Our Legacy
Dr. Bobby Gene CanteRbury (1931 - 2018)
AIMS Founder
Professor – Veteran – Brother – Husband – Father – Grandfather – Friend
Industrious – principled – compassionate
My father. Dad. Dr. Bob.
He’s been called many things during the course of his life including, “larger than life,” “an amazing man of great energy,” “a man of great integrity” and “a great friend and good man.” They’re all true.
My father was originally from Sarepta, Louisiana (LA) and spent his younger years working in a meat market and enjoying his beloved country music. Even during that time, Dad made friends easily, keeping them throughout his lifetime.
During the Korean war, my father enlisted in the Air Force and married my mother, Mary Woodward Canterbury, propelling him on his own unique path forward.
After serving, he returned to Louisiana to enroll in business classes at Northwestern State University (NSU) in Natchitoches.
Eventually, he earned an MS in mathematics and began his teaching career at Cotton Valley High School. Later, he was recruited by the Dean of the Business College at Northeast Louisiana University (NLU) to teach statistics. While teaching at NLU, Dad earned his doctorate and expanded his responsibilities to include teaching computer programming classes among many other things.
Dad wasn’t the kind of man who would sit still for very long.
During his teaching years, he created a small side business, AIMS, that made use of his extensive computer programming knowledge to serve others. However, AIMS quickly grew to become a full time (and more) job. It was at this critical juncture that he decided to leave teaching and dive deeper into growing AIMS, where he ultimately left a permanent mark on the wholesale petroleum industry with his COMPAS jobber accounting system.
My father is remembered fondly, not only by his family but by his friends and employees whom he also considered family. In addition to his good character, hard work, dependability, boundless energy and service to those around him (including AIMS’ clients), he’s remembered for his charismatic personality. His friends and co-workers warmly recall some of his favorite sayings, such as, “Even a blind hog finds an acorn every now and then,” “It’s as easy as eating lettuce,” and “KISS-keep it simple, stupid.” Dad definitely had a way of making an impression on folks.
Outside of work, my dad was a member of Trinity Lutheran Church for 52 years, serving on various committees and as the Executive Director of the congregation.
He was a devoted husband, father, brother, uncle, grandfather, and great-grandfather. Even during his retirement, he was always on the go, whether reading every book in the library, ranking as a duplicate bridge Life Master, or helping start and attend the ROMEO (Retired Old Men Eating Out) Club.
It’s probably clear by now that my father was indefatigable. He was the quintessential, “mover and shaker.” Though, despite this, he always put family first. Throughout my childhood, I remember Dad always making time to attend my baseball games.
Though this meant the world to me while growing up, my favorite memories with him were the eight years I worked with him and my mom, side-by-side at AIMS. I realize now how rare such great experiences are among family businesses. (Who hasn’t heard some real “horror stories,” right?) However, the truth remains that while working together at AIMS, we worked hard while enjoying each other’s company. It was a real win-win situation.
Looking back, I’m grateful to my father for modeling high integrity, a hard work ethic, and what it means to focus on serving both our clients and our communities. I learned a lot. Also, he was quick to share his pride in me and my accomplishments which helped fuel my own desires for excellence and achievement.
Though he is sorely missed, he left behind a powerful legacy for everyone he touched. I’m amazed by how what he left behind continues to inspire all of us to accomplish greater feats and to serve each other even more.
Our Commitment to You
On a personal note, my father’s legacy still guides and shapes me in everything I do. I believe that family is important, that spending time and enjoying time with our loved ones is paramount. I also believe that finding a family-like connection with others is foundational to a happy and successful life. At the end of the day, that’s what my dad brought to his family at home and at AIMS. It’s also what we continue to strive for and live by at AIMS.
A huge part of our mission is inviting you to let us help solve your accounting needs and welcoming you to join our AIMS family. Yes, life, at times, throws us barrels of monkeys (especially when it comes to managing finances and accounting for the wholesale petroleum distribution industry). Unfortunately, we can’t change that. But what we can do, what we’re good at, is giving you a strong foundation on which to stand and solid support to get those difficult monkeys to stay in the barrel with skill, ease, and grace.
We look forward to you becoming a part of our family soon.
Robert Canterbury
President & CEO
AIMS