About Robert

Robert Ordway grew up in a small mill town on the fringe of Gary, Indiana. He had a typical blue-collar upbringing, but all that changed when he turned 13 and his dad was diagnosed with ALS. For the next five years, Robert lived in a household without faith or resources to make things easier.

He was the first in his family to graduate from college, but a degree in finance proved of little value going into the Great Recession of 2008. Just a year later, his mother’s lifelong battle with bipolar disorder ended with her suicide, which was one of five suicides in his family.

Robert learned that adversity can come unannounced, and often, we need to prepare to handle those challenges. His worldview has been shaped by lessons from his dad, who stressed the importance of developing personal agency and possessing skin in the game in all aspects of life. 

He aims to help others do the same through speaking, coaching, consulting, writing, and community building. Robert leads by participating in the five pillars of a strong community: education, business/labor, non-profits, government, and faith-based institutions. 

He has more than 15 years of experience in public policy, civil service, and private sector work. In his free time, Robert designs custom clothing, competes in powerlifting, enjoys cycling/bikepacking, and studies the history of Northwest Indiana as it relates to Big Steel, labor unions, race relations, organized crime, prohibition, Christianity, and southern migration.

Robert is writing his first book, Millrat: A Memoir About ALS, Adversity, and the American Dream.

In Millrat, Robert shares his experience as a teenage caretaker of his dad, who battled ALS for five years, all while dealing with his mother’s bipolar disorder and eventual suicide. Combining Robert’s life experiences with his dad’s timeless wisdom, this book shows readers how faith, family, and community are essential to building the personal agency needed to overcome adversity and learn from failure while pursuing the American Dream.