William Irwin Rolland

Bill Rolland grew up in downtown LA during the depression and became aware of how very important it was to a family to have a job. His bed was in the kitchen but his mind and heart were in succeeding. When he was very young he worked for the Southern Pacific and Pacific Electric Railways. This provided Bill with a lifelong fascination for steam engines and powerful engines which grew into his love of cars, speed and design.

He was drafted into the Korean War where he also played football for the Army. Upon returning home he became a firefighter for the Los Angeles Fire Department in 1957. He chose this career rather than law enforcement because he could work every holiday and weekend and have time during the week to pursue his passion for building and investing in real estate. He worked physically, he worked hard and long and he took risks.

In 1969 during the fires and mudslides in Mandeville Canyon Bill was buried alive during a rescue, yet he saved the life of another. For his unselfish acts he was awarded the City of Los Angele’s Fire Department’s Medal of Valor. Its highest honor. This experience lead to Bill’s great compassion for families of fallen and injured firefighters, injured in the line of duty. In the late 80’s he established the William Rolland Firefighters Foundation to benefit family members of firefighters who face life-threatening medical challenges and to provide financial and medical assistance to burn victims. The current foundation has been extended to “The William Rolland Firefighters and Cancer Research Foundation.”

Bill spent 17 years as a firefighter and over four decades as a real estate developer and investor. He, along with his life companion Kay Green, together worked tirelessly in their careers and then made the decision that it was time to give back. Bill and Kay were married December 23, 2012 at CLU in the William Rolland Football Stadium Rotunda.

Bill’s passion for architecture, art and sports has been fully manifested in the William Rolland Stadium and Gallery of Art at Cal Lutheran University. He has been involved every step of the way and been stalwart in his commitment both personally and financially to CLU. It is more than we could ever hoped it could be!

My hero Vince Lombardi said:

“After the Cheers have died down and the stadium is empty, after the headlines have been written and you are back – in the quiet of your room and the championship ring has been placed on the dresser and all the pomp and fanfare has faded, the enduring things that are left are:

The dedication to excellence, the dedication to victory and the dedication to doing with our lives the very best we can to make the world a better place in which to live”

Written by Joan R. Young, Longtime friend of Kay and Bill. Edited by Frank Borden from a 2011 speech.

Bill was a Board Member and benefactor of the LAFD Historical Society & William Rolland Firefighters Educational Institute housed in Old Fire Station 27 at 1355 No. Cahuenga Blvd., Hollywood, CA 90028