Entering Purdue in 1934, Robert E. Scifres completed his BSEE in 1938.

He completed his MBA through the Sloan Fellowship Program at MIT and since 1942, has worked for National Gypsum Company. His assignments have included work as production manager at the coastal gypsum plants. In 1964, he was named vice president of manufacturing of the Huron Cement Division. In 1967, he was chosen general manager of the government-owned Kansas Army Ammunition Plant which was operated by National Gypsum. He was promoted to vice president and assistant to the chairman of National Gypsum in February 1970 and became corporate group vice president approximately one year later. In June of 1977, he became vice chairman and, in November of the same year, became chairman of the board and chief executive officer of National Gypsum Company.

Scifres has been state director and assistant regional director of the National Associations of Manufacturers and has served on the executive committee of that group. He has been a board member of the Dallas Citizens Council and of the Better Business Bureau. He served as general campaign chairman of the United Way Fund Drive and has been a board member of Dallas Area Rapid Transit. Scifres received an honorary doctorate degree from Purdue in 1980.