[SFDXA] Industry icon Donald Rohn passes away at 72

[Bill Marx]

> SK Link http://www.wirelessestimator.com/breaking_news.cfm#Don_Rohn
>
> *Industry icon Donald Rohn passes away at 72
> *November 23, 2011 - Donald D. Rohn, an industry leader in 
> communications tower manufacturing, passed away on Nov. 21 at age 72 
> at Riverview Manor Care in East Donald D. RohnPeoria, Ill. where he 
> was being treated for an injury he suffered from a fall a number of 
> months ago.
>
> In the late1950s Don began working at his father Dwight's tower 
> manufacturing plant prior to graduating with a bachelor's degree in 
> business from the University of Illinois.
>
> Founded in 1948, Rohn's primary product line was small residential 
> television towers.
> But as TVs evolved in the 1950s from utilitarian wonders to pieces of 
> fine furniture art, coupled with speakers that were as large as the 
> screen, the tower structures didn't change.
>
> In fact, they began to show considerable weathering as rust streaked 
> sides of homes they were attached to.
>
> Rohn was the country's first manufacturer to see the need for 
> galvanizing their towers and built their own galvanizing plant.
>
> The extra hot dipped galvanizing production cost paid handsome 
> dividends for the company in a competitive market as their sales 
> increased dramatically, requiring the company to expand to 40 employees.
>
> Although the company had grown by building small guyed towers, Rohn's 
> largest tower order ever, a major contract for towers for Nashua, New 
> Hampshire-based Sanders Associates was sold in 1965.
>
> Don told Wireless Estimator last year that the deal provided the 
> opportunity for the company to consider other manufacturing options in 
> the telecommunications industry and they moved quickly to capture the 
> opening.
>
> Don was part of the team that introduced the Rohn catalog, a catalyst 
> for theDonald D. Rohn company's rapid growth as it became the largest 
> tower manufacturer in the world for a number of decades.
>
> The Rohn catalog was iconic in the industry and was known as the 
> "tower bible". Its wealth of products and industry information served 
> as the basis for buyer and design decisions for many years.
>
> Retiring as Rohn's president in 1997, Don was an early advocate of 
> climber safety and created a company culture that saw Rohn provide 
> safety climb systems before it became an industry requirement.
>
> "He knew that non-professionals were climbing towers and he went to 
> great lengths to warn people because it was the right thing to do," 
> said David Brinker, Rohn's Vice President of Engineering.
>
> "Don truly put his heart, soul and life into the company and made it 
> grow the way it did throughout the cellular boom. He will be 
> long-remembered as a leader in the tower industry," Brinker said.
>
> Bill Carlson, President of Tower Systems, Inc. of Watertown, SD, 
> recalls working with Don on numerous projects since the 1960s.
>
> "It would be typical for me to be in the office on a Sunday and 
> whenever I had a question, I would pick up the phone and usually Don 
> was there to provide assistance," Carlson said.
>
> "We communicated more on the weekends than during the week. I 
> respected his work ethic and he was the type of person that knew what 
> was going on at all ends of the business."
>
> Competitors always spoke highly of Don's business acumen.
>
> "Don was a really fine individual. I remember meeting him and his 
> brother Richard for lunch many years ago in Kankakee, ILL. We were 
> competitors, but it was good to see that they nor we had three heads. 
> I got to know Don later in the 90’s and Pi-Rod and Rohn came very 
> close to merging," said Myron Noble who was then president of PiRod.
>
> "It is a shame that Don did not have the opportunity to continue to be 
> part of Rohn. I always marveled at what great shape Don was in. He was 
> a good person and he will be missed by many," Noble said.
>
> Born on Sept. 3, 1939, in Beardstown, Ill., Don was preceded in death 
> by his parents, Dwight and Lela M. (Dodds) Rohn.
>
> Surviving are his wife, Joyce of Dunlap and three sons, Thomas D. 
> (Belinda) Rohn of Dunlap, Timothy D. (Malisa) Rohn of Peoria and Alan 
> D. (Wanda) Rohn of Bradenton, Fla. Also surviving are five 
> grandchildren, Emma, Kyle, Hunter, Kamy and Daniel; one brother, 
> Richard L. (Dixie) of Birmingham, Ala.; and several nieces and nephews.
>
> He was a member and Past Chapter Chair of S.C.O.R.E. and a member of 
> Central Illinois Angels. He also served as treasurer of the Limestone 
> Alumni and Friends Association and served as a board member of the 
> Greater Peoria Family YMCA.
>
> He was an avid volunteer and supporter of the Peoria community as well 
> as being an avid Bradley and Illini basketball fan.
>
> A memorial service will be at 1 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 26, 2011, at 
> Davison-Fulton-Woolsey-Wilton Funeral Home in Peoria. The Rev. Jack 
> Thompson will officiate. Memorials may be made to the Greater Peoria 
> Family YMCA, 7000 N. Fleming Lane, Peoria, IL 61614, or to the 
> Salvation Army, 414 NE Jefferson Ave., Peoria, IL 61603.
>
>
> 73 DE K4XZ Joe Patrick
> God Made Man
> Sam Colt Made Them Equal