A wrestling champion while at Central and later at Kansas State, Bob Mancuso won many honors, among them the Midwest AAU championship, the Junior National AAU championship, and recognition as the Outstanding US Amateur Collegiate wrestler. He also qualified for the 1956 US Olympic Wrestling tryouts. As a wrestling coach at Bellevue High School, his team won its first state wrestling championship and went on to win every major wrestling championship in the state over a five year period. His career led him to join the coaching staff at UNL, where he guided his wrestlers to their best yet won-loss record (9-2-1) during the 1962 season, and took Nebraska to its first top ten rating in the NCAA wrestling tournament. In 1964, Mr. Mancuso left coaching to found Mid-American Expositions, Inc., which produces and promotes trade shows, festivals and sporting events in Omaha, Lincoln, Kansas City, and Minneapolis, among other sites. Mr. Mancuso was responsible for promoting several sports “firsts” for Omaha including the first major league baseball exhibition game, the first NBA pre-season game, and the first regular season NBA game. Mr. Mancuso has been a well-respected leader in many community organizations, including serving as chairman of the City of Omaha zoning board of appeals, chairman of the Greater Omaha Sports Committee, chairman of the City of Omaha Planning Board, and chairman of the Douglas County Visitors Promotion Council.
Robert passed away in 2015 at the age of 81.