R. H. (Rod) Redmond, founder of the Master of Business Taxation program at USC and a Rustic Canyon resident for more than 50 years, died on February 25 at the age of 98. Tax professionals are often considered ‘number crunchers’ more than ‘people persons,’ but clients, colleagues and students praised Rod Redmond as both. Among those who became his personal friends were business owners, accountants, lawyers, authors, architects and the renowned designers Charles and Ray Eames. Born and raised in Salt Lake City, Redmond graduated from the University of Utah and earned a master’s degree in business administration from Northwestern University. In 1935, he joined the Division of Investigation of the U.S. Department of Justice, renamed the ‘FBI’ during his tenure. He settled in Los Angeles, and became a senior accountant for Haskins and Sells in 1937. One of the turning points in Redmond’s life was an adventure he embarked upon in 1938, working his way on a year’s journey around the world on the eve of the outbreak of war in Europe. His experience exposed him to the rich variety of world civilizations, but also taught him that human nature is fundamentally the same wherever people live. Upon his return, Redmond became a supervisory auditor for Lockheed Aircraft Corporation in Burbank and attended Loyola Law School at night. He was admitted to the California Bar in 1951. In 1948, he formed the accounting firm Redmond & Tronvig with his Lockheed colleague and friend Donald H. Tronvig. Redmond became a professor at the USC School of Business in 1962. Concurrently he joined the downtown law firm Baker, Ancel & Redmond. While at USC, Redmond created the Master of Business Taxation program, and he was especially pleased at being selected by his students to receive an award for distinguished and inspirational teaching. One of his students wrote him in 1967: ‘I fear your persuasive powers may have had an incalculable effect on me. You gave a short talk on the advantages of being a reader so I decided to become a reader. You arranged a tax job at Haskins and Sells, and I took advantage of that. You have a CPA certificate, and I want to earn that too. You are a lawyer, and I will start law school in the fall–thanks to your recommendation. Now, all these events could be coincidental, but more likely, they are the result of superior teaching.’ Upon his departure from USC in 1977, Redmond was appointed professor emeritus in accounting. He taught two years in the graduate program at Cal State Northridge before retiring, both from teaching and from the law firm in 1979. He is survived by his wife, Hannah; his daughter Jane Mueller of Fremont; his son John Redmond (wife Marilyn) of Pacific Palisades; grandchildren Kathleen Olstein (husband Erik), Annie Mueller and Sean Redmond; and three great-grandsons. Contributions in his honor may be made to the Hemphill/Redmond Tax Fellowship Fund (by check made out to USC Leventhal School of Accounting in care of Ms. Jean Bowman, Citigroup Center, Los Angeles, CA 90089-8201) or to WISE Adult Day Services (in care of Frankie Aggers, 1510 Pico Blvd., Santa Monica, CA 90405).
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