Robert “Bob” Campos: Builder and Champion for South Omaha
Robert “Bob” Campos was born February 5, 1938, in Omaha to Mexican immigrant parents. Raised in South Omaha, he attended Assumption Catholic School and Omaha South High before serving in the U.S. Coast Guard. Skilled in carpentry and construction, he turned that experience into a business legacy.
On January 1, 1977, with just $500 and a pickup truck, Campos founded Campos Construction. The company grew into one of Nebraska’s most successful minority-owned firms, completing projects that ranged from historic presidential homes to the Gerald R. Ford Conservation Center. His entrepreneurial drive, paired with an insistence on quality, made him a respected leader in construction across the state.
Yet Bob’s greatest legacy lies in his community impact. In 2003, seeing a need for safe recreation in South Omaha, he leased land at 33rd and Q Streets and transformed it into soccer fields for neighborhood youth. For a decade, he personally maintained the grounds until the City of Omaha took ownership. Today, the Bob Campos Soccer Complex stands as a living tribute to his vision, giving generations of young people a place to play and belong.
Campos’ community leadership extended to mentoring, scholarships, and civic engagement. He was active in youth development programs such as Grassroots Leadership, and his support helped open doors for countless Latino entrepreneurs and students.
His service and influence earned him many honors: Champion of Small Business (1993), UNO’s Order of the Tower, induction into the South High Alumni Hall of Fame (2001), and Mexico’s prestigious Ohtli Award, making him the first Omahan to receive it.
Bob Campos passed away July 10, 2024, at 86. His life remains a testament to perseverance, generosity, and a belief that building community is the most enduring construction of all.
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