Robert E. LaRose, a 1966 Elon graduate and former chair of the board of trustees, died Jan. 11. LaRose was a successful entrepreneur from Clifton, Va., who was a loyal and generous Elon supporter and played an important role in the university's development.
LaRose served on Elon’s board of trustees from 1985 to 2006, and was chair from 1997 to 1999. He received an honorary doctorate from Elon at Commencement in 1998, was named Distinguished Alumnus of the Year that same year, and was elected Elon’s first Life Trustee in 2006. He and his wife, Gail, a 1964 Elon alumna, made a gift to name the former LaRose Resources Center in Mooney Building in honor of their parents. The LaRose Digital Theatre in the Ernest A. Koury Sr. Business Center is named in recognition of a $1 million gift to Elon by Robert and Gail LaRose.
Former Elon President Fred Young said LaRose was a great help during his presidency.
“Bob was unusually focused and brought that focus to bear on making Elon a better place,” Young says. “As board chair, he provided me with strong counsel in the management of the university. He presided over the successful transition from my presidency to President Lambert’s presidency, and he was committed to making Elon an extraordinary institution, devoting his time and resources to that purpose. His death is a great loss to Elon and to me personally.”
LaRose graduated from Elon with majors in mathematics and physics and became engaged with computer technology through his first job with the Newport News Shipbuilding and Drydock Company.
LaRose built companies that specialize in software applications and integration services for government and commercial enterprises. He was currently serving as president, CEO and chairman of Agilex Technologies, Inc., a firm based in Chantilly, Va., that provides consulting, software and solutions development and system integration services.
LaRose founded his first company, Advanced Technology, Inc. (ATI), in 1976. The company subsequently grew to more than 2,000 employees as a major contractor to the U.S. Navy and other agencies. LaRose offered ATI’s services to help Elon expand its computer technology capabilities, helping the college create computer labs and obtain a grant from Digital Equipment Corp. to acquire a VAX 8350 computer. ATI was sold in 1988 to Emhart Corporation, a division of Black & Decker.
LaRose then established Integic Corporation to focus on the development of new applications and solutions for government and commercial clients. The company’s innovations included the world’s largest, globally-deployed electronic medical record system, OMB’s electronic official personnel folder (eOPF) application, and the award-winning e.POWER business process management suite. Integic was honored with the Greater Washington Government Contractor (GovCon) Award as the 2004 Midsize Contractor of the Year and the company was also recognized as a “Best Place to Work” by Washingtonian magazine. In 2005, Northrop Grumman acquired Integic to establish its presence in the government healthcare sector. At the time, Integic had a workforce of more than 800 professionals.
LaRose was active in the community. He founded and led the Fairfax County Public Schools Education Foundation, where he was recognized by President Reagan for his efforts, which included helping to establish the Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology. He also founded the Integic Charitable Foundation, which supported causes benefiting women and children. In addition to his board service at Elon, he served as a trustee for James Madison University and the Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children & Women.
A memorial service for Robert LaRose will be held Tuesday, Jan. 19, at 1:30 p.m. in Centreville Methodist Church in Centreville, Virginia.