# Bob Abboud

> Bob Abboud (Robert G. Abboud) is a nuclear engineer turned energy-storage executive who runs Beacon Power, the company that keeps spinning carbon-fiber flywheels to steady the U.S. power grid. Trained at Purdue and Northwestern, he cut his teeth researching at Argonne National Laboratory and engineering reactors at ComEd before founding RGA Labs, an Illinois engineering firm, and picking up patents in magnetics and superconducting technology. He also spent nearly a decade in local politics as village president of Barrington Hills and ran for U.S. Congress in Illinois's 16th district in 2008.

- **Role:** Chief Executive Officer at Beacon Power, LLC
- **Organizations:** Beacon Power, LLC, RGA Labs, Inc., Village of Barrington Hills, IL, Commonwealth Edison (ComEd), Argonne National Laboratory, United States Navy Reserve
- **From:** Boston, Massachusetts, United States
- **Nationality:** American
- **Education:** Secondary education, Lake Forest Academy, B.S., Nuclear Engineering, Purdue University, M.S., Nuclear Engineering, Northwestern University
- **Known for:** Holds multiple patents in magnetics and superconducting technologies., Authored technical articles on nuclear reactor design and control., Served on committees for the U.S. Department of Energy, including a California Energy Commission committee.

## Career timeline

- **1956** — Born in Boston, Massachusetts; moves to Barrington Hills, Illinois at age four.
- **1981-1983** — Serves in the United States Navy Reserve.
- **1980s** — Researches at Argonne National Laboratory, then works as a nuclear engineer at ComEd.
- **1990s-present** — Founds and leads RGA Labs, Inc., an Illinois engineering firm; earns patents in magnetics and superconducting technologies.
- **2005-2013** — Serves as Village President of Barrington Hills, Illinois.
- **2008** — Runs as the Democratic nominee for Illinois's 16th congressional district, losing to incumbent Donald Manzullo.
- **present** — Serves as Chief Executive Officer of Beacon Power, LLC, a flywheel energy-storage company.

## Achievements

- Holds multiple patents in magnetics and superconducting technologies.
- Authored technical articles on nuclear reactor design and control.
- Served on committees for the U.S. Department of Energy, including a California Energy Commission committee.
- Founded RGA Labs, Inc., an independent engineering firm.
- Elected and served two terms as Village President of Barrington Hills.
- Leads Beacon Power, a company operating grid-scale flywheel frequency-regulation plants.

## Links

- Website: https://beaconpower.com
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bob-abboud-301818b/

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Profile page: https://yespress.io/bob-abboud
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Last updated: 2026-07-02