All of us are guilty, to an extent, of getting lost deep in the weeds of life’s daily challenges, sometimes taking for granted the most meaningful aspects of life before getting jettisoned from the mortal coil. In that vein, the value of a successful life cannot be measured in wins or losses. Just ask Robert Goldberg, a member of the Chicago-based law firm Schoenberg, Finkel, Newman & Rosenberg, and general counsel for the Business Technology Association for the last 40 years.
“The most important things are family, friends and health,” Goldberg said. “If you do not have those, the rest does not really matter.”
Bob Goldberg,
general counsel,
Business Technology Association (BTA)
Backed by 44 years of legal experience, Goldberg’s background was in the Antitrust Division and the Federal Trade Commission, enforcing antitrust laws. In January of 1977, he was asked to attend a meeting of the National Office Machine Dealers Association to ensure strict compliance with antitrust laws was observed. That was the genesis of a relationship with BTA and its dealers that is now extending into its fifth decade, making Goldberg—a 2017 ENX Magazine Difference Maker—one of the most well-known, respected and recognizable figures in the industry.
Goldberg represents a number of trade associations in addition to the BTA, but regardless of representation, one of his keystone objectives is in striving to be fair. “There are two sides to every story,” he observed. “Not all suppliers are wrong or all dealers right. At times, I must advise a dealer that their complaint is not justified. I have been able to build relationships with suppliers and earn their trust. This helps resolve matters.”
He considers business equipment and systems dealers the “best of our country,” hardworking individuals who do all they can to satisfy their customers and support their communities. Goldberg focuses on resolving matters in a business context without resorting to litigation. As dealers find themselves sandwiched between the demands of their suppliers and customers, Goldberg seeks to be their voice, providing fair, equitable and ethical solutions to their issues.
One of Goldberg’s greatest office technology industry mentors was the late A. Gordon Adams, a dealer from San Jose, CA, who was the chairman of the NOMDA Dealer/Manufacturer Relations Committee. “Gordon shared his knowledge of the industry and introduced me to the decision makers,” Goldberg noted. “He taught me to be patient.”
While Goldberg is bound by attorney/client privilege and cannot divulge any details of his representations, his dedication to the BTA and its dealers is rooted in helping both realize their fullest potential. Over the years, Goldberg and the BTA have fostered a more amicable approach to resolutions that has tempered escalation into the legal system.
“There was a time when everyone was ready to litigate,” Goldberg said. “BTA has encouraged business solutions to disputes and that approach has worked.”
Goldberg and his wife, Carol, have been married 47 years. They have three grown sons—an attorney, a cardiologist and a businessman. “The icing on the cake is our granddaughter, Charlotte,” he added. When not providing counsel, Goldberg can be found at the practice range, hitting a bucket of golf balls.
