Robert W. Miller, chairman emeritus of Big 5 Sporting Goods, died Thursday at the age of 85, the company said. Miller was part of the founding management team of Big 5 Sporting Goods in 1955. During his more than 50 years with the company, he served as chairman of the board, CEO, president and chairman emeritus as the chain grew from five stores to 370 stores and 8,000 employees in 11 states.


Miller was the father of Steven G. Miller, the company’s current chairman, president, and CEO, and Michael D. Miller, a member of the company’s board of directors.


“Bob Miller helped to instill a company culture of enthusiasm, integrity and commitment that is unique and that I am privileged to have experienced,” said Richard A. Johnson, the company’s executive vice president, who worked with Robert Miller for 38 years, in a statement. “As part of that culture, when you joined the Big 5 team you were made to feel like you were part of a family. Now that family has now grown to over 8,000 employees.”


Thomas J. Schlauch, the company’s senior vice president, buying, who worked with Robert Miller for over 40 years, added, “He was my mentor, my friend and I will miss him.”


There will be no memorial service, in accordance with his wishes.

Donations in his memory can be made to the Mayo Clinic Peripheral Neuropathy Research Fund, Department of Development, Mayo Clinic, 200 First Street SW, Rochester, Minn, 55905.

 

Miller served as chairman emeritus of the board since June 2002. Prior to that, Miller served as chairman from 1992 to 2002 and as CEO from the inception of the company’s holding company structure in 1992 to 2000. Miller had also served as a senior executive officer of Big 5 Corp. for many years, including as president from 1973 to 1992, CEO from 1973 to 2000 and chairman from 1992 to 2002.

 

Big 5 was started in 1955 by Maurie and Harry Liff and Robert Miller. At first, they called the company United Merchandising Corp. and sold World War II surplus, tents, sleeping bags, air mattresses, housewares, hand tools and other items. As sports became more important to  Californians, they changed their focus and eventually changed the name to Big 5 Sporting Goods in 1963.

 

Big 5 was purchased by Thrifty Corp. in 1971, and changed owners again in 1992, when Leonard Green & Partners bought Thrifty. Robert Miller and Steven Miller acquired a majority stake in Big 5 Sporting Goods from Leonard Green in 1997 and eventually took it public in 2002.