Meet the Candidate

Narrative:

Early Years

Born November 21, 1961 in Huntington, New York, Robinson moved to Columbus with his parents and his two older siblings in the fall of 1962. David survived spinal meningitis when 12 months old due to the rapid and skilled response of Children’s Hospital medical team. Growing up in Upper Arlington, he attended Covenant Presbyterian Church and was confirmed at age 13. During junior and senior high school (UA, Class of ’80), Robinson wrestled and played lacrosse, and worked as a busboy at a nearby restaurant and as a department manager at the local hardware store.

“I was fortunate to grow up with two loving parents, strong public schools, and a creek-filled woods at the end of my street to play in and discover what nature had to teach. This healthy childhood is the foundation of who I am and I’m extremely grateful for it. I also realize not everyone is given so much at the outset of life, and so I feel a desire to give back—or ‘pay forward’—to the best of my ability. To me, Ohio’s strength is rooted in communities dedicated to providing all of their children with equal and abundant opportunities and we should strive to make this ideal real. I’ll bring this core value to the Ohio House.”

College

Robinson graduated cum laude from The Ohio State University in 1984 with a bachelors degree in Honors Accounting. In addition to coursework, he gained experience as an Accounting Intern for both Lancaster Colony and Deloitte Haskins & Sells, then as a Marketing Intern for the City of Columbus. During college he earned income for living expenses by running a small handyman business, applying skills learned in his work at the hardware store. Robinson joined the Sigma Chi Fraternity as a freshman and was elected chapter president for his senior year.

“College was a time of tremendous personal and professional growth. The positive direction of my adult life was launched at Ohio State, and without this formative experience I could have easily veered off course. And so I think every Ohioan that wants to pursue advanced education should be able to do so, helping them to better pursue their dreams, benefiting us all. I think it was Franklin who said that not educating a person is like leaving silver in the mine. Amen to that.”

Business & The Ride for Reason

Following graduation from OSU, Robinson worked for Columbus-based Management Horizons (later a division of PricewaterhouseCoopers, LLP), serving first as Research Analyst and then, following speech-writing for senior management, Assistant to the President.

“My first boss, Cy Wilson, President of Management Horizons, was extremely talented, and yet was humble and led by example. He treated everyone with respect and a human warmth that was evident to all. He truly cared, even for me, a new-hire fresh out of school. As a result, all of us at MH, from top to bottom, were deeply devoted to the man and were willing, even eager, to go the extra mile for him. I’ll never forget his example.”

In 1988, David was motivated to harness the energy and emotions generated during the long illness and eventual death of his mother at age 60 from Alzheimer’s disease. He sought to turn what had been a painful and frustrating experience for himself and his family into something that would help others on a broader scale. David conceived, organized, and undertook the “Ride for Reason,” a solo cross-country bicycle fundraising and public awareness campaign to battle the disease. The Ride, from Miami to Seattle (total of over 4,500 miles), was coordinated with local Alzheimer’s Association chapters in 25 cities, and resulted in over 125 media events (TV, radio, and print) and over $50,000 in donations. Perhaps the most important lesson from the Ride for Reason experience was this: even the most difficult challenges can be overcome, and the longest of journeys can be fulfilled, as long as you move in the right direction and simply refuse to quit.

“When I began the Ride I had never ridden farther than about 20 miles on my bicycle. So the project was a leap of faith for me. I hoped, and trusted, that good things would happen to help me along the way. And they did. So the Ride was a big lesson for me in the importance of acting on one’s convictions. I also learned that sometimes private pain, creatively focused, can be the fuel for the public good.”

Graduate Studies & Travel

Following the Ride, Robinson earned a Master’s Degree in Theological Studies from The Chicago Theological Seminary (’91). Upon graduation, Robinson accepted an invitation from fellow seminarians (three Taiwanese Presbyterian ministers) to spend a year living in Taiwan, teaching English within Presbyterian Church Communities. Following this year of living abroad, Robinson pursued doctoral studies in Theology and Psychology at Emory University in Atlanta, earning his Ph.D. in 2002. His dissertation, “Conscience and Jung’s Moral Vision,” was published in 2005 by Paulist Press.

“My understanding of the world, and myself, had a growth spurt during the years of graduate studies and living overseas. By studying other ways of thinking and seeing, I came to better know who I am and what I believe. And by living in a foreign land, I came to know and love more fully my own home.”

Return to Business

While still researching and writing his dissertation, Robinson returned to Ohio in order to work in business again. David joined a long-time friend, Steve Meizlish, at Marcy Enterprises, Inc., a local, family-owned manufacturing company that works with polymers and adhesives for the glass and automotive industries. The company is an innovative, export-oriented company, with customers in over twenty countries on six continents, and currently holds three patents (with one pending). Robinson, now Vice President, has had primary responsibility for business development and the functional design and marketing of new products.

While Marcy has experienced sustained growth in recent years, Robinson is aware—through direct testimony of colleagues—that many manufacturing sectors in Ohio are under serious assault. Robinson’s experience at Marcy—especially the building of international sales in a competitive global market—has reinforced his beliefs that innovation and a forward-thinking attitude are necessary in today’s rapidly changing world.

“The business world has taught me much about the competitive nature of life. I personally love the challenge of growing a small business. Risk and reward are always close at hand, and the ability to quickly turn an idea into tangible reality is exciting to me. But I’ve also learned about some of the harsh realities of life—how sometimes circumstances beyond one’s control can have devastating effects on a business and all those that rely upon it for their livelihood. The last year has brought this home to many of us, including many of Ohio’s small businesspersons who are at the front-lines of our economic struggles. And because they embrace change, with all of the risks and rewards that entails, I believe it is Ohio’s entrepreneurs that will lead our state forward out of our current difficulties.”

On a personal level Robinson has experienced economic hardship in a different way, learning what many Ohioans have experienced for themselves in recent years: that a single life event—whether it be illness, end of a marriage, or the loss of a job, business, or home—can push a working family over the financial edge. In 2004, as a result of a health crisis with his former wife, David, an educated, hard-working Ohioan, went from having excellent credit to declaring personal bankruptcy in short order.

“Sometimes a sudden, unexpected life event—illness, end of marriage, loss of job, home, or business—can quickly turn one’s financial house upside down. That’s what happened to me. And I believe this experience, as humbling as it was and is, helps me to understand better what many Ohioans are up against with stagnant salaries and wages, threats of job loss and home foreclosure, and shrunken 401Ks, all in the face of higher medical bills, educational costs, and debt burdens. I believe this experience has made me a better person, perhaps wiser, certainly humbler, and I believe it will make me a better representative.”

Recent Years

Robinson returned to public advocacy in January of 2007 as a Presenter for The Climate Project. Following training in Nashville, he began delivering public, pro bono presentations on the related issues of the clean-energy economy, the science of climate change, and the role of technological/policy solutions. During 2007, Robinson delivered presentations to a diverse mix of organizations and forums in Ohio, including the Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission Sustainability Summit, Mayor Coleman’s Green Team, public signing event of the Central Ohio Green Pact, General Electric Aviation group, not-for-profit organizations, the Cincinnati Zoo, and classes at OSU, Otterbein, and the Methodist Theological School in Ohio. This engagement with the public kindled a fire in David Robinson to devote himself to public policy matters and to act as a catalyst and leader for positive change in our community, state, and nation.

“I was first drawn to energy and environmental issues way back in elementary school when we ‘designed’ model cities. Maybe it’s because my father worked at Battelle on clean energy and process efficiency projects around this time, but I recall thinking in terms of what made sense for the long-term and how do we build a community that’s in harmony with the environment. Back then I didn’t use those terms, of course, but the basic instincts and ideas were there. So this natural inclination of mine led me to the Climate Project training and the public presentations I then delivered. I found this to be immensely satisfying—and also frustrating. I realized that education alone will not change the world, and that’s why I now run for public office in order to help effect direct change.”

Entry in to Electoral Politics

In January of 2008, believing that the incumbent was ineffective in representing the district, Robinson declared his candidacy for U.S. House of Representatives in Ohio’s 12th District. Winning a three-way primary with a majority of the vote, Robinson then entered the general election against a four-term Republican incumbent. The strong volunteer core and grassroots efforts of the campaign enabled Robinson to effectively challenge the incumbent, despite being outspent nearly ten to one. Though losing the general election, the Robinson campaign garnered over 150,000 total votes and won Franklin county by nearly 10,000 votes.

“Seeking public office was a tremendous honor—the greatest of my life—that served to reinforce my belief in the goodness of Ohioans. I learned that a campaign is far more than simply the candidate, but is a passionate group of dedicated citizens who go to extraordinary lengths to fight for what they believe in. And though we did not win the electoral vote this time, I believe the campaign won a different victory through its principled and gritty fight against very difficult odds. No one can take that away from us. And I, though not attaining the office sought, made countless new friends who continue to inspire and encourage me to this day.”