Rodger was born in Philadelphia, where he lived until age five. After his father’s promotion, the family spent several years in New York City before returning to Philadelphia for the rest of Rodger’s school years.
His father encouraged him to read from an early age, sparking lifelong interests in books, travel, basketball, and guitar.
After graduating, Rodger served six years in the Army Reserve. His lifelong love of travel has taken him to 60 countries, six continents, and all 50 states—often with visits to local libraries along the way.
Libraries have long been important to Rodger. While raising two children in Burlingame, California, with Kay, his spouse of 38 years, he regularly visited the library and volunteered to deliver books to homebound residents.
A natural salesperson who has never met a stranger, Rodger built a career representing footwear in retail and wholesale. A chance meeting with an Australian shoe company owner led to a new role representing the company at trade shows around the world, often with Kay by his side.
Rodger and Kay have a son and a daughter and recently welcomed their first grandchild. They often travel to the mainland to visit family.
They made Kailua-Kona their full-time retirement home in 2012. Three years ago, they adopted a dog named Charlie from a family returning to the mainland. Charlie-girl now enjoys a different walk each day, especially along routes where treats await.
Since joining the F.O.L.K. Board in July, Rodger has served as Director of Sales, leading monthly book sales and recruiting dozens of new members.