Upfront: Rotary sales executive passes away
By Steve Noe
Wayne Rogers, who recently celebrated his 40-year anniversary working at Rotary Corporation and was an active member of the Outdoor Power Equipment Aftermarket Association (OPEAA), died Feb. 13 while in Bermuda for OPEAA’s annual meeting. He was 64.
Rogers started working at Rotary Oct. 15, 1969, and proceeded to serve the Glennville, Ga.-based company in many capacities, including purchasing, advertising and international sales. At the time of his death, Rogers was vice president of international sales. He was also a member of the Savannah Export Council. But he was much more to so many people, including Chris Roessler, Rotary’s advertising and marketing manager, who worked with Rogers for 17 years and was at his side when he passed away.
“Many people have jokingly called me Chris Rogers,” said Roessler in comments that he directed specifically toward the Rogers family during his eulogy at the Feb. 22 funeral service. “Wayne and I spent a lot of time together. To me, he was a father figure, brother, best friend and mentor.”
Roessler added, “And to Wayne, I know you are here with us. You took me under your wing and taught me so many things. I treasure all the memories of our time spent fishing at the coast, all the golf tournaments we played in together, the hunting trips, and our trips to Germany. Wayne, you will always hold a special place in my heart. On February 13, God allowed me to put you under my wing, and I thank Him that I could be with you before you left us. My life will never be the same without you. (My wife) Dana, (daughter) Sarah and I are going to miss you ‘Uncle Wayne.’ Hit a hole in one for me on that great golf course in heaven.”
Rogers was so well liked by his peers that another co-worker, Doug Pfluger, honored him by setting up a Facebook page that has already attracted 250 visitors. And having worked in international sales and visited 52 countries, Rogers was so popular globally that Glennville’s First Baptist Church agreed for the first-time ever to show a funeral service via Web cast, drawing 89 viewers from nine countries and 51 cities in the United States. “He had a special relationship with his customers that reached around the world,” said Roessler.
During his 40-plus years of service at Rotary, Rogers received several awards, including “The President’s ‘E’ Certificate for Exports,” presented by the Secretary of Commerce, in 1988; “The Governor’s International Award,” presented by the Honorable Joe Frank Harris, governor of Georgia, in 1989; and “The President’s ‘E’ Star Award for Exports,” presented by the Secretary of Commerce, in 1993.
Rogers is survived by his wife Faye, son Brian, daughter Kellie and son-in-law Brett. The family has requested remembrances be made to The American Heart Association, 5692 Zebulon Road, PMB #359 Macon, GA 31210, www.americanheart.org; or St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105-1942, www.stjude.org.
“The outdoor power equipment industry will deeply miss Wayne’s outstanding leadership and guidance,” said Rotary President Ed Nelson. “Please remember the family in your prayers.”
On behalf of everyone at OPE, I would like to extend our sincerest condolences to the Rogers family, as well as to all of those people whose lives that he touched.
OPE Editor Steve Noe
snoe@m2media360.com
