Reading native, Bob Hoffmaster, has spent most of his lifetime dedicated to public service. Born in the Reading Hospital and growing up as one of five children on Church Street in Reading, he experienced a typical childhood in that era.
“I attended Fifth and Spring Elementary, Northwest Junior High, and graduated from Reading High in 1976. I loved sports; football and baseball, playground sports, stock cars, and the Reading Phillies. I played football and baseball in Junior High and football at Reading High School.”
Following high school graduation, Bob contemplated his future. “I wanted to be a cop, but I couldn’t go to college because I took the Vo-tech path in high school. I ended up trying to get a good paying job, and began working as a smelter at Exide, staying there for 38 years. We recycled and recharged batteries, the company’s biggest money maker. I also served as a US Steelworkers Union official. By 1985 we had to work for our rights when they started the lead testing in the United States. The union was there and I had been there since 1976. I became an official around 1989, and I didn’t like the way we were being treated. We had no rights, so we had to show the company who we were.”
Bob’s advocacy as a US Steelworkers official gave him the experience needed to serve as President of the United Labor Council since 2015, a job he accepted after retirement following a heart diagnosis.
Bob also became actively involved in serving his community. “I served as Mayor of Leesport from 1990 to 2016. The Borough started a lot of good things during that time. I ran the ambulance and was President of the Schuylkill Valley Ambulance Association for ten years. I liked the fact that people were volunteering. You are there because you want to be there, but when people start being paid, it doesn’t necessarily mean they like their jobs. As paid staff came on, we could not keep the volunteers. Also, laws for an ambulance call were changing. You had to answer a call in three or four minutes and I lived far away. We had to keep up with the changes. When people call 911, they expect a police officer, an ambulance, and fire department. When it snows, they expect the roads to be plowed, and garbage service needs to be dependable. We kept Leesport moving in the right direction. During the Clinton administration, and until 2016, Northern Berks Police Department gave Leesport 24-hour coverage. We also built the Rachael Troyce Memorial Park and Playground at Leesport Gardens.”
Although his tenure as Mayor of Leesport ended in 2016, Bob continues to volunteer his time and energy. “I work under the Labor Council umbrella for unions in Berks, trying to help anyone in different unions during hard times and strikes. We try to help everyone in Berks. All of the unions in Berks County help to fund the United Labor Council, and everyone is working together. We have 100 volunteers working to coordinate all of the activities. We meet once a month, we serve meals at Opportunity House twice a month, conduct book bag drives, prepare meals for Thanksgiving and Christmas, distribute Christmas gifts, and most recently, organized a flag raising with over 250 people. Local politicians work with us and are always there to help. We take care of our people. Labor unions are here to help the community.”
Not a person to sit on the sidelines, Bob became fully involved with volunteering following his retirement. “When I retired, I was bored, and I did not want to sit at home. I thought, what have I got to lose, so I took on this new responsibility. I’ve been serving for the past ten years, working with all unions in Berks County. I work out of the union hall in Reading. We all pull together and do a lot of great things. Lots of people come to our events.”
In his free time, Bob enjoys spending time with his wife Debbie, his two children Elisha, and Justin, and his five grandchildren, ranging from newborn to college. The family enjoys Philles games, trips to Hershey and Dorney Parks and taking trips to Lincoln, Maine.
“I remember looking out of the window of Northwest Junior High, seeing picket lines at Dana Corporation and wondering what that was about. I learned a lot since that time and now know how important it is to get involved with your community, to help people in your community, and to make your community a better place to live.”
