Robert Allyn Kierlin (pronounced KER-lin), the youngest of five children, was born on June 1, 1939, in Winona. His father, ...

Bob Kierlin built Fastenal into a billion-dollar industry leader. His true legacy isn’t just Fastenal’s growth — it’s the culture and leaders he nurtured along the way.

Fastenal co-founder and former CEO Bob Kierlin, shown in 2013, and his wife, Mary Burrichter, donated the initial art and funding to create the Minnesota Marine Art Museum in Winona.

Throughout his life, Bob Kierlin made a long-lasting impact on his hometown of Winona. “He's an icon in this community. The only people bigger were Chief Wapasha, William Windom, J.R. Watkins ...

WINONA, Minn. — Throughout his life, Bob Kierlin made a long-lasting impact on his hometown of Winona. "He's an icon in this community. The only people bigger were Chief Wapasha, William Windom ...

Bob Kierlin was more than a successful businessman and dedicated public servant — he was a man who put people first. Whether in his hometown of Winona, or across the world in communities facing ...

Bob Kierlin’s frugality was legendary — he bought suits secondhand, never drove a fancy car, and even built his own basement wine cabinet one weekend, though he could have certainly afforded ...

Fastenal founder Bob Kierlin is pictured in February 2018. Chuck Miller, River Valley Media Group file photo Kierlin, the founder of Fastenal, died this week.

Bob Kierlin, Frugal CEO Who Wore Secondhand Suits, Dies at 85 Co-founder of hardware distributor Fastenal kept his salary low and stayed in cheap motels on business trips, but donated generously ...

Bob Kierlin built Fastenal into a Fortune 500 company and helped build its home city of Winona, as well. Nationally, he had a reputation for thriftiness, often appearing on the Business Journal's ...

Steve Slaggie, Bob Kierlin, Cotter President Judith Schaefer and Mike Gostomski walk out of Cotter’s new Centennial Gymnasium after the Founder’s Day celebration in 2015.