Robert Gessler

Bob is the youngest of four children born to Bruce and Teresa Gessler.  He grew up in the Kensington section of Philadelphia and is a 1981 graduate of Northeast Catholic High School.

Bob has been married to Kathleen Dougherty for the past 19 years.  He and Kathy are life-long Philadelphians and currently reside in Torresdale.  Bob is a State Certified Real Estate Appraiser in the PA, NJ and DE and heads The Gessler Group, a Commercial Real Estate Appraisal and Consulting firm.

Bob is a past president of Division #87, serving for eight years.  During his term as president, Division #87 was recognized by the National Board of the AOH for its numerous charitable endeavors, won three Mayor James J. Tate Parade awards, the 1st AOH Division to win a Philadelphia St. Patrick’s Day Award, founded a junior division at Northeast Catholic High School and purchased and rehabilitated its present home. The division grew for 85 members as the start of his tenure to over 650 when he left.

Bob served ten+ years as President of the Philadelphia County Board and during that time the number of divisions doubled from 8 to 16. Through the hard work and dedication of his fellow officers and members; the County Board was able to become a powerful force for charitable works in the City of Philadelphia. The AOH raised over $500,000 per year for a myriad of causes. In addition, Hibernian men and women have taken leadership roles in Irish, Civic and Charitable organizations and were instrumental in the establishing the Philadelphia Irish Memorial and the visit of the Jeanie Johnston. The strength of the Philadelphia AOH/LAOH was never more evident than in 2000 when over 2,000 Hibernians marched as one in the St. Patrick’s Day Parade and won the 1st of their two Parade awards. The Philadelphia County Board during Bob’s tenure was able to bring a National and State Convention to Philadelphia and host the Philadelphia unveiling of the Irish Immigration Stamp.

Bob has also served the AOH as Pennsylvania State Director, Philadelphia County Board Recording Secretary, Vice President and President. Division #87 as Chairman of the Standing Committee and President. He received the 2008 John F. Kennedy Medal from the National Boards of the AOH and LAOH.

He authored the Hibernian Hunger Project, which through the hard work of numerous Hibernians and donations from AOH/LAOH members, unions, organizations and private individuals has fed over 100,000 people in the Delaware Valley and is now a nation wide initiative for which the Irish Government has recognized the AOH.  He recently formed Blarney Political Action Committee, to provide a voice for the Delaware Valley Irish community. Bob is the founder and Chairman of the Hibernian Community Development Corporation, an organization that rehabilitated houses for Hibernian families and provided educational opportunities to disadvantaged Philadelphians.

He is a member of various civic and Irish organization boards, including spending over twelve years on the board of the Irish Memorial Committee, he is Board Member of the Philadelphia St. Patrick’s Day Observance Committee and a member of the Friendly Sons of St. Patrick.  He is the former Co-chair of The Kevin Donnelly Memorial Scholarship Fund which provided over $75,000 in tuition assistance to Catholic High School Students. Bob previously served on the board of KAN/KARP, a local CDC, The Commodore Barry Center, The Welcome Center for New Pennsylvanians and the Finance Committee for the 1999 and 2001 City Hall Galas. He was recently appointed to a 3 year term on the Commercial, Industrial and Institutional Committee of the Pennsylvania Association of Realtors.

Bob is an honorary citizen of the City of Tralee, County Kerry Ireland and served as one of the local co-chairs for The Jeanie Johnston Millennium Voyages Project.  He was included in the 1999 and 2007 St. Patrick’s Day Parades Ring of Honor. He was Division 87’s Hibernian of the Year. He has served as a co-host for WYBE-TV 35’s annual Irish membership drive.  He has been recognized for his achievements on behalf of the Irish Community by a number of organizations, including The Federation of Irish American Societies of the Delaware Valley, The Philadelphia County Board of the Ladies Ancient Order of Hibernians, Division #87 LAOH, The Emerald Society, Irish Northern Aid, Clan na Gael, The Philadelphia Irish Festival, The Philadelphia Veterans Multi-Service Center, St. Malachy College Belfast, among others.