After five years as a teacher and coach of wrestling, soccer, gymnastics and track in the North Allegheny school district of Pennsylvania, Robert W. Hannan joined Thrift Drug in 1966 as a field administrator.

Over a 21-year span, he rose through the ranks of the subsidiary of J. C. Penney Co. as director of personnel, director of administration, senior vice president of administration and senior vice president of corporate development. He became President and CEO of the chain of 550 stores in 1987.

Hannan began wrestling in 1955 as a senior at North Allegheny High School and was wrestling captain for two years at Slippery Rock University, where he also played baseball and served as president of the Junior Class and of the Student Government.

He is deeply involved in civic activities, including the Greater Pittsburgh Literary Council, the Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre, Pittsburgh Cancer Institute, New Futures Career Council, the United Way and the Pittsburgh Biomedical Development Corporation. He is a member of the Western Pennsylvania Olympic Committee.

He earned his bachelor's degree at Slippery Rock in 1961, and did graduate work at Duquesne in 1962 and 1963.

His honors include the Greater Pittsburgh Literary Council Award, Slippery Rock University Outstanding Alumnus, the St. Barnabas Health System Leadership Award, the United Cerebral Palsy Association Humanitarian Award and Slippery Rock's Presidential Achievement Award.