Todd Yarrington
If you have attended the Fourth of July parade put on by Upper Arlington Civic Association at any point over the past few decades, you have probably seen Upper Arlington native Bob Long.
At the front of the Parade every year, there is a group known as the Spirit of ‘76. Consisting of two drummers, a piccolo player and a flag bearer, the group and its duties have been passed down for generations, with the Long family carrying on the tradition since its inception.
Although he retired from his role two years ago, UA native Bob Long continues to be involved locally through professional connections and service organizations as a way to give back to the community he grew up in.
Historical family connections
Bob Long
Born in 1953, Long grew up in Upper Arlington with his parents and older brother, Jim, surrounded by family and the knowledge that their history was intertwined with the community’s history.
His grandfather, Link Murphy, moved to UA in 1928, quickly making an impact. Throughout the 48 years he lived in the community, some of his impact included becoming the first chairman of the first Fourth of July Parade, the first medical director at First Community Village and helping raise money for the Marv Moorehead Memorial Stadium lights.
That service mindset was passed along to Long’s mother and father, especially through their involvement with service groups such as the Upper Arlington Rotary Club, until their unexpected passing due to a plane accident in 1966, when Long was 12 years old.
He and Jim were taken in by family so they could remain in Upper Arlington, where they stayed involved through sports and the Parade, until they graduated from high school in 1971 and 1969, respectively.
Professional impact
After high school, Long went on to study business at Miami University before moving back home to earn a master’s in business administration in 1978 from The Ohio State University.
Right after graduation, he began working for Xerox, and it was during his tenure there that he met his wife, Laurie, and the two married in 1982.
The mid-1980s to 1990s ushered in two new phases of Long’s life: fatherhood and a new career. As he welcomed his three children – Kelly, Andrew and Brendan – into the world, he began following his own father’s footsteps into the world of real estate.
Over the years, he worked with and led several teams and organizations throughout central Ohio, including the Daimler Group Inc, Long & Wilcox, LLC, and Vision1 Real Estate Advisors, where he works today. He also became a member of the Columbus Board of Realtors and Columbus Commercial Industrial & Investment Realtors and earned several awards and achievements in the field.
During his time with Long & Wilcox, LLC, the Central Ohio Building Industry Association named him the Developer of the Year in 2005. One of his biggest projects came a few years later when he helped create the first five-story luxury residential condominium complex in UA, known as Arlington Crossing.
“We were probably the pioneers. It’s not always great to be the pioneer, especially when the downturn hit when we were building it, but we survived,” Long says. “Today, with the community center across the street, it’s like the hottest property to live in. … So what it’s evolved into took some time to kind of get there, but now people understand that, and I’m proud of what we did.”
Although Long says he felt the building may have been ahead of its time, he saw the space as a way to give back to his community in a way that would continue to benefit people for years to come.
“I really wanted to do something in Upper Arlington, and I wanted to do something that I thought would be good for the long-term benefit of the community,” Long says.
Todd Yarrington
Arlington Crossing
Bob Long
Long with family
Leading through service
While his career and family life were taking shape, so was his service work.
In 1988, he joined the Upper Arlington Rotary Club to stay connected with his father and give back to his community.
Throughout his time as a Rotary member and his year as president of the Club, Long has helped countless people both locally – through organizations such as Meals on Wheels and Upper Arlington Special Olympics – and abroad.
Bob Long
Long in Guatemala
One service project that stands out to Long is the Rotary’s ongoing partnership with the Mayan Families non-profit organization in Guatemala. Since the project’s inception in 2011, the Rotary and its members have donated roughly $2.5 million, according to Long, through establishing spaces throughout the community, including schools, daycares, water projects and senior housing.
“It’s been life-changing for the people there, but it’s kind of life-changing for the people in the Club,” Long says. “I’ve been down there four times, and it’s just pretty spectacular what they do.”
With 38 years of service under his belt already, Long has no plans of stopping anytime soon. He hopes to stay involved for as long as he can, keeping the memory of his family’s decades of service alive and growing.
“Part of their DNA, I guess, was to give back,” he says. “It just started with my grandfather, and it’s been passed down. It’s just part of our family.”
Rachel Hanz is the lead editor at CityScene Media Group. Feedback welcome at rhanz@cityscenemediagroup.com.
