An AIPG GEO-Human-Interest Story –

What are the Odds? Of 2 People Meeting in Colorado

            Both from Florissant with mutual ties

This short story addresses the question – “What does AIPG do?” from a new perspective. A few years ago in downtown Denver, Past National President John Bognar CPG, 8341 and Past National President MattRhoades CPG, 7837 were introduced by mutual friend Tom Cavanaugh CPG 10493, while at dinner.

Bognar and Rhoades began the usual questioning of each other’s history. What is your geologic area ofpractice? Who did you work for? Where did you work? And then the question     “Where are you from originally?”. Both said Missouri. What part of Missouri? The response by both, the St. Louis area.

What part of St. Louis area? Both responded – originally in the northern section of St. Louis County? What town? Both responded Florissant, MO. By this time Rhoades and Bognar now knew of a previously unknown close connection. Tom Cavanaugh was shaking his head in amazement!

The discussion went on to the point of discovery that Rhoades and Bognar had grown up literally just a couple of blocks from each other in Florissant, as boys had played each other’s teams in baseball and frequented the same neighborhood park.

The park had an iconic battle tank used in World War II for the kids to enjoy and climb all over. They both learned, they had taken their earliest swimming lessons at the park’s pool and had given Santa Claus their wish list upon guaranteeing him of good behavior that year – as Santa made his yearly stop at the park’s administration building. Rhoades and Bognar had thesemutual experiences some six decades ago.

This November (2024) Rhoades and Bognar met for lunch in Florissant at a small blue-collar sports bar and afterward, took a tour of the old neighborhood still sporting its mid-century modern architectural suburban style. It was a rather amazing afternoon of pleasantries as the coincidences of yesteryear

continued to be uncovered.

When asked the question of each other – “What about growing up in Florissant, MO put you on the path to eventually become the National President of the American Institute of Professional Geologists?”

Rhoades and Bognar both smiled and said, “Not a darn thing, this just must be an amazing coincidence.”

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