Our Founder, Bob Zachok

April 23, 2023

In January of 2022, almost 30 years after creating and guiding Atlantic Internet Technologies, our founder Robert “Bob” Zachok sadly passed away. We are continuing on in honor of his legacy and appreciate your patience as AIT goes through some growing pains while under new leadership for the first time.

About Bob

Bob was born November 2, 1946 in Passaic, New Jersey, to the late Michael and Marie Zachok. He graduated high school in 1964 and joined the Navy. Bob then went on to get his bachelor’s degree at Monmouth University and later his master’s from Rutgers University, where he’d be happy to tell you he had a 4.0 GPA while working full time. He started his career in Bell Labs, working as an engineer, and then created his own company Atlantic Internet Technologies which he operated for almost 30 years.

Bob didn’t like to take on tasks he couldn’t succeed at, and through that mindset became adept at many hobbies from carpentry to auto repair. He excelled at bowling, achieving three 300 games in his career and an 800 series. He always made time for his Tuesday night bowling nights, regardless of births, birthdays, and anniversaries.

He was a wonderful storyteller and brought to life many wonderful characters that delighted both his children and later his grandchildren.

He had a booming laugh that was often reserved for the worst jokes (and especially his own, which would get repeated many more times if he got a favorable reaction) and a competitive streak that led to a ban on board games in the Zachok family home.

After his father’s death, Bob kept the tradition of a Zachok family beach house in Ocean Beach Unit 1 from 1998-2017, leaving after rebuilding from Super Storm Sandy. He moved to Lavallette and fulfilled his Jersey Boy destiny of becoming a snowbird and splitting his time in Delray Beach, Florida.

Bob is survived by his daughters: Elizabeth Zachok (Jonesborough, TN), Julia Zachok (Keyport, NJ), Melissa Zachok-Fierro and her husband Rob Fierro (Highlands, NJ), Catherine Zachok (Holmdel, NJ), and Dawn Zachok (PA), his grandchildren: Aiden Nunez, Teagan Zachok-Ross and Clara Fierro, his brother Matt Zachok and his wife Wendy (Palm Coast, FL), many nieces and nephews, and countless “honorary” children he collected over the years.