Bob Lavender is a native of Los Angeles, California, and grew up in the nearby cities of Torrance and Rolling Hills. After graduating from Rolling Hills High School, he attended college at the Universidad de Las Americas, in Mexico City, and at Brigham Young University, where he received his bachelor's degree.

Bob is a veteran of the United States Air Force where he served as a commander on the F-4 Phantom aircraft. He holds an Air Transport Pilot rating and has had a lengthy career as a commercial airplane pilot.

Bob and Carol Lavender split their time between Utah and Texas (Carol is a native Texan). They are the parents of four children. Carol has taught nursing at the university level and is currently a patient care manager. They have served in many church positions including a three year assignment to the Utah State Mental Hospital branch in Provo and a three year assignment to a BYU ward.

Bob is very interested in using internet technology to form close-knit relationships between people of similar values. He holds a real estate brokers license in Texas.