Rodney Griffith:
CLASS OF 1970
Benson High SchoolClass of 1970
Omaha, NE
Rodney's Story
After high school in 1970, I attended UNO for a year and a half as a "half-hearted" engineering major. In 1972, I joined a band called "Dr. Feelgood" - an R&B band which was a combination of "Poppin' J" (the surviving band after the Sound Effect" - the original Benson band 1968-70 - Ned Gray, Dave Gausden, Butch Lecuona , and I) and the "Jeff Scott Rhythm Band". In 1972, we moved into the "band party house" in Lincoln, known all too well known by the Lincoln police! Dr. Feelgood played several times the "Royal Grove" and "Little Bo's" in Lincoln, as well as the "Aquarius" and "Heet" lounges in Omaha. I went to UNL for a short time, then dropped out of school to go on the road with the band. We traveled from Wyoming to Illinois and Kansas to South Dakota. That band lasted about a two years, after which I moved back to Omaha and worked as a civil engineering technician for Nebraska Testing Labs. I lived in Nebraska City in 1975-76 working at the NE City Power Plant project for NTL. I went back to UNO full time in 1977, switching from Engineering to Marketing majors. The same year I joined Lozier Store fixtures as a Market Analyst and continued attending UNO part time, ultimately graduating from UNO with a BSBA in Marketing in 1979. I was promoted to Product Manager at Lozier in 1980. During the '70s and '80s, I kept playing in various local bands: Crosstown (1976-77), Changes (1979-81), The Red Ball Jets (1984-85), the House of Rhythm (1987-88). The highlight of my playing career (so far) was opening for Marvin Gaye and Chicago. In 1990, I met Carolyn Ransom (originally from the Boston area) at a house party while playing with "Urban Delight" (the band I am still in). We were married from 1991 and the same year I switched jobs from Lozier to Kiewit Construction, then to "Conductix-Wampfler" in May of 1992 (known then as "Industrial Electric Reels/Insul-8"). Carolyn and I were married from 1991 till 2000 and have three children: Angela, who will be a freshman at UNO this fall (2010), Kimberly (who will be a junior at North HS) and Aaron (who will be a sophomore at North). Angela (18) is a foreign language and international studies major. She went to France in 2007 and will be going back in 2011. She hopes to study in Eur...Expand for more
ope. Kim (16) really enjoys "heavy metal" music, art, writing, and poetry - and has the waredrobe to match! She is taking guitar lessons and Dad makes sure she's well equipped! Aaron (15) is a black belt in Tae Kwondo and works part time as a Tae Kwonda instructor. He is heavily into his computer and other high-tech devices and will likely pursue that as a careeer (if he can get through high school alive). My career with Conductix-Wampfler started in inside sales ('92), then product manager (1994). I was "MBA Student of the Year" at UNO in 1995 and completed my MBA in 1996. During that time I published several articles in marketing journals. I took an inside sales manager postion with CW in 1999, then was promoted to manager of the Omaha division (2000 to 2004). In 2004, I accepted the position I currently hold - "Director Marketing, Americas". Conductix-Wampfler engineers and manufactures equipment used to electrify moving machinery. Our conductor bar powers the Disney Monorail and airport people movers. Our cable reels power the stage lights at the Holland Center as well as the Hollywood Bowl. We also power overhead cranes, port container cranes, and bulk handling equipment. The company is French owned and recently merged with a Germany company. I have had the great pleasure and experience to traveling to Europe numerous times on the company's behalf. I still enjoy playng music, in both Urban Delight, and a contemporary jazz band called "Higher Pusuit". In the latter band, I have written a number of songs which we perform regularly at local wineries, malls, and clubs. Besides keeping up with my music (and kids!), I like to ride my bicycle, and am interested in local history.
My dad (Harry Lee Griffith), Benson class of 1945, died in 2000. My mom - Lucille Mae Griffith, Benson class of 1947 is now 83 and lives in the 168th and Pacific areas of Omaha.
If you want to read an interesting "historical" article about "The Sound Effect" check out "60sgaragebands". "The Sound Effect" was also written up in "When the Cows Come Home" - a book about local/regional bands in our area. This is a great book if you are interested in bands like "The Coachmen", "The Rumbles", "The Wonders", and other local bands from the '60s-'70s.
Register for Free to view all details!
Yearbooks
Register for Free to view all yearbooks!
Reunions
Photos