Driven by Community: Robert Nemer’s Quiet Legacy of Giving Back
Some people talk about making a difference. Robert Nemer simply gets to work.
As Dealer Principal and co-founder of Nemer Motor Group, Robert has helped build a successful, family-owned automotive business that has served Upstate New York since 1971. But his most meaningful accomplishments cannot be measured by the number of dealerships opened or vehicles sold. They can be seen in local students arriving at school prepared, patients receiving better care, important community institutions remaining strong and Lake George being protected for future generations.
Robert would never be the person to list everything he has done. In fact, when discussing his community involvement, he has humbly described himself with just three words: “I’m a volunteer.” That humility says a great deal about who he is. For Robert, helping others has never been about recognition. It has always been about recognizing a need and doing something about it.
Supporting Local Students
Robert’s dedication to children and education began long before his career in the automotive industry. Before moving to Upstate New York in 1970, he was an elementary school teacher in Philadelphia. That commitment to helping young people succeed has remained an important part of his life.
One of the clearest examples is the Kids With Packs program, created in partnership with Nemer Ford, The Post-Star and Tri-County United Way. The program provides backpacks filled with essential school supplies to children throughout Warren, Washington and Northern Saratoga counties.
What began as a way to ensure children could start the school year with the supplies they needed has continued to grow. In 2025 alone, Kids With Packs distributed more than 750 fully stocked backpacks to students at 23 schools.
For Robert, it is about more than notebooks, pencils and folders. It is about giving children confidence, removing barriers to learning and helping families know that their community cares about them.
Strengthening Healthcare in Our Region
Robert and the Nemer Family have also devoted significant time and resources to improving healthcare throughout the region.
Their support has benefited organizations including Glens Falls Hospital, Saratoga Hospital, St. Peter’s Hospital and Hudson Headwaters Health Network. Robert’s approach has always been thoughtful and purposeful. He wants to understand where help is needed and how a contribution can create a meaningful, lasting result.
His support has helped fund important resources ranging from neonatal heart-monitoring equipment to facilities serving older adults and comfortable spaces for families near intensive care units. He has also served on the board of Hudson Headwaters Health Network, helping advance access to quality healthcare throughout the North Country.
Preserving the Places That Bring Us Together
Robert has repeatedly stepped forward when important community institutions needed support.
As a founding member of the Adirondack Civic Center Coalition, he helped lead the effort to preserve what is now Harding Mazzotti Arena. That work helped protect a vital gathering place for sports, entertainment and community events while supporting the future of professional hockey in Glens Falls.
Education has remained another priority. Robert currently serves on the SUNY Adirondack Foundation Board of Directors, supporting student success and opportunities for people throughout the region.
Robert and Francine have also supported youth education efforts through The Hyde Collection, along with many other local nonprofit organizations, programs and community events.
A Well-Deserved Honor
In March 2024, the Adirondack Regional Chamber of Commerce presented Robert with the 35th Annual J. Walter Juckett Community Service Award. The honor recognizes individuals who demonstrate extraordinary commitment and hands-on dedication to improving their community.
The award was a fitting recognition of decades spent supporting local children, healthcare, education, environmental protection and the institutions that help make this region special. Yet those who know Robert understand that recognition has never been what motivates him. He helps because he believes it is the right thing to do.
A Legacy Built on Giving Back
For more than five decades, the Nemer name has been part of communities across Upstate New York. Robert has made certain that it represents far more than a name on a dealership sign.
It represents showing up when help is needed. It represents investing in children, supporting families, strengthening healthcare, preserving the environment and protecting the places that bring neighbors together.
Robert Nemer may never tell you all the wonderful things he has done for our community—and that is precisely why his story deserves to be told.
His example reminds us that true community leadership does not require a spotlight. It requires generosity, consistency and a willingness to answer the call.
Robert has answered that call again and again, and our entire community is stronger because of it.
