Abstract
The Kitty Rodman Collection on Sierra Construction Corporation (1987-2014) consists of one photograph album documenting the construction of the Mirage Hotel & Casino by Sierra Construction Corporation, and a binder containing photocopied documents and photographs providing a narrative of Kitty Rodman's life and career in Las Vegas as director of the corporation and as a noted philanthropist. Also included in the binder is a list of projects by Sierra Construction Corporation up to 1992, which contains construction dates and additional information such as project supervisor names.
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Scope and Contents Note
The Kitty Rodman Collection on Sierra Construction Corporation (1987-2014) consists of one photograph album documenting the construction of the Mirage Hotel & Casino by Sierra Construction Corporation, and a binder containing photocopied documents and photographs providing a narrative of Kitty Rodman's life and career in Las Vegas as director of the corporation and as a noted philanthropist. Also included in the binder is a list of projects by Sierra Construction Corporation up to 1992, which contains construction dates and additional information such as project supervisor names.
Access Note
Collection is open for research.
Publication Rights
This material is made available to facilitate private study, scholarship, or research. The donor, Patricia Badame, transferred all right, title and interest they had in the Kitty Rodman Collection on Sierra Construction Corporation (MS-01205) to UNLV. However, some material may be protected by copyright, trademark, privacy, publicity rights, or other interests not owned by UNLV. Users are responsible for determining whether permissions are necessary from rights owners for any intended use and for obtaining all required permissions. Acknowledgement of the UNLV University Libraries is requested. For more information, please see the UNLV Special Collections policies on reproductions and use or contact us at special.collections@unlv.edu.
Arrangement
Materials remain as they were received.
Biographical / Historical Note
Kitty Rodman was born on July 5, 1925 in Richmond, Virginia. Before she relocated to Las Vegas, Nevada and became known as the “First Lady of Construction,” she worked as a payroll supervisor for a government construction project in the early-to-mid 1940s where she gained experience in construction administration.
In 1946, she married Leon “Dick” Rodman when he returned from his military service in World War II. Kitty and Dick relocated to Las Vegas, Nevada in 1952 after Dick reenlisted in the United States Air Force and was stationed at Nellis Air Force Base. In 1953, Kitty enrolled in the Dana McKay College of Commerce in Las Vegas and during her time at the school, became associated with a newly-formed company, Sierra Construction Corporation. She joined founders Bill Koerwitz and Gus Rapone at Sierra and quickly became the corporation’s director, secretary-treasurer, and part-owner. She held these positions until her retirement in 2003.
Outside of her construction career, Kitty Rodman was an active philanthropist and supported non-profit organizations including the Nevada Easter Seals and Opportunity Village. She was especially active with Opportunity Village, lending her business expertise to the organization in its early days and later sponsoring programs. Some of Rodman’s many activities involving the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV) include providing a contribution to help establish the university’s physical therapy program in the late 1990s, co-founding the Jean Nidetch Women’s Center (known since 2020 as the Jean Nidetch Care Center), and supporting the UNLV Residential Life program.
Rodman was inducted into the Nevada Business Hall of Fame in 2007, and served as a member of the UNLV Foundation Board of Trustees for 25 years, attaining emeritus status in 2011. Kitty Rodman passed away on February 27, 2014 in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Sources:
Juhl, Wesley. “Parkinson’s claims generous UNLV supporter Rodman.”
Kitty Rodman Collection on Sierra Construction Corporation, 1987-2014. MS-01205. Special Collections and Archives, University Libraries, University of Nevada, Las Vegas. Las Vegas, Nevada.
“Las Vegas “First Lady” of construction, Kitty Rodman, dies after a lengthy illness with Parkinson’s.”
The Women’s Research Institute of Nevada. “Kitty Rodman.” MAKERS Masterlist. Accessed February 12, 2025. https://makersteachingmodules.sites.unlv.edu/items/show/90.
Sierra Construction Corporation was a Las Vegas, Nevada-based construction company established in 1953 by Bill Koerwitz, president and field supervisor, and Gus Rapone, executive vice president and job procurer and estimator. Kitty Rodman joined the company shortly after its establishment as director, secretary-treasurer, and office manager. Additional long-time employees of the company include Patricia Badame, executive assistant to Kitty Rodman, and Jerry Koerwitz, executive assistant to Gus Rapone.
The first projects that Sierra Construction Corporation built were office, bank, and school buildings, along with projects at the Nevada Test Site and Nellis Air Force Base. As the company grew, they began securing contracts for projects such as the Flora Dungan Humanities Building on the University of Nevada, Las Vegas campus, and hotels and casinos including the Golden Nugget, Binion’s Horseshoe, Four Queens, Santa Fe Station, and the Mirage. The company also built additions to several other hotels and casinos, as well as the Las Vegas Convention Center.
Sources:
Kitty Rodman Collection on Sierra Construction Corporation, 1987-2014. MS-01205. Special Collections and Archives, University Libraries, University of Nevada, Las Vegas. Las Vegas, Nevada.
“Las Vegas “First Lady” of construction, Kitty Rodman, dies after a lengthy illness with Parkinson’s.”
Preferred Citation
Kitty Rodman Collection on Sierra Construction Corporation, 1987-2014. MS-01205. Special Collections and Archives, University Libraries, University of Nevada, Las Vegas. Las Vegas, Nevada.
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Acquisition Note
Materials were donated in 2025 by Patricia Badame; accession number 2025-015.
Processing Note
In 2025, Landon Paljusaj processed the collection and created the finding aid in ArchivesSpace.
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Appraisal Note
Acquired by curator Su Kim Chung as part of UNLV Special Collections and Archives' holdings on women in Las Vegas and Southern Nevada history. All material that formed the original gift has been retained.