Rooted in Results

From a young age, Don and Bill Budinger were told by their father each night about the profound responsibility Americans inherited after winning World War II. A pilot trainer in the South Pacific during the war, he instilled the family value of leaving the country and their local community in better condition than it was given to them.

This principle served as the foundation for Don and Bill founding Rodel Inc., a garage startup in Delaware with operations in Arizona that grew to become the leading global manufacturer of surface-finishing chemicals used to make computer chips, rigid memory disks and specialty optics. Rodel Inc. expanded globally through a joint venture in Japan, Rodel Nitta, as well as the establishment of operations in Europe and across Asia.

“As we built our company, we always had in the back of our mind, is this enough? Is building a great company enough? Is leading the world as an American company and a critical technology enough?” Don Budinger said. “And the answer to that was, yes, at the moment, but not totally.”

Rodel was sold to Rohm and Haas in 1999, and the brothers made a commitment to spend the rest of their lives trying to make the country better. “When we sold the company, my brother and I were young, and we wanted to continue this in the nonprofit space,” Budinger said. “America is the world leader in philanthropy. It’s who we are as a nation. We’re givers, not takers.”

Rodel foundations in Arizona and Delaware were established with proceeds from the sale, with a focus on improving K–12 public education systems in both states as the country’s system lagged significantly behind international peers. “We made an investment in Arizona and Delaware that would dramatically improve public education performance for every kid in all schools,” Budinger said.

Rodel’s charitable work has remained consistent while evolving over more than two decades. Rodel Foundation of Delaware continues its focus on a strong and equitable public education system and has seen tremendous success, including the state’s successful award of a $125 million Race to the Top grant during the Obama administration.

Budinger describes the educational landscape in Arizona as one that “has struggled,” consistently hovering near the bottom of national education rankings, often placing as low as 48th. Funding per student is among the lowest in the country, and the state continues to grapple with building a system that gives every child a strong opportunity to succeed.

Following two decades of advocacy, Rodel Arizona sunset its operations a little more than two years ago, concluding that its model could not fully drive systemic change at the state level. Efforts have since been redirected to Delaware and at the national level through the Rodel Institute.

The Rodel Institute, a center for leadership learning and intellectual development, helps America’s most promising leaders deepen their commitment to democracy and the rule of law, become more effective public servants and work together across party lines to address some of the nation’s most pressing challenges. Its programs convene diverse leaders from across the political, legal and policy spectrum to find common ground, build relationships and encourage cooperation.

Budinger continues to honor his deeply rooted belief in making the country better through intentional, personal philanthropy to several Arizona organizations, including his alma mater, the University of Arizona, the ASU Center for Free Speech, and initiatives like the Arizona Media Institute created by Center for the Future of Arizona. “My intention is for Arizona to be the best state in the union to live, work and raise a family,” he said.

His desire for lasting impact is grounded in results. “I want the country better off, the average American’s life to be the best ever, and Arizona to fulfill its potential, which is phenomenal,” Budinger said.

Over the years, Budinger has embraced three values that amplify his father’s teaching and guide his philanthropic investments:

• Always spend less than you make.
• Always give back more than you take out.
• Add value to every organization you belong to and to every community you’re part of.

“There are two primary elements that advance the quality of life and the human experience. One of them is education, and the other is technology,” he said. “We need to rededicate our commitment to education as the world gets more complex and faster. As AI descends upon everything, a fabulous education is going to be more important than ever — because you’ll learn how to use those technologies to benefit your family, job and community, rather than have it overwhelm you. Education is the key.”

To learn more, visit rodelinstitute.org.