Bob Boyd attributes much of his success in business to his experiences on the football field. “The principles you learn on the gridiron, whether in school or in pro ball, are the same as those that build the foundation for a successful business enterprise…There is a great lesson in pro sports that transfers to everyday life.”
The oldest of three brothers who grew up on 10th Street in Riverside, Boyd enjoyed the close, diversified community where family was important. His father Willis Boyd was an outstanding athlete and as a small boy, Bob remembers viewing his father’s name on trophies in the display cases at Poly High School. At that time, “Folks worked hard and had values,” he writes. “Integrity was the only policy, all lived by the golden rule and…took care of each other.”
Boyd graduated from Poly in 1945, where he lettered in football, basketball and track. He played football for Riverside City College before transferring to Loyola University, where he excelled in track, boxing, and football, winning the 1950 NCAA National sprint championship title.
After graduating from Loyola with a degree in economics, Boyd signed a contract with the Los Angeles Rams. He played on the 1951 Rams championship football team and was named All-Pro in 1954 and 1955. During his seven-year professional football career, he was considered the fastest split end in the NFL.
Bob Boyd’s athletic success carried over into his business life. He has served as executive vice president of a national motel chain, vice president of Continental Bank in Philadelphia, president of the Freedom National Bank in New York, and retired as the head of Financial Services Organization, a firm he formed after returning to California in 1977. Boyd is presently living in California City, CA.