Robert Niblock ’84
Bonnie E. Cone Lifetime Achievement Award
For Robert Niblock, public speaking used to be terrifying. It’s an obstacle that he overcame while racking up a lifetime of career and personal achievements.
Robert is a first-generation college student who rose through the ranks at Lowe’s Companies, Inc., the second largest home improvement retailer in the world, to become its chairman, president, and CEO. Robert received his bachelor’s degree in accounting from UNC Charlotte’s Belk College of Business in 1984.
His first job after graduating was as a staff accountant in the Winston-Salem office of what would become Ernst and Young.
In 1993, he joined Lowe’s, holding a multitude of leadership positions, including director of taxation, vice president and treasurer, chief financial officer, senior vice president, and executive vice president before being named CEO in 2005. Robert was CEO and chairman of Lowe’s until 2018 and was the company’s president from 2011 to 2018.
Outside of the boardroom, Robert is committed to leadership and community service. He has supported UNC Charlotte in a variety of ways, including being named the inaugural speaker of the Belk College of Business CEO Speaker Series. Once shy about public speaking, Robert shared his life story with more than 600 students during that talk.
Additionally, his generous gift in 2015 established the Niblock Student Center in the Belk College of Business, which provides academic and career coaching and professional development to business students, many of whom are first-generation college students just like Robert.
“Robert has made a tremendous impact through his leadership and generosity,” said Steven Ott, dean of the Belk College of Business. “He is changing the futures of thousands of UNC Charlotte business students through his commitment to professional development and business education. His support has given new opportunities to the student community, and he is truly an inspiration to our students and our entire college.”
He received the Belk College of Business Distinguished Alumni Award and was recognized as one of 30 AACSB Influential Leaders worldwide in 2016. He was elected to ConocoPhillips’ board of directors in 2010. Since 2014, he has served as chairman of ConocoPhillips’ Human Resources and Compensation Committee and a member of the Committee on Directors’ Affairs. He was a member of the Retail Industry Leaders Association and served on the association’s board of directors.