Robert Bernard Greene, Jr. (born March 10, 1947) is an American journalist, best known as an award-winning columnist for the Chicago Tribune newspaper, where he worked for 24 years. Greene has written books on subjects varying from Michael Jordan, to small towns, to U.S. presidents. His Hang Time: Days and Dreams with Michael Jordan became a bestseller. Greene has two children, Nick and Amanda, from a 31-year marriage with Susan Koebel Greene. His son had four children: Bob the third, Shawn, Brendan and Lea.

Originally from Bexley, Ohio (a suburb of Columbus), Greene attended Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois, and became a reporter and feature writer for the Chicago Sun-Times upon graduating in 1969, receiving a regular column in the paper within two years. Greene first drew significant national attention with his book, Billion Dollar Baby (1975), a diary of his experiences while touring with rock musician Alice Cooper and portraying Santa Claus during the show.

Greene's primary focus remained his newspaper column, for which he won the National Headliner Award for best column in 1977 from an American journalism group. Shortly afterward, Greene was hired by Chicago Tribune and began making occasional guest appearances on local television, eventually landing a commentary slot on the ABC news program Nightline. He also wrote the "American Beat" column in Esquire.