Dick Tobin passes

He was born in Cincinnati, Ohio and grew up in Akron, graduating from Buchtel High School before going to Ohio State University. While at Ohio State, he met Karen Howey, and they married in Columbus on December 26, 1960.

In 1961, He and Karen moved to Miami, with Richard completing an MBA at the University of Miami while working as a graduate teaching assistant.

In 1965, he joined National Airlines as the Director of Planning beginning a career in Economics and Marketing Research. By 1968 he was President and CEO of First Research and later founded Strategy Research Corporation on St. Patrick’s Day in 1971. SRC specialized in the Hispanic Market and forecasting. SRC published biannual comparative economic and population studies for over 30 years. His spirited entrepreneurial drive led him to charter banks, develop auto related businesses and found New Miami Magazine.

Richard was acknowledged and honored for his pioneering recognition and research in the diverse Hispanic markets of the U.S. and Latin America.
His community service efforts include Dade County Planning Advisory Board, Performing Arts Trust, Consultant to the Jewish Federation, Head of the Archbishop’s Charities Drive for two years, a member of the Coral Reef Yacht Club, Matheson Hammock Yacht Club and served as Commodore of Les Cheneaux Yacht Club.

Richard had a great respect for history and cultures around the world. After his retirement he and Karen continued their love of travel and adventure. He was proud of the fact that he had worked in or visited 115 countries.

Most importantly Richard always believed, since early childhood, that his closest friend was God. It is a firm belief that God did not ask him if he were ready to go, because he would have said that he still had a lot of things to accomplish.

In a life punctuated by its successes, perhaps Richard’s greatest success was in his ‘old-school’ devotion to his family and close friends. His gregarious nature and keen mind made him memorable to friends, business associates and strangers alike.

He was preceded in death by his parents Richard and Mildred, sisters Jean Hart and Sheila Walker and brother, Thomas Tobin.

He is survived by the love of his life, his wife of 60 years, Karen, their son Rick (wife Alessandra), son Martin (partner Tassos Pappas), grandson Sean (fiancée Erika Campbell), grandson Patrick, sister Kathy Corbin and nieces Julie Ennis & Tara Corbin.