Robert Lu is the founder and owner of BCI, a leading manufacturer of kitchen appliances and wall decor based in China. Lu was born and educated in Wuxi and Suzhou, China; he is self-educated in his post-secondary education. He and his family moved to the United States in 2013. Robert and his wife, Sophia, have two children, a 7th grade daughter at Harvard-Westlake and a son who graduated Harvard-Westlake in June 2019 and is a first-year at University of Chicago. Robert is very civically minded. He hopes to encourage the younger generation in China to spend time outdoors and to learn more about environmental issues. He is also involved in a non-profit senior center in China which takes care of 300 seniors. He also founded a kayaking association in China which organises national competitions and provides free lessons and equipment to youths.