Clarence Rogers

ROGERS, Jr., Clarence Birkenshaw

Clarence Birkenshaw Rogers, Jr., known to everyone as Jack, was born October 24, 1929, in Brooklyn, New York on the day of the great stock market crash. His parents were Clarence Birkenshaw, Sr. and Elizabeth Isabel Rogers. Jack's only sibling, Betty Ann, predeceased him in her youth.

He grew up in New Jersey and attended Redbank High School. He graduated as class president and member of both the basketball and baseball teams. Jack continued his education at Gettysburg College where he was a member of the Phi Delta Theta Fraternity and President of the Campus Senate. Upon graduating from Gettysburg in 1951, he enlisted in the Air Force during the Korean conflict. Once discharged as a first lieutenant, he joined his father's brokerage firm as a floor broker on the America Stock Exchange in New York.

Jack was recruited by IBM in 1954 to their electric accounting machine division in Philadelphia. After several successful years as a quota salesman, he was transferred to Trenton, New Jersey where he met his loving wife, Sally Milner. They were married in 1956 for 51 wonderful years until Sally's death in 2008.

Early on in Jack's career, the family transferred to Washington, D.C., where he was responsible for IBM's relationship with the Intelligence Community. While in D.C., Jack also received an MBA from George Washington University. He was then promoted and relocated to White Plains, New York, where he oversaw new product releases. Shortly thereafter, Jack became Vice President of marketing for IBM's Data Processing Division. When Jack was appointed as the first President of IBM's General Systems Division, he moved the divisional headquarters to Atlanta. After several years, Jack was promoted, to Senior Vice President and Group Executive for IBM's Information Systems Group, consisting of seven marketing and service divisions. He was also a member of IBM's six-person Management Committee. After a successful 33 years of service, Jack retired from IBM in 1987.

Retirement was short lived as Jack joined Equifax, Inc. as CEO then Chairman of the Board from 1989 till 1999. Jack led the transformation of Equifax from a data vendor to a multinational business information and technology company.

Wherever Jack worked, he made contributions to his community. While in Atlanta, he was Chairman of the Woodruff Arts Center, Board of Directors of Piedmont Hospital, Director of National Bank of Georgia, President-Elect for the Georgia Chamber Commerce and major gifts chairman for the committee to bring the 1996 Summer Olympics to Atlanta.

Jack served on the boards of IBM's Americas Far East Corporation, Briggs and Stratton, Oxford Industries, Allstate Insurance, MCI, Sears Roebuck and Co., Dean Witter, Discover, and Morgan Stanley.

Having spent many winters in Vero Beach, Florida, it was natural to retire there. Jack continued his service to charitable causes as Chairman of the Indian River Hospital Foundation, later acquired by Cleveland Clinic.

Jack was a golf enthusiast and proud member of the US Seniors Golf Association, where he enjoyed participating in many of their tournaments. He remained a member of John's Island, Bent Pine Golf Club (where he was a former President), and Quail Valley in Vero Beach, Florida, Peachtree Golf Club in Atlanta, Georgia, and Wade Hampton Golf Club in Cashiers, North Carolina. All had challenging golf courses for him to pursue his passion for the game. He was also a member of the Chattooga Club in Cashiers, North Carolina and a former member of the Cherokee Town and Country Club in Atlanta, Georgia.

Jack is survived by four amazing children: Nancy Elizabeth Rogers, John Blackwell Rogers (Faye), Sally Ann Rogers Mitchell (Jim), and Chase Allen Rogers. His grandchildren are ER Fightmaster, John Fightmaster (Melanie), Jack Mitchell (Annie), Hank Mitchell (Peyton), Sally Ann Mitchell Chapline (Mark), Finn Conforti and Max Conforti. His great-grandchildren are Mac and Poppy Mitchell, Henry and Mae Mitchell and Caleb Chapline.

Jack is survived not only by children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren, but also by his devoted wife, Mollie Carbine Candler Rogers of New Orleans, Louisiana and Atlanta, Georgia. They married in 2014 after meeting at Wade Hampton where they both had summer homes. Mollie and Jack had many happy years together as Mollie was the delight of Jack's life. Jack died peacefully at the age of 95 in his John's Island home with Mollie by his side.

There will be a celebration of life, at a later time, for family and friends.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to The Rogers Center for Innovation and Creativity at Gettysburg College 300 North Washington Street, Box 426 Gettysburg, Pennsylvania 17325 or a Vero Beach charity of your choice.

Arrangements by Strunk Funeral Homes & Crematory, Vero Beach, FL.A guestbook is available at www.strunkfuneralhome.com.