ROGERS

John B. Rogers, a founder of what became RNL, a major Denver-based architect, died July 12 of complications of lung disease, in Denver. He was 88. A practice that Rogers founded in 1956 merged ten years later with two other firms to become RNL. Rogers, considered a pioneer in the profession, served as president for 30 years until the mid-1980s, and as chairman until 1995. With 250 employees and $29.1 million in 2009 revenue, the firm is No. 355 on ENR’s list of The Top 500 Design Firms. Rogers was an early advocate of integrated project delivery, the charrette process, CAD and design-build. He was “always willing to test the edges of practice and to try anything that advances the architectural profession,” says RNL in a statement. Rogers also was a state president and national board member of the American Institute of Architects. He was given AIA’s lifetime achievement award in 2006. In 1985, Rogers received an MBA from the University of Colorado, Boulder. He later created and taught an architectural business course to give students an understanding of the profession’s financial, marketing, legal and practice management issues.