Kitty Rodman

A smart business woman, a fine lady, and a friend to all are descriptions people have used when remembering Clarine “Kitty” Rodman. She was an especially good friend to UNLV.

Kitty served as a Trustee for the UNLV Foundation for more than 25 years. She also chaired the Special Projects Committee, lending her expertise to numerous events including the UNLV Foundation Annual Dinner. In this capacity, she strove to demonstrate to donors how much UNLV appreciated their commitment of financial resources, time, and talent.

Kitty was a founding member of the UNLV Jean Nidetch Women’s Center. She provided generous support to UNLV’s physical therapy program, which bears her name, and supported many student initiatives. Her generosity continues to weave its way through campus.

In 1952, Kitty moved from Virginia to Las Vegas to join her husband, Leon “Dick” Rodman, who was stationed at Nellis Air Force Base. She went to work for Sierra Construction Corp. and soon became director and secretary-treasurer and part owner of the company. As the “First Lady of Construction,” she worked on projects for UNLV, Nellis Air Force Base, the Nevada Test Site, and numerous hotels, casinos, schools, and banks.

UNLV named a residence hall in Kitty’s honor in 1991 and presented her with an honorary doctorate in 1995. She was a compassionate philanthropist who supported many non-profit organizations. When she arrived in Las Vegas, she could not have imagined the lives she would touch and the legacy she would leave. Kitty passed away in 2014, but her impact on UNLV remains.