Okay friends, today we’re talking about a legacy builder — because trust me, there’s money wisdom hiding in stories like this one. 💛
Robert L. Rebori, the man who ran Smith & Loveless — an international manufacturer of engineered water infrastructure systems and equipment — for more than 30 years, passed away on Oct. 7 at his home in Shawnee, Kansas. He was 91.
Now, I know what you’re thinking. Jessie, why are we talking about water infrastructure on a money blog? Because this story is actually a masterclass in ownership, patience, and building wealth that outlives you. And that’s exactly the kind of long-game thinking I want for every woman reading this.
Here’s the deal: Rebori took over as president of Smith & Loveless in 1978, coming from a sister company within the Ecodyne Corporation. And within two years? This man engineered a management buyout and bought the company back into private ownership — for the first time since 1959. That’s not just a business move, that’s someone who understood the value of owning the asset, not just running it. This is why I tell my coaching clients constantly: there’s a huge difference between earning a paycheck and owning something that grows in value while you sleep. Rebori clearly got that decades before it was trendy.
He was one of only six chief executives in the company’s entire 80-year history — and he served longer than any of them. In 2009, he retired and passed leadership and ownership to his son, Frank J. Rebori, who is the current president. Between father and son, the Rebori family has owned, led, and expanded Smith & Loveless for nearly 50 years — more than half of the company’s existence. That’s generational wealth in action, y’all. Not luck. Not a lottery ticket. Decades of consistent ownership and stewardship.
Frank shared a beautiful sentiment about his dad: Bob was a student of history who loved reflecting on past events, but he always advised looking to the future — and it’s with that perspective that the company will keep growing for generations. I love that. You can honor what came before you while still building what comes next. That’s the exact mindset I want you to have with your money: learn from your past money mistakes, but don’t live in them.
Under Rebori’s three decades of leadership, Smith & Loveless expanded significantly through product development, acquisitions, and new offices. The company kept its original focus on manufacturing superior packaged pump stations and grew the market for above-ground pump stations. It later became a market leader in grit removal systems and developed one of the earliest packaged membrane bioreactor treatment systems. Translation: he didn’t chase every shiny thing — he deepened the core business and expanded strategically. Kind of like how I tell clients to nail down their emergency fund and retirement contributions before getting fancy with side investments. Foundation first, expansion second.
And expand he did. Rebori established Smith & Loveless affiliate companies in the United Kingdom and New Zealand, opened divisional operations in suburban Los Angeles, Atlanta, and St. Louis, and launched Bio-Microbics, headed by his son Robert J. Rebori. Further expansions positioned the company in new markets like copper mining, marine shipping vessels, and food processing. His dedication helped the company thrive in markets across virtually every continent. Think about the diversification here — multiple industries, multiple geographies, multiple revenue streams. It’s the same principle behind not keeping every dollar in one basket. Diversification isn’t boring; it’s how fortunes survive.
A little background on the man himself: Rebori graduated from Seton Hall University with bachelor’s degrees in business and history, serving in Army ROTC, and later earned a master’s degree in economics from NYU while serving in the U.S. Army Reserves. Two degrees, military service, and an economics master’s — he invested in himself first. Education, skills, knowledge. That compound interest starts in your own head, friends.
He was also married to his wife Isabel for 64 years before her passing. Sixty-four years. When I talk about building wealth with your person — as a team, with shared vision and patience — this is the kind of partnership I mean.
Here’s what I’d take away from Robert Rebori’s story: own your assets, play the long game, diversify wisely, keep learning, and build something that lasts beyond you. Whether your “company” is your investment portfolio, your side hustle, or your retirement fund, treat it like an empire in the making — because it is.
So here’s my challenge to you this week: pick ONE long-game money move — open that brokerage account, bump your 401(k) contribution, or finally start researching index funds — and
