Remembering Dr. Robert W. Deutsch (1924 - 2019)

The Robert W. Deutsch Foundation mourns the loss of our visionary founder, Dr. Robert W. Deutsch, who passed away on March 19, 2019.

Dr. Deutsch created the Foundation in 1991 to provide support for innovative programs in science and technology in Maryland. The foundation reflected his desire to create opportunities for others and “give back” to the public sources of scientific discovery and technological innovation upon which he built his career.  Advancing his vision, we continue to invest in innovative ideas, programs and people, supporting innovations in the arts, education, neighborhood revitalization and social justice as well as science and technology.

Dr. Robert W. Deutsch began his entrepreneurial career in Maryland in 1966 when he founded the General Physics Corporation to serve federal agencies and major U.S. corporations in the nuclear power industry.

Born in Queens and educated in New York City public schools, Bob Deutsch returned from serving in the U.S. Army in Europe during World War II and enrolled in the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, graduating in 1948 with a degree in physics and going on to the University of California at Berkeley, where he received his Ph.D. in nuclear physics in 1953.

By 1980, General Physics had grown into a national leader in training and technical consulting services for nuclear power generation and was expanding its scope ofoperations into Europe, the Middle East and Asia. When Dr. Deutsch left the company in 1988, General Physics reported revenues of $115,000,000 and employed over 1,000 engineers and scientists in the U.S. and abroad.

Just because his work at General Physics was done, “Dr. D,” as he was known to his employees, colleagues and friends, was not ready to retire. After one month, he launched RWD Technologies to pursue a bolder and broader vision of how advanced engineering and technological systems would continue to transform domestic and global industries, from manufacturing to distribution, from financial services to healthcare and beyond.

As RWD Technologies’ Chairman and CEO for the next twenty-one years, Dr. D led the company to achieve $221 million in revenues in 2008 with 1,500 employees worldwide. Dr. D also found time to launch a successful career as a philanthropist, focusing initially on advancing research and education in science and technology in Maryland’s public universities through the Robert W. Deutsch Foundation.

As a CEO, Dr. D always focused on the “end user,” the men and women who would be more productive through the products and services he and his colleagues provided to companies where they worked.

At General Physics and RWD Technologies, he inspired thousands who worked with him, imparting values and standards of leadership that many carry with them today.  

Through his philanthropic generosity, he provided opportunities for hundreds of creative individuals to explore new ideas, become innovators in their fields, and improve the lives of others.  

His generosity and values are at the core of the foundation he created.