DBT40: Bob Downing of Delaware Sports League

Photo by Luigi Ciuffetelli

AGE: 38
TITLE: Founder and CEO
COMPANY: Delaware Sports League
CITY: Wilmington

What the nominator said: “Bob Downing, or “˜Bobby D,’ as he is known to so many of his patrons, has been running the Delaware Sports League since he founded it in 2007. The league is an active part of the greater Delaware community, with more than 7,500 members statewide, and focuses on taking a balanced approach to wellness by simultaneously addressing both the physical and social aspects of interaction. He has also helped to create Tyler’s Camp along with (SummerCollab), a summer camp for low-income youth, named in honor of Salesianum High School student Tyler Ritchie Brown, who died in an automobile accident in March.”

Your biggest break: Mike Gallagher gave me an internship at Aloysius, Butler & Clark some 14 years ago. That gave me the confidence to reach for new things.

Best career advice you ever got: “Don’t wish things were easier, wish you were better.”

– Shawn Madden, Underdog Sports Leagues Seattle, quoting Jim Rohn.

Two words that best describe you: Passionate and optimistic.

If you were in charge of Delaware: I would invest in infrastructure that encourages and enhances an active lifestyle at every age.

In one sentence, define “success.” Success is often achieved by giving volume to the voices of those with whom you share it.