Robert (Bob) David Youngentob, the Executive Chairman and founding partner of Bethesda-based EYA, LLC, passed away on October 18, 2025, at the age of 64, following a battle with cancer, according to an online obituary. Youngentob, a longtime Montgomery County resident and one of the region’s most respected developers, was widely recognized for shaping urban living across the Washington metropolitan area.
For more than three decades, Youngentob’s leadership and vision helped redefine community design through EYA’s focus on sustainable, transit-oriented, and pedestrian-friendly neighborhoods. His approach to development emphasized connection, walkability, and design that blends seamlessly into surrounding communities. His obituary described him as a leader whose “legacy is woven into every part of EYA,” and whose work “created neighborhoods that are welcoming, sustainable, and thoughtfully connected.”
Youngentob co-founded EYA in 1992, initially as Eakin/Youngentob Associates, and served as the company’s President and CEO for more than 30 years before becoming Executive Chairman in 2022. Under his leadership, EYA developed award-winning communities across Montgomery County, including Westside at Shady Grove in Rockville and The Village at Rockshire, among others. He was also instrumental in advancing projects near Metro stations and walkable town centers throughout the county, reflecting his belief that great communities should connect people to one another and to their surroundings.
Beyond his professional accomplishments, Youngentob was deeply involved in regional and local organizations. He served on the Board of Advisors for The Universities at Shady Grove and held leadership positions within the Urban Land Institute, where he was known for mentoring young professionals and promoting responsible growth. In recognition of his impact on community design, he was inducted into the National Association of Home Builders’ Best in American Living Hall of Fame in 2024 and received the Urban Land Institute Trailblazer Award in 2023.
Funeral services will be held Wednesday, October 22, at Washington Hebrew Congregation in Washington, D.C., followed by interment at Garden of Remembrance Memorial Park in Clarksburg. Youngentob is survived by his wife, Linda, and their three daughters, Lisa, Jamie, and Casey. His legacy will live on through the neighborhoods he helped build and the countless lives he touched across Montgomery County and the Washington region.
