Robert Shillman

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Robert J. Shillman (born April 6, 1946) is founder and a current trustee of the Shillman Foundation. He is also a board member of the [[

The Shillman Foundation is a major donor to Friends of the Israel Defense Forces, the US body that sends funds to the Israeli Association for the Wellbeing of Israel's Soldiers.

Positions

Shilman is:

  • founder, chairman and chief culture officer of the Cognex Corporation (market value of $4 billion) [1] which describes itself as:
'the world’s leading provider of vision systems, vision software, vision sensors and surface inspection systems used in manufacturing automation. Cognex is also a leader in industrial ID readers.' [2]
'FrontPage Magazine, the Center’s online journal of news and political commentary has 1.5 million visitors and over 870,000 unique visitors a month (65 million hits) and is linked to over 2000 other websites. The magazine’s coverage of and commentary about events has been greatly augmented over the last two years by the presence of four Shillman Fellows in Journalism underwritten by board member Dr Robert Shillman. FrontPage has recently added a blog called “The Point,” run by Shillman Fellow Daniel Greenfield, which has tripled web traffic.' [7] He was amongst fifty American Jewish leaders invited to join then President George W. Bush's special delegation to Israel's 60th anniversary celebrations in May 2008. [8]
FDD's annual Washington Forum brings together diplomats, intelligence and military experts, policymakers, media and stakeholders for expert panels, debates, and discussions.

That year's forum was titled 'Countering the Iranian Threat'.[10] Other figures on the committee, who like Shillman, have been closely involved with the FIDF include Bernard Marcus (the chair of the committee) and Larry J. Hochberg. [10]

  • Shillman was again a member of the Host Committee in 2011 and 2012.[11] [12]

Funding

Shillman has funded four fellowships for journalists who have have worked on the FrontPage, which is the David Horowitz Freedom Center’s online journal for news and political commentary. He has refused to comment on whether helped pay for the Texas prophet Mohammed cartoon contest in Texas in 2015.

Shillman is an emeritus trustee at the Northeastern University in Boston and has given it substantial amounts of money, including USD $3 million for a classroom building that was then named after him.

He has in the past withdrawn support from organisations whose behavior he disagrees with. In 2002, he pulled funding from WBUR, a National Public Radio station in Boston, for what he perceived as anti-Israel sentiment. [1]

Views

On Islam

Shilman declared himself a big supporter of the Prophet Mohammad cartoon contest in Texas that was attacked by two gunmen in May 2015. Although he does not claim to be anti-Muslim, he said the shooting 'was a terrorist attack on the American way of life'.

In a telephone interview with Reuters, Shillman said America’s free speech is under threat. He added that violent attacks on events like the Prophet Mohammad cartoon contest are making people fearful and prone to self-censorship.[1]


Notes

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 Tim McLaughlin and Mark Hosenball, Meet Robert Shillman, the Tech Mogul Who Funds Pamela Geller's Anti-Islam Push, Forward, May 9, 2015. Accessed 12 October 2016.
  2. Cognex Website Cognex Corporate Overview. Accessed 17 February 2015.
  3. Northeastern University Website of Trustees Northeastern Board of Trustees. Accessed 17 February 2015.
  4. Macarena Munoz, 'Cognex CEO leads community giving by example', Boston Business Journal,1 December 2006, accessed 4 February 2015
  5. Jewish Foundation for the Righteous Website Our Staff. Accessed 17 February 2015.
  6. David Horowitz Freedom Center Website About David Horowitz Freedom Center. Accessed 17 February 2015.
  7. FrontPage Magazine Website About David Horowitz Freedom Center. Accessed 17 February 2015.
  8. Eli Lake, 'Bush Visit May Boost Olmert', New York Sun,13 May 2008, accessed 4 February 2015
  9. Russell Berrie Nanotechnology Institute Faculty. Accessed 17 February 2015.
  10. 10.0 10.1 FDD Website Washington Forum 2010: Countering the Iranian Threat. Accessed 4 March 2015.
  11. FDD Website Washington Forum 2011. Accessed 4 March 2015.
  12. FDD Website Washington Forum 2012. Accessed 4 March 2015.