29 Sep Congratulations to our 2023 Hearts and Hands Gala honoree, Bob Ward!

“I’m so grateful to have been invited into the Atlanta Ronald McDonald House and to be able to continue to serve and to help families,” Bob Ward says.

Bob is a Senior Vice President, Principal at Colliers International and first became involved with Atlanta RMHC in 1994 when his colleague, Bob Allen, enlisted him for a real estate project that involved rezoning of the original Atlanta Ronald McDonald House on Peachtree Dunwoody Road.

During the project, our mission and families inspired Bob to give back. On the Young Council of Realtors, he organized several golf tournaments benefitting Atlanta RMHC.

In 1997, Bob joined our Board of Directors. Since then, he has served as chair of the board and on many committees including the committee for our new Ronald McDonald House on North Druid Hills Road.

Under Bob’s leadership as chair, he led the capital campaign in 2008 to build our Ronald McDonald House near Egleston, a $15.7 million LEED certified 50-bedroom facility, featuring a transplant wing to serve children who have received heart, liver, kidney and bone marrow transplants.

In 2015, Bob also helped to lead the fundraising efforts for our Ronald McDonald House near Scottish Rite, an $18.5 million 31-bedroom LEED Silver certified facility, featuring an ADA accessible three-story tree house.

He has a heart for giving and started a personal fundraiser for Atlanta RMHC in 2018, Rockin’ the House. Since then, Bob and the Red Shoe Society have partnered to raise $171,820.48 through the annual event. It is always such a fun time watching Bob play guitar in the band and rocking the night away.

Bob loves to volunteer at our Houses and has fond memories of connecting with our families and serving them dinner alongside Bob Allen.

“I wanted to give them a little respite,” Bob says. “Many families were from South Georgia like me, so we talked about high school football. Those moments really grabbed my heartstrings — breaking bread with the families and listening to their stories.”