April 9, 2012

James E. Rogers to give Carey School’s Ginder Lecture

James E. Rogers, founder and owner of Intermountain West Communications Co., is the featured speaker for the Johns Hopkins Carey Business School Ginder Lecture on Thursday, April 12. The event will take place from 5:30 to 7 p.m. in the Legg Mason Tower in Harbor East. The title of his remarks is “Insights From an American Trailblazer.”

Founded in 1979, Intermountain owns and operates 11 NBC and FOX affiliate television stations in five western states. Rogers, a member of the state bar associations of Nevada, Arizona and California, was in active law practice in Las Vegas from 1964 through 1988, when he began to devote his time to the development of Intermountain’s television and radio stations as well as to various area banks. Rogers became a member of the board of directors of Nevada National Bank in 1981 and was chairman of its board from 1985 to 1987. He then served on the board of Security Pacific Bank. He was a 1995 founder and served on the board of Community Bank of Nevada, leaving that bank to form Nevada First Bank in 1998. Nevada First Bank merged with the Bank of Nevada, where Rogers served on the board of directors. He has also served on the board of Meadows Bank in Nevada.

In May 2004, Rogers was appointed by the board of regents to serve as the Nevada System of Higher Education’s ninth chancellor, holding the post until July 1, 2009.

Rogers has served on the board of trustees of the New York University School of Law, the board of councilors of the Washington University School of Law in St. Louis, the board of councilors of the University of New Mexico School of Law, the Deans’ Finance Committee of the University of Idaho School of Law, the Executive Committee of the board of councilors of the University of Southern California School of Law, the board of the USC College of Business, the dean’s council of the University of Nevada, Las Vegas School of Law, the Dean’s Finance Committee of the University of Arizona College of Law and the Gonzaga Law School board of trustees. He was one of the first nine individuals elected to the University of Nevada, Las Vegas School of Business Hall of Fame.

Active supporters of education, Rogers and his wife, Beverly, have made substantial financial contributions to various colleges and universities. Their gift of $137 million to the University of Arizona College of Law is the largest gift to the University of Arizona and the largest gift to any American law school. In 1998, the Arizona board of regents renamed that college The James E. Rogers College of Law. In 1999, Rogers was listed as one of the top 11 philanthropists in the nation by Time magazine, having given or pledged more than $275 million to various colleges and universities throughout the country.

Rogers received a bachelor’s degree in accounting and a bachelor of law degree from the University of Arizona, and a master of law from the University of Southern California. He served as a teaching fellow at the University of Illinois, College of Law from 1963 to 1964. He is currently an executive in residence at the Carey Business School, having first served in that capacity in 2009.

The William M. and Katherine B. Ginder Lecture Fund brings prominent speakers to the Carey Business School to discuss timely and stimulating issues relevant to the business community. To RSVP to the event, which is free, or for more information, email carey.events@jhu.edu or call 410-234-9356.