Bob Cianflone – Cianflone Scientific Instruments Corporation
Robert “Bob” Cianflone was born in Beechview, a small town outside of Pittsburgh, PA. Bob had immigrant parents, who came from Calabria, Italy, and was known as a hard worker who dabbled in electronics. In his early teens he went to work for NASA in Florida tracking satellites. When he returned to Pittsburgh he went to work for Pitchford Scientific, owned by Art Pitchford. Art was very fond of Bob and took him under his wing. This is where he learned x-ray spectography. Bob began in a hard-working general maintenance position and worked is way up to Vice President of Pitchford Scientific, and later, at the PSI Division of Hankison Corporation. In 1984, he purchased the Scientific Instruments Division from Hankison and formed Cianflone Scientific Instruments Corporation.
Bob was very outgoing and had a likable personality. His knack for business which helped him stay on the leading edge in order to be competitive. He employed Representatives and International Distributors to market and sell Cianflone Scientific products worldwide. He was well known for his fairness and treated distributors with utmost respect. Participation in Trade Shows and Events they were always given first class treatment.
In 1994, Bob was appointed by then Governor Robert P. Casey, as a member of the Pennsylvania Export Partnership (PEP) Advisory Board to help promote and sell Pennsylvania business abroad, where he was a member of the Pennsylvania Trade Mission to Beijing, China. In 1995, he helped form the Pennsylvania Industrial Alliance – Steel Technologies Group (China Alliance), which was the first industry-specific coalition to establish an office in a foreign country.
Professionally, he was a member of the Pittsburgh Conference on Analytical Chemistry (Pittcon®) for over 50 years, ASTM International, American Chemical Society, Society of Applied Spectroscopy and The Pittsburgh Technology Council.
