Robert “Bob” Mogell, founder and owner of former Top 40 supplier Toppers Inc., passed away peacefully at home in New Jersey on Jan. 12. He was 78.

Robert “Bob” Mogell, Toppers Inc.

Mogell founded Toppers, an importing business for the promotional products industry, in 1964 in Philadelphia. He sold the company upon his retirement in 1999 to Largo, FL-based Corvest, which was subsequently acquired by Seminole, FL-based Camsing Global in 2011.

In his spare time, which he split between New Jersey and Florida since his retirement, Mogell was president of the Cherry Hill Brith Shalom Lodge #966 and enjoyed basketball and golf. He was a member of Woodcrest Country Club in New Jersey and Renaissance Country Club in Florida.

“I have a lifetime of memories with my dad,” says Russ Mogell, CEO of Seven Sourcing in West Berlin, NJ, of his adoptive father. “I have epic stories, some of them legendary with many teaching moments sprinkled in, but my adoption ranks among the best. He was my guy. He was always supporting me, always listening, always telling me that everything would be OK. I never doubted him. No regrets. All love. He will be greatly missed.”

Former employees of Toppers say Mogell had noteworthy impact on both their personal and professional journeys. “He was one of the most influential people in my life,” says Anthony Juliano, chief financial officer at Unique Industries in Philadelphia and former controller for Toppers. “Bob hired me when I was a 19-year-old kid attending community college and struggling to understand what I wanted to do with my future. He provided me with the opportunity to find myself and develop not only as a person but also in business, which has carried me forward to my career today. He opened up many doors for the employees who worked for him. To this day, we still consider ourselves the Toppers family.”     

Formerly vice president of sales and marketing for Toppers, Harry Himes is the managing partner of Himes Law Firm outside Philadelphia. He too has fond memories of his time at Mogell’s company. “Bob brought something more to the table,” says Himes. “He lifted everyone up to be more than they thought they could be. His paternal leadership style of caring and listening created a wonderful entrepreneurial experience. More than 20 years later, former colleagues maintain lifelong friendships and still talk about their happy days at Toppers and respect for Bob.”

Mogell is survived by his wife, Lynne Mogell; children Sy, Victor (Tiffany), Russ (Mary Anne) and Esther (Mark) Swartz; brother Cary (Maryann); grandchildren Makayla, David, Kyle, Jack, Grace, Hanna and Gabriel; and many family and friends in New Jersey and Florida.

Funeral services were held on Sunday, Jan. 15, at Platt Memorial Chapels in Cherry Hill, NJ, with interment following at Montefiore Cemetery in Jenkintown, PA. Contributions may be made to the American Kidney Foundation or The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.