RNL SALUTES FOUNDER JOHN ROGERS, CELEBRATING HIS ACCOMPLISHMENTS AND CONTRIBUTIONS

John B Rogers, FAIA 1922—2010

The consummate architect

When working for an MBA at the University of Colorado at the young age of 63, John was asked to write a paper on retirement. He responded, “I can’t do it—I don’t ever plan to retire.” And so it was that John B Rogers continued to contribute his intelligence, his leadership, and his creativity to the profession of architecture and to the community for another 25 years, growing his firm, giving of his time to the AIA and the Denver Foundation for Architecture, serving on boards, and being an architect. When asked why he does it, he said “I like it; I like everything about it, I just like Architecture.”

Born and raised in Kansas in 1922 as one of six children, Rogers entered Kansas State University to study architectural engineering. His education was interrupted when he was called into service during WWII, where he served under General Patton in the 89th Infantry Division from Luxembourg to Czechoslovakia, returning home a Captain. He resumed his studies at KSU upon returning from the war, and moved to Denver in 1947 following a graduation ski trip to Winter Park.

After serving his internship in a number of Denver firms, Rogers returned to school to further his studies at the University of Texas at Austin, where he received a Bachelor of Architecture Degree. It was here that he met his beloved soul mate, Bette Peek Rogers. John is quoted as saying, “there were two women in my class, and I got the good one.” They were married in 1951, and this beautiful relationship has lasted 59 years, closing their lives in perfect union with their passing within 14 hours of each other. Their relationship can truly be called the ultimate love affair.

In 1956, after working to gain his license, John founded John B Rogers Architect, and in 1961 merged with Jerome Nagel, and in 1966 with Langhart McGuire Barngrover, Architects, to become Rogers Nagel Langhart. The firm became RNL in 1966, growing from its inception to the international practice that it is today, peaking at 250 people, with four offices in Denver, Los Angeles, Phoenix and Abu Dhabi.

John Rogers has won virtually every honor that there is in the Profession of Architecture. He is a Fellow in the American Institute of Architects; was also Colorado Architect of the Year, and was awarded the prestigious Silver Medal by the Western Mountain Region of the AIA. He received a Lifetime Achievement Award by the AIA in 2006. John was the first Kansas State University Alumni Fellow from the College of Architecture, and was Architect in Residence in the Business School at the University of Colorado Denver. He received a Distinguished Service Award from the University of Colorado, given for his service to the profession and to the community. John Rogers was a leader in everything he did. He recognized early the importance of architecture as a business, where the design professional must know as much about his client’s business as he does his own. He believed that architecture as a business is first and foremost meeting the client’s needs, and in doing something that is both functional and practical. His work has been the backbone of RNL’s growth and excellence. His unwavering belief in the architectural professional led him back to education where he gained his MBA in 1985. He joined with the CU business school to create a new model Architectural business course where he taught for 8 years, bringing every new architectural student a new appreciation of finance, marketing, legal and practice management.

Under John’s leadership at RNL, the firm designed numerous commissions including the Mountain Bell Denver Service Center, the Colorado History Museum and Justice Complex, the Police Administration Building, the Solar Energy Research Institute, and countless schools, churches, office and civic buildings. As the firm grew John mentored literally hundreds of young architects who worked at RNL, with numerous leaders in the community spawning from his tutelage. John humorously suggested “if we had an RNL alumni society, and collected dues, we would all be rich!” His leadership in the firm brought many new innovations in architecture that literally were years before their times. In the early ‘70s, John Rogers began an energy conservation movement that led to the establishment of the State of Colorado Energy Conservation Education Center, and to the award of two of the most significant energy conserving buildings in the country-the RTD East Metro Bus Facility, and the Solar Energy Research Institute. Both projects won the Owens Corning Energy Conservation Awards, the top recognition in the nation at that time. Throughout his career, John was a true pioneer, recognizing the changes in the profession, the way buildings are built, and how they impact the community. He was an early advocate for integrated delivery, the on site charette process, computer aided drawing, and design build, always willing to test the edges of practice and to try anything that advances the architectural profession. He was a tenacious advocate, fostering better and more equitable contracting, fair compensation, and liability tort reform.

John served as President at RNL from 1955 to 1985, Chairman of the Board from 1985 to 1995, and a Board member from 1995 to 2009. In 2009, John became an Emeritus member of the Board, continuing as an advisor and mentor to the firm. He recognized in the early ‘70s that firms only prosper through merger and acquisition or through succession. Deciding against the former path, he turned down several overtures for purchase by large national firms, opting instead to grow the firm internally and to set up a succession plan that would assure the transition of the practice for generations. In 1977, John established Interplan, a programming and pre-design practice, and ISI, an interdisciplinary practice made up of 8 prominent Denver architectural, engineering, and environmental firms, focused on the emerging complex projects of a growing region. In the ‘80s, John created a firm ESOP, with employee ownership directed towards continued growth and transition. In the ‘90s the firm made several acquisitions, including the merger with Klages, Carter and Vail, an international practice in California, and expanded practice in Los Angeles and Phoenix.

John’s commitment to architecture extended to his involvement in the community and the profession and as an advocate to the profession in everything that he did. His activities in the American Institute of Architects included the Boards of AIA Denver and Colorado (President twice) and National Director of the AIA representing the Western States in its National board in Washington. He chaired the AIA Energy committee creating an awareness of sustainability in architecture long before it became the movement that it is today. He served on the State of Colorado Capitol Advisory Committee, the Stapleton Citizens Advisory Board, and numerous boards and commissions charged with design quality and excellence.

All of these accomplishments notwithstanding, John’s greatest contribution was his unwavering dedication to excellence from the day he began practice to the day he passed on. He was truly a man in control, with an unbelievable personal discipline that drove his passion for architecture to new levels of achievements. At the age of 84, John was actively creating new scholarships, participating in elementary school architectural education through the CAL Project for the Denver Foundation for Architecture, and working to change the way government solicits professional services. He was always taking on a new cause and he continued to his last days to provide guidance and mentorship to the young architects at RNL through brown bag seminars, and leadership training. He has published several books including “L3” Life’s Lessons Learned, and “My Story” his own autobiography. In the past few years, driven by the challenges of being on full time oxygen, he authored “02”, a primer as to how to travel, manage and sustain oxygen therapy.

John was passionate about Architecture, about life and about family. He never stopped contributing, and he never lost his passion. When he and Bette made a temporary side trip to a retirement community, he quickly retreated, noting “I just can’t sit around talking about getting old!” He was motivated by youth, by growth and by leadership. What he enjoyed most was passing it on to others, and in mentoring the next generation. He was a wonderful teacher, without ego, and without pretention. He was supremely proud, and an outspoken advocate for what he believed, but at the same time, a kind, humble and very unassuming man. The profession is better because John Rogers was here, and his legacy stands strong for what he believed and fostered in our community and within the profession.

John B Rogers: “When we have a good idea, it’s OK to give it away. Then while somebody else is working to learn how to use it, we will have time to generate even better new ideas.”

And even more prophetic , “You can achieve anything, as long as you don’t care who gets the credit for it.”

That was John. That was Love.

John B Rogers passed away July 12, 2010 of complications resulting from a long term lung disease. He died peacefully in his home in SE Denver the morning after his wife passed. John B Rogers succeeded his wife’s death by 14 hours. He is survived by his three sons, Scot (Kathie Simpson); Rob (Alissa Bucher), and Richard (Bill Huron.) He leaves 8 grandchildren and siblings Susy, Bob, Carolyn, Donna, and Don.

A private family interment will be held at the Wellshire Presbyterian Church Memorial Garden. A memorial service to honor both John and Bette Rogers will be held at Wellshire Presbyterian Church on Wednesday, July 21, 2010 at 10:00 AM, with a reception to follow. This day would have marked the 59th wedding anniversary of John and Bette.