Bob Griffin began his career in international development with USAID in Laos in 1966. There his first job was as regional manager for southern Laos of a new joint venture of USAID and the Royal Lao Government called the Agricultural Development Organization. ADO was set up to provide agricultural inputs including tools, machinery, fertilizer and pesticides as well as credit and marketing services to Lao farmers. This work led to an attempt to develop a commercial rice plantation in Laos, a venture that was ultimately unsuccessful. Subsequently, he worked for a UNDP regional project that served UN country projects in regard to management, training and communications issues. After three years, he became an independent consultant working of various types of international development projects but specializing in agricultural and rural development. He continued as an independent consultant contracted by various development agencies for the next thirty-five years, retiring in 2013. Bob studied political science at Oberlin College and completed a master's degree in education at the University of Southern California and an MBA in international business at the City University of New York. He lives with his wife, Normalah, in Honolulu and enjoys spending time with his three adult daughters and three grandchildren.
