Sad news reached the PAN news desk this week, Bob Roberts, the owner of stock photo agency RobertStock / ClassicStock, passed away on September 23rd.
Bob’s wife Roberta, who runs the agency, sent us this:
‘H. Armstrong Roberts, III “Bob Roberts”, age 80, a lifelong resident of Philadelphia, died suddenly Saturday, September 23, 2023, with his beloved wife at his side.
He was the grandson of H. Armstrong Roberts, an internationally known photographer and early pioneer in the stock photography industry. His grandfather founded H. Armstrong Roberts, Inc. in 1920, setting up photographic studios and offices at 4203 Locust Street in West Philadelphia. Bob worked for his father at the agency all his life, taking over as owner/operator in 1979 and overseeing its transition to Robertstock/Classicstock, which continues to license its library of over 500,000 images. In this position, Bob oversaw computerization of the workplace, the development of in-house CD-ROM production, a shift to marketing historical and archival shots, the digitization of 60,000 photographs, and the transition to digital distribution. Under his stewardship, the company his grandfather started entered into its 103rd year, operating out of the same studios and offices at 4203 Locust Street.’
Bob served as president and executive board member of the PACA Picture Agency Council / DMLA Digital Media Licensing Association in the 1980s & 1990s. He received a Lifetime Achievement award from the DMLA in 2016.
On August 22, 2021, after 52 years of working together and 20 years as significant partners, Bob married Roberta T. Groves.