproof/breathable fabric made from polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE).
He was born in Salt Lake City, Utah, and attended the University of Delaware. In 1957, while a sophomore at Delaware, he discovered a way to insulate wires and cables with PTFE tape. In 1969, he stretched heated rods of PTFE and created expanded PTFE, which was patented and assigned the Gore-Tex brand name. He completed his graduate studies at the University of Minnesota, earning an M.S. and a Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering.[1]
His father Bill created W. L. Gore & Associates in 1958. Robert was president of the company from 1976 to 2000, and as of 2010[update], he is chairman of the board of directors.[1]