As the nation has celebrated Hispanic Heritage Month these past few weeks, it gave me pause to think of all the outstanding Hispanic individuals I have known throughout my life and my 40+ years with the Army Corps of Engineers. One of them, Daniel Rodriguez, the Dam Safety Program Manager for the North Atlantic Division of the Corps, stands out in particular.
When I first met Danny, nearly 30 years ago, the thing that struck me was his kind, polite, soft-spoken demeanor. It told of a quiet self-confidence rooted in a very strong faith. Little did I know the many challenges Danny faced in his early years, and how he overcame them to become a successful engineer and devoted family man.
"The Lord Jesus has been good to us Rodriguez children," he says.
Indeed. Danny, born in Buffalo and raised mostly in East New York (Brooklyn) and the East Bronx, is one of 10 children born to Pedro and Iris Rodriguez. Both parents were born in Puerto Rico. The two met on their block on W. 61st St. in Manhattan and moved to Buffalo, where several of the Rodriguez children were born.
Danny is proud of his Puerto Rican lineage and credits his mother with instilling his Hispanic heritage into him.
"My mom inculcated in us all things Puerto Rican," he says. "I felt like I was part of a big group and we had a language, good food, a place, our music and (he laughs) the "Sharks" in "West Side Story." All these things gave me comfort knowing that I was part of something big. Something proud and important."
After some years in Buffalo, the Rodriguez' returned to New York and Pedro went his separate way.
The family was split up, the children becoming wards of the state, being adopted by various families or sent to live in public institutions.
Danny and his brothers, Ray and Robert, were sent to St. Agnes Home and School for Boys in Sparkill, New York, which was run by the nuns of the Dominican Sisters. They lived at St. Agnes for 3 years. Then, in the summer of 1972, the three moved to the Bronx to live with Gilberto and Juana Nazario, their new foster parents. The Nazarios and their daughter, Iris, were strong and positive influences on the boys.
"Joining the Nazario family was one of the best things to happen to us," Danny says. "They took care of us and helped raise us right. There is no limit to the debt we owe to them for taking us into their home. They took us in and changed the course of our lives. My stepsister Iris was the greatest. She was a role model and helped us three become better people. "
With a more secure and structured life, Danny thrived. He zipped through junior high school (even skipping a grade!) and high school. It was here that Danny picked up his interest in science (junior high) and in engineering (high school), thanks mostly to teachers who made both subjects fun and interesting.
"In high school," Danny says, "I had three teachers who were Professional Engineers. They spoke about engineering as if it were the greatest job in the world. They were engaging, interested in their students, and encouraging. So from 10th grade on I decided I wanted to be an engineer.
He graduated from Columbia University with a Bachelor's of Science Degree in Civil Engineering.
"I was fortunate to have Colonel Bud Griffis, who at the time was the New York District Commander, as a Professor for one semester," Danny says. "Near the end of his course, he told us if we were interested in a summer job, we should apply to the Army Corps of Engineers. I filled out the application and in the summer of 1984 I joined the Coastal Engineering Section at the New York District."
After graduating from Columbia, Danny applied for a permanent position with the Corps. He joined the Foundations and Materials Section in 1985 and has been with the North Atlantic Division ever since.
"I've had a good career with the Corps," Danny says. "I've worked with a lot of outstanding people and have learned a lot."
He's put that learning to good use, helping the Corps do its outstanding work while earning performance awards and certificates of appreciation.
He is a Professional Engineer in New York State, a member of the Association of State Dam Safety officials and a member of the American Society of Civil Engineers. He represents the Corps of Engineers on the National Dam Safety Review Board, Workgroup on Training, and is on the Corps of Engineers Dam Safety Steering Committee.
Danny is married to the former Rachel Gutierrez, a microbiologist who worked for the Food and Drug Administration for 11 years before retiring to raise the couple's three children. She also worked as a food inspector and had 2 short term international teaching assignments related to her specialty. Her scientific knowledge and creativity helped her deal with the severe food allergies all 3 children had.
Rachel and Danny are both very active in their church, and have been for most of their lives. "The Lord has blessed me beyond measure," he says.
In his spare time. Danny likes to read the Bible and all sorts of books, play his guitar, go to church, play ball, write music, and do things at home.
"I have enjoyed my career at the Corps of Engineers," he says. "I have been able to work on interesting projects, met the smartest yet most unassuming professionals, and marveled at the breadth of talent of the staff and the things they do all over the world."
"It is an honor to have grown up in the United States," he says, and offers this advice to kids growing up in this country. "It doesn't' matter where you came from, what race or nationality you are, what you started with or what others have. You can take steps in your youth to become whatever you want to be. Don't spend your time griping; set your goals and take steps to accomplish them."
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