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Roland Rhodes Memories
Friends and industry colleagues of Roland Rhodes share the following memories.
“Roland was a true gentleman and first-class individual. His principles were grounded in a business philosophy of treating both customers and suppliers with respect, valuing their contributions and patronage and listening to them. Roland came from the ‘Greatest Generation’ and he truly was great.” — Steve Levy, CEO of Bell Laboratories
“He was one of the very, very special leaders in our industry. Roland had a heart of gold. He was a World War II veteran and a chemist with a lot of life experiences. He was a great educator and he built a fine company — and many others in this industry have built their companies by following his example. He always put his customers’ success and profitability first.” — Lon Records, CEO of Agri-Turf Distributing
“Roland Rhodes lived and died as a proud American. With Roland’s passing the Greatest Generation has lost one of its greatest members, and our industry mourns his passing in the same light. For the many years I was graced to have known Roland, he only spoke when he had something meaningful to add to a discussion, and for the most part, his words were packed full of insight and wisdom because he had mastered the art of listening before speaking. Roland’s strength in leadership was rooted in his core convictions, and he relied heavily on values to guide him through the many challenges he faced running his business and raising his family. His lengthy and happy marriage to Winona is also a testament to his strength in character. In “Core Convictions,” Roland’s memoir of his youth and service to our nation, he was quoted in regards to his thoughts on life as follows: “It is important to look ahead and develop your plans for life.” I believe Roland’s message to us here is…don’t allow your life to just pass on by; define your greater purpose and develop a plan to see it through. “Go to your grave with a fully satisfied life of living and giving.” Roland certainly walked the talk; he saw much of the world, and really enjoyed the sights and people in America most of all, and he truly enriched the lives of so many people through his and Winona’s charitable gifts to many worthy causes. “I have lived a good life, and I have no regrets.” I believe Roland on both counts, and I might add, he forgot the exclamation mark! You lived life well my friend. Farewell.” — Chris Donaghy, former CEO of Residex and author of Roland’s memoir “Core Convictions”
“Roland Rhodes was one of the legendary figures of the pest management industry, a man who touched many lives both personally and professionally with his kindness, generosity and integrity. He will be greatly missed.” — Dan Moreland, publisher of PCT magazine.
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KANSAS CITY, Kan. — Roland Rhodes, founder of Rhodes Chemical Company and a leading pest control industry advocate, died on July 24. He was 88.
Born in 1927, Roland attended junior college for two years prior to enlisting in the U.S. Navy during WWII, where he was stationed at a Seattle area Navy hospital caring for wounded sailors and Marines returning from the Pacific theater.
Upon returning from the service, Roland took advantage of the G.I. Bill and re-entered college in 1946. Roland enrolled at the University of Kansas and earned a bachelor’s degree in chemistry in 1949. During college Roland married his high school sweetheart, Winona; the couple celebrated was married for 68 years.
Roland then worked as a chemist for numerous companies including Stokley-Van Camp, FMC, Westbaco Chemical Division and Cook Chemicals. In 1962, Roland saw a need for a distributor in the Kansas City area and he established Rhodes Chemical Company, which moved into its existing location in 1969. The distributor flourished not just by providing products, but by serving as an important education and training outlet for PCOs. Roland’s commitment to education extended beyond his customer base, spreading to universities across the Midwest where Rhodes Chemical operates. Roland and Winona support scholarships for entomology students at Purdue University, University of Illinois, University of Missouri, Kansas State University, University of Nebraska and Iowa State University.
This desire to serve the greater good of the industry led Roland and other distributors to form the United Producers, Formulators & Distributors Association (UPFDA) in 1968. The association includes the industry’s leading product and equipment manufacturers, formulators and distributors working to bring a standard of excellence and enhanced professionalism to the structural pest control industry, as well as be an advocate for the industry with the regulatory community. In 2005, UPFDA presented Roland with the first-ever Malcolm Stack Integrity Award Winner, which recognized individuals within pest control who demonstrate a commitment to the industry and carry themselves with a high degree of professionalism and integrity. The award is named after Bell Laboratories founder Malcolm Stack.
Roland also was an active member of industry associations and groups such as RISE, NPMA, Pi Chi Omega and the Entomological Society of America. He was involved in legislative/regulatory matters and he made several trips to Washington, D.C., in the early 1970s to provide testimony to Senate committee during the early days of EPA. He also attended countless NPMA Legislative Day events throughout the years.
During the last 10 years, Roland scaled back his time in the office to enjoy more time with this family.
Roland’s funeral services will be held on Aug. 1. The graveside service will also take place at the Johnson County Funeral Chapel and Memorial Gardens. The family asks that in lieu of flowers, donations be made to the following:
Roland and Winona Rhodes Family Scholarship – Purdue University. Memorials should be sent to: Purdue University, College of Agriculture Development Office, 715 W State St, West Lafayette, IN 47907. Checks are payable to: Purdue Foundation (note Roland and Winona Rhodes Family Scholarship). This scholarship is for a student studying entomology with emphasis in urban pest management. The scholarship is awarded annually.
Robert J Dole Institute, University of Kansas, 2350 Petefish Dr., Lawrence, KS 66045. Checks are payable to: YCLI. The Youth Civic Leadership Institute (YCLI) is a leadership opportunity held at the Dole Institute of Politics at the University of Kansas for incoming high school seniors throughout Kansas. The three-day, two-night program includes a variety of speakers, outings, workshops and brainstorming sessions focusing on the importance of civic engagement in our democracy. YCLI includes a visit to the State Capitol in Topeka to meet with state leaders and discuss issues. This leadership opportunity is provided at no cost to the accepted students.
Cards can be sent to: Winona Roland c/o Rhodes Chemical Co, PO Box 3204, Kansas City, KS 66103-0204
