Faces of Philanthropy: Dr. Robert Kryger 

Dr. Robert Kryger 

Resurrection Catholic Church, Lakeland 

Chair, Board of Directors 

DAF Fundholder

St. Katharine Drexel Society Member 

Robert Kryger has been happily married for more than 35 years to his wife Judy, and together they are the parents of four grown sons. They are parishioners at Resurrection Catholic Church in Lakeland, FL and Robert has served on the Parish Finance Committee, Alive in Christ Campaign Committee and for many years on the Resurrection Catholic School Board. Together, Robert & his wife also managed the Pre-Cana retreats in the Western Deanery of the Orlando Diocese for 15 years, speaking regularly about sexuality, Natural Family Planning, communication and finances.  He has been on the Board of The Catholic Foundation of Central Florida since October 2020.

Professionally, Dr. Kryger is an entrepreneurial scientist, having owned small companies specializing in food products, chemical processing, real estate, packaging and medical devices.  Semi-retired, he holds a Ph.D. in Physics from the University of Notre Dame and an appointment as Adjunct Professor of Physics at Florida Polytechnic University.  He is extensively published in a variety of subjects, most recently completing a book on the history of the citrus flavor industry in Florida.  Robert has served on numerous professional advisory boards for the USDA, University of Florida, and various scientific societies. He also regularly volunteers as a judge for the State of Florida Science Fair. 

Faces of Philanthropy Q & A with Dr. Robert Kryger :

Q: What is your philosophy of giving or stewardship?

A: My wife and I have long been inspired by the idea of tithing – returning back to God a regular portion of our economic blessings – both as an opportunity and obligation to share in God’s work on earth.

Q: What drew you to get involved with the Catholic Foundation?

A: Beyond the very necessary support of our local parish, the Catholic Foundation provides a means for us to participate in the broader mission of the Church in our Diocese.

Q: What was the first charitable gift you remember making?

A: My wife and I were challenged to consider our joint charitable giving strategy as part of our Pre-Cana instruction at the University of Notre Dame.   We identified some key charities along with our local parish that we have been supporting now for decades.   Among these early recipients was the USCCB’s Catholic Relief Services.

Q: How do you hope your leadership of the Board will contribute to the Foundation’s mission?

A: My hope is to build on the vision of Bishop Noonan and the good work of Foundation’s founders, prior board members and staff to continue developing a first-rate charitable foundation that will strengthen our Diocese.

Click here to learn more about our Board of Directors.