Baltimore Beer Legend, Bob Footlick

With the passing of Baltimore Beer Legend, Bob Footlick in 2015, we lost a great friend and colleague.

When describing Bob, people often used words like ‘brilliant,’ ‘visionary’ and ‘innovator.’ And for good reason. Bob drew on his tremendous work ethic, unbounded creativity, and positive attitude to build Bond Distributing Company, Baltimore’s third generation distributor, into an industry leader.

Bond was the first distributor East of the Mississippi to become a shared house, building Bond into one of the most respected wholesalers in the country. For these contributions and many others, Bob was recognized as a MillerCoors Legend in 2008.

Bob knew better than anyone else that Beer was a people business. For more than 50 years, Bob prided himself in knowing his customers personally ~ the restaurant owner, the bartender, the liquor store clerk were all treated with the same respect and courtesy. Of course, his wicked sense of humor and infectious optimism made him the life of any party.

Bob and Ronnie, his wife of 51 years, felt quite strongly that their identity was quite often defined by the Beer Business ~ it was WHO they were charitable, politically and as a contributing member of Baltimore’s corporate community. Bob lent his sought-after talents too many charitable organizations, civic events and any endeavors created to better his adopted home of Baltimore.

With extremely big shoes to fill, Bob’s daughters, Leslie Schaller and Randi Settleman, continue his legacy at Bond as they tackle the new opportunities that welcome the Beer Business of the 21st Century.

Bob’s pride knew no bounds as his girls have taken Bond to yet another level, expanding not only Bond Distributing’s geographic footprint but helping to make Bond’s Craft Division and portfolio the category leader in the land of pleasant living. For that, coming to work every day made Bob eternally grateful and enormously proud.

Though Bob Footlick’s wish was ‘never be famous’ and ‘fly under the radar,’ he would have been beyond honored and quite touched to be named in the inaugural class of the Baltimore Beer Legends Hall of Fame. He is smiling down with a cigar in his mouth toasting all he has seen the Beer Business become in the last five decades. Cheers!