Background
Gemmer, H. Robert was born on April 4, 1923 in Indianapolis, Indiana, United States. Son of Hiram Conrad and Edith May (Miller) Gemmer.
Gemmer, H. Robert was born on April 4, 1923 in Indianapolis, Indiana, United States. Son of Hiram Conrad and Edith May (Miller) Gemmer.
Bachelor of Science, Indiana University, 1944. Bachelor's Degree, University Chicago, 1947. Postgrad, Christian Theological Seminary, 1950.
Master of Arts, Western Reserve University, 1960.
Ordained to ministry Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), 1947. Assistant minister, director youth activities First Friends Church, Indianapolis, 1948-1949. Pastor First Church of Brethren, Cleveland, 1951-1955, interim co-pastor, 1978-1979.
Assistant to director student activities and guidance Fenn College (now Cleveland State University), 1955-1956, acting director student activities, 1956-1957.
Director social welfare department Cleveland Area Church Federation, 1957-1963. Representative.local councils of churches World Migration Conference World Council Churches, Leysin, Switzerland, 1960.
Executive director at Council Churches Mohawk Valley Area, Utica, New York, 1963-1967, Council Churches Greater Saint St. Petersburg (Florida), 1967-1970. Sales representative Wholesale Tours International New York, 1972-1977, Ednl.
Opportunities, Incorporated., 1977-1982.
Director Dean Mohr Plaza Apartments, Incorporated., Saint St. Petersburg, 1976-1981, secretary, 1979-1981. Dean Baptist Disciples Brethren School Christian Living, Cleveland, 1954, 55. Member of advisory committee Station WLCY-television, 1968-1974, commentator, 1967-1970, correspondent at World Council Churches Assembly, Nairobi, 1975.
Board of directors Ludlow Community Association, 1956-1963.
Member of national council Fellowship of Reconciliation, 1955-1965. Member board social welfare and department educational development National Council Churches, 1961-1967.
Secretary Downtown Neighborhood Center, Goodrich House Board, Cleveland, 1962-1963. Chairman Adirondack-Mohawk Regional Planning Commission, 1965-1967, Utica Area Interreligious Commision on Religion and Race, 1964-1966.
President Council Human Rels. of GreaterSt. St. Petersburg, 1968-1980, 1985-1987, 1st vice president 1987, chairman education, 1980;secretary Religions United in Action for Community, 1968-1969, member Executive Committee, 1969-1970, observor Pinellas County (Florida) School Board, 1971-1976.
Member.Minority Rels. Goals Committee, City of Saint St. Petersburg, 1970-1973. Member of advisory committee Pinellas County Charter Commission, 1971-1972.
Chairman Public Health Council, Utica, 1966-1967.
Treasurer Suncoast Progress, 1968, Pinellas Opportunity Council, 1969. Vice president Lakewood Property Owners (now Lakewood Civic) Association, 1972, president, 1974, 75, board directors, 1976-1990, secretary, 1979, president, 1981-1985, vice president, 87. Member National Church Commision on Scouting, 1963-1970.
President hockey club Gemmer Family Christian Foundation, Indianapolis, 1956.
Member of national resolutions committee National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, 1989, education chairman, board directors Saint St. Petersburg branch,1969, treasurer, 1974-1976, Second vice president, 1976-1983, 1st vice president, 1983, education chairman Florida state conference, 1976-1978. Member Shalom Task Force, District of Florida and Prize ring (The), Church of Brethren, 1977-1982, chairman, 1977-1978.
Member United Nations Day Committee, Saint St. Petersburg, 1969-1988. Board directors Tampa Bay chapter United Nations Association United States of America, 1969-1989, 1st vice president, 1980-1982, president, 1982-1986, treasurer Florida division, 1987-1990.
Active numerous other organizations.
Republican candidate Pinellas County School Board, 1968, chairman bi-racial advising committee, 1969-1970, 80-82, 88-90, secretary-treasurer, 1970-1971, alternate, 1971-1975, voting member, 1975, vice-chairman, 1977-1980, 86-88, 90, chairman zoning committee, 1976-1978, 82, vice chairman School Facilities Task Force, 1977-1978, Middle School Task Force, 1983, Stabilization of High Schools Task Force, 1986-1987. Non-partisan candidate Saint St. Petersburg City Council, 1970. Board directors Foundation Religious Studies Indianapolis, 1973, New York Council Churches, 1963-1967, Baptist Children"s Home, Oneida, New York, 1965-1967, Suncoast Goodwill Industries, 1969-1972, National Neighbors, Washington, 1978-1980.
Board directors Urban Development Corporation, Saint St. Petersburg, 1976-1988, secretary, 1979-1988, Pinellas County Latch Key.
Board directors Superior vena cava syndrome toChildren, 1983-1985, Habitat for Humanity, International, Incorporated., 1976-1989, program development and evaluation committee 1976-1986, 1st vice-president and chairman programdevel. and evaluation committee, 1980-1986, chairman recognition committee, 1986-1989, board advisors, 1989, member long range planning committee, 1988, affiliate committee, 1988, national advising committee, 1989, board directors Habitat for Humanity Immokalee affiliate, 1980-1990, board directors Habitat for Humanity Pinellas County affiliate, 1984-1988, site chairman 1984-1988, senior community advisor, 1988, finance committee chairman 1985-1986. Member National Farm Workers Support Committee, 1969.
Delegate World Religious Leaders Conference on General and Nuclear Disarmament, Tokyo, 1981. Executive Board Pinellas Suncoast Urban League, 1976-1980, secretary, 1977-1978.
Democratic precinct commiteeman, 1982.
Candidate Pinellas County School Board, 1982, 86. Helped establish interest-free loan fund for integrated churches through the Board of Church Extension of Disciples of Christ, 1984. Chaplain Pinellas County Democratic Committee, 1982-1987, 88.
Member Lakewood High School Adult Education Committee, 1989.
Board directors South PinellasSr. Citizens Club, 1990; member Antartica Science Exploration Tour, 1991.
Board directors New York Council Churches, 1963—1967. With Baptist Children's Home, Oneida, New York, 1965—1967, Habitat for Humanity, 1976—1989. Member National Farm Workers Support Committee, since 1969.
With Suncoast Goodwill Industries, 1969—1972. Representative candidate Pinellas County School Board, 1968, chairman bi-racial advisory committee, 1969—1970. Board directors Foundation Religious Studies Indianapolis, since 1973.
Member of Acacia.
Married Myrna Jean Flory, June 11, 1949. Children: David Robert, Jean Annalee Gemmer McCutchan.