Rockne Rhodes:
CLASS OF 1973
Verdugo Hills High SchoolClass of 1973
Tujunga, CA
Fremont High SchoolClass of 1973
Sunnyvale, CA
Wilbur Junior High SchoolClass of 1970
Palo alto, CA
Elizabeth Van Auken Elementary SchoolClass of 1967
Palo alto, CA
Ross Road Elementary SchoolClass of 1967
Palo alto, CA
Rockne's Story
I went to college and graduated 1982 with BS in finance at BYU. Yeah, I started college at 23. I don't remember too much of my years between 17 and 20. After college I couldn't find a job so I created one. An entrepreneur is a person looking for a job.
I unintentionally stummbled, tripped and fell into creating a company called electricaloutlet dot com and sold it in 1999. Because I had great employees that knew more than I did, I made lots of money. Then I retired for about a year at their (the former employees) amazement, dismay, and consternation. I volunteered for some local charities and promptly lost most of the money I made from the sale mostly through "wise" business decesions through certain invenstments as well as giving a lot of it away. No good deed goes unpunished, as they say.
Reluctantly I started over again in the same industry with rmeai dot com in 2002. I am really tired of doing this.
I have been married for 27 years to the love of my life and maybe forever. I am still trying to convince her that she did the right thing by marrying me. I cross my fingers in hope that I have her sufficiently fooled. She smiles politely and then kisses me. Jim Carey says that behind every great man there is a woman rolling her eyes. He must have been watching my wife.
I have four beautiful wonderful daughters. Two are married and I have two grandsons. Number one has the two sons. Number two was married in 2008 and is currently going to vet school at CSU. I affectionately call her my 401K plan. She calls me for money.
I love to brag about my daughters. Hey, after what they put me through, I will take all the credit I can get. They have told me they look at those things differently.
The other married daughter (number one) is a web designer, (my Roth IRA)and is married with two sons who are the cherished earned jewels that a father of four girls reaps as a reward for... well, uh, er, raising four daughters.
Number three is still in college at BYU and from time to time travels the world, especially to France where at least she can speak the language. She is ho...Expand for more
pelessly stricken by anything in a uniform... uh, any guy in a uniform.
I am not sure what number four is doing. I'll have to ask her if I can find her. I think she is an "artist".
Traveling is my life. Marriott platinum member for four years now. My wife comes with me when she can... or wants to. When I go to Detroit, she stays home. When I go to Boston, especially in the fall, she will be there before I am.
I specialize in liquidating manufacturing equipment in large factories that have gone out of business. As of right now the factory closings average 90 per month. Go to (no dub dub dub) plantclosings dot com forward slash pcn/ for the recent stats. No, I don't do 90 factories a month. I average being involved with one every few months. Right now I am in mostly Chrysler, Chevy, Ford, and GM automobile plants that have been or are going to shut down soon.
I used to be called a junk man. Now, since I use the word "green" a lot in my advertising and solicitations, I am more glamorously called a recycler and have received accolades for helping save the environment while our country loses it's manufacturing base and becomes the property of China, India, and Russia. I don't get it, but I am easily fooled.
The world is changing fast. Successful business models have become a moving target with the integration of the internet into our lives.
In H.S. I was not the most social kid. My circle of friends was small. I was a refugee from the typical dysfunctional family of the day. I got over it, I think.
As the years have gone by, life and people have become more interesting and precious to me. I think I am interested enough now in going to the next class reunion. I would like to know what happened to everyone. Not necessarily to rekindle old friendships, but just to know... And then I will go back to family, friends and work.
I told my wife the other day that it is such an adventure to become what we think we want to be. She says it is just the opposite. Life reveals to us who we really are. I like that thought more¿ for better or for worse.
Updated 12 20 09.
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