Fazzini, Rob

Making friends to build a community is both the business and civic mission for History Maker Rob Fazzini.

After an international career in banking that spanned Chicago, Rochelle, Amsterdam, Piraeus, and Taipei, Fazzini and his wife Lynne arrived in Bloomington in 1988, opening Busey Bank’s first local office. However, the Fazzinis were no strangers to McLean County. Born in Chicago Heights, Illinois, Rob came to Bloomington to attend Illinois Wesleyan University, graduating with a B.S. in Insurance and Economics. Lynne (Johnson) grew up in Normal and met Rob while attending Illinois Wesleyan University. They married after Rob graduated in June 1962. The couple has three children; two of whom, Tricia and Valerie, live locally.  Rob grew up in a multi-ethnic Chicago neighborhood. His father, Guido, was a foundry worker, living in a flat with multiple family generations, including his Italian immigrant grandmother.

Rob’s goal is always to make connections, not just for business’s sake, but to build a community. With his leadership, multiple local businesses were backed by Busey Bank, including the Shoppes at College Hills, Destihl Restaurant and Brewery, Coffee Hound, Arby’s, Highland Animal Hospital, the Great Display Company, Tornquist Construction, Isaacson Construction, and the Corn Belters and their stadium. “Every time I drive by one of these places I smile,” he said.

Friend and businessman, John Walsh, noted Rob’s sense and commented that Rob, helped rewrite a business proposal that eventually allowed his enterprise to expand. “I will always be grateful for what he did for a business his bank couldn’t service. Eventually we were big enough where we could bank with him.”

John Koch and Anthony Smith, who had been long time managers of the Lucca Grill, wanted to purchase the landmark eatery when the owner at the time, Chuck Williams, announced his plans to retire, but, in their own words, “were in no way financially prepared for it.” The two men were guided by Rob, which allowed them to successfully purchase the Lucca Grill in 2017. Anthony wrote, “Rob was brought in as a business advisor to guide John and me through the financial hurdles and intricacies of buying a Bloomington landmark. Rob proved to be an invaluable source of knowledge and encouragement. Without him, I have no doubt the Lucca Grill would no longer exist.” Rob’s tireless dedication to the Lucca Grill and unwavering support of John and Anthony helped preserve a piece of community history that dates back to 1936.

Rob embraced involvement with community organizations, always with the goal that he would work hard enough “to become the president.” He served as the president for the McLean County Chamber of Commerce, BroMenn Advisory Council, and the McLean County Museum of History. He was elected to the Bloomington City Council representing Ward 8 from 2011-2014, served as a past General Chairman of the McLean County Chamber of Commerce Leadership McLean County program, and in 2009 helped establish the Multicultural Leadership Program where he chaired the advisory council. Both Rob and Lynne have actively volunteered for numerous organizations in the community, including the Humane Society of Central Illinois, and the Normal Theater. He is active with IWU alumni efforts – both he and his brother Dan and multiple cousins are graduates of the university. Rob has always been athletic; from youthful baseball and basketball to tennis competitions. He and his brother, Dan, are currently developing a golf ball innovation that could save players’ time by finding lost golf balls via a Harmonic Radar Method for which a patent was granted in 2024. In golf he has made a hole in one and scored his age as well as winning a Pro-Am tennis tournament. Walking on the Red Carpet in Los Angeles for a Jackie Chan movie was an exciting experience.

As he looks at the next generation, he asks, “How do we continue to make McLean County great?” He encourages people to volunteer not just to build a resume, but to find their passion. “If you do it right, you’ll get more out of it than you put into it.” 

Having returned to Lynne’s hometown and both being IWU Alums, Rob concludes that “McLean County and Bloomington are the best place they have ever lived – this is as good as it gets.”

See video presentation about Rob here