Born April 16, 1920, in Broadalbin, New York, Rogers Burton Finch married Barbara E. Hine of Gloversville, New York, in 1942. He was a graduate of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, where he received bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degrees in mechanical engineering. During World War II, he served as an officer in the U.S. Army Quartermaster Corps as Chief of Heavy Textile Research and Development, retiring from the U.S. Army Reserve in 1975 with the rank of brigadier general. Among his military decorations are the Legion of Merit, Army Commendation Medal, and Meritorious Achievement Medal.
His career accomplishments include Assistant Professor, MIT Department of Mechanical Engineering; Chief of the U.S. Scientific, Technical, and Economic Mission, Rangoon, Burma; Director of Research, Associate Dean of the Hartford Graduate Center, Dean of the School of Science, and Vice President for Planning of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute; Chief of University Relations of the Peace Corps; Executive Director of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers; and Executive Vice President of the Illuminating Engineering Society of North America.
He served as U.S. delegate to the Pan American Federation of Engineering Organizations; President of the Council of Engineering and Scientific Society Executives; Vice President of the World Federation of Engineering Organizations; and officer and board member of the American Society of Association Executives. He was a Registered Professional Engineer in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and the State of New York and a Certified Association Executive. In 1985 he received the Key Award, the highest national honor given by the American Society of Association Executives.
He was a member of Theta Chi, Tau Beta Pi, and many military, professional, historical, patriotic, and genealogical societies. His activities included family history and genealogy, and he was a licensed amateur radio operator with interests in emergency communications.
Editor’s Note: This obituary was submitted by Kathy Finch the daughter of Rogers Burton Finch.
