Board Member Spotlight
David P. Rochester, Sr. ’68*
Business and finance expert. Helping hand to others. True Clemson ambassador.
David Rochester of Aldie, Virginia, sets the standard for impactful service and effective leadership in everything he does – as a professional, in his community, and especially for Clemson.
The Clemson, S.C., native earned a bachelor’s degree in economics from Clemson University in 1968. He went on to earn a master’s in economics from North Carolina State University in 1970 and a doctorate in business and finance from the University of Georgia in 1974. He served in the United States Army from 1968 to 1982.
Today, he is chairman of Capital Resources Group Inc., the investment banking firm that he founded in 1983, and owner and operator of Cool Spring Farm, an award-winning Angus cattle and sport horse enterprise. He also is president of WorldWideWord Inc., a Christian ministry that he and his wife, Catherine, founded in 2000 to fund schools and orphanages, promote health care and provide micro business start-up loans throughout Africa, India, Nepal, the Philippines and Eastern European countries.
David, who was chief economist for the Federal Savings and Loan Insurance Corp. from 1977 to 1980, has frequently served as an expert witness on federal and state levels, including in court cases and before Congressional subcommittees. He has published scholarly articles in numerous professional journals and has held faculty positions at the University of Georgia, the University of Alabama, Virginia Tech and George Washington University.
Among his many community service activities and accomplishments in Virginia, he is a longtime member of the Piedmont Environmental Council and received the Clean Water Farm Award for the Potomac River Basin from the Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation. He is founder and president of the Leesburg Church Foundation for funding Christian ministries and is a leader of the Leesburg Community Church, the Middleburg Humane Foundation and several other local organizations.
Since 1996, David has been active in multiple roles for the Baltimore/Washington, DC Clemson Club. His contributions, leadership and relationships have been instrumental in the club’s growth and success in alumni engagement throughout Maryland, the District of Columbia and northern Virginia and in fundraising initiatives to support scholarships and other University priorities.
He is noted for his willingness to assist Clemson officials and students who visit Washington and for creating global opportunities for Clemson by hosting receptions and programs in the embassies of countries such as Belgium, Germany, Canada, the Philippines, the Czech Republic, Slovenia, India and China. He and his wife also established the Rochester Passport Program to support student travel overseas to learn about servant leadership by reducing poverty through the creation of small businesses in developing countries.
David has helped to arrange business and government internships for Clemson students and regularly mentors Clemson alumni in the greater Washington area. He also meets with local high school students and parents to promote their interest in Clemson.
David and Catherine have two children: daughter Caroline Rochester Dickens and son David P. Rochester II.
* This information was taken from the Clemson Alumni Association Distinguished Service Award website.
Upcoming Events
See AllFootball Watching Party vs Furman
Football Watching Party vs Furman
November 22
@
4:30 pm
–
8:00 pm
Come out to cheer on our Tigers with fellow local alumni, parents, and fans. Everyone is welcome – whether you’re a die-hard fan or just want to be part of the Clemson spirit. We’ll be watching the games all season long at the locations listed below while enjoying food and drink specials exclusively for our group as we celebrate those Tiger touchdowns.
Kickoff time is TBD.
2025 Game Watch Locations
- Arlington, VA – Astro Beer Hall, 4001 Campbell Avenue
- Baltimore, MD – Little Havana, 1325 Key Highway
- DC – Mission Navy Yard, 1221 Van Street SE
- Bethesda, MD – BT’s** (pilot location), 4866 Cordell Avenue
**While Tiger fans are most welcome to watch games at BT’s each week, the Club will only be officially hosting a few games there this season. Stay tuned for which games!
Don’t forget to check in when you arrive each week at the parties, and we’ll make an Annual Fund donation in your name from the Club! We’re always looking for more Tigers to help host watch parties. Want to volunteer for a game or two? Contact beth@clemsonclub.org.
Football Watching Party vs South Carolina
Football Watching Party vs South Carolina
November 29
@
12:00 pm
–
3:00 pm
Come out to cheer on our Tigers with fellow local alumni, parents, and fans. Everyone is welcome – whether you’re a die-hard fan or just want to be part of the Clemson spirit. We’ll be watching the games all season long at the locations listed below while enjoying food and drink specials exclusively for our group as we celebrate those Tiger touchdowns.
Kickoff is at noon.
2025 Game Watch Locations
- Arlington, VA – Astro Beer Hall, 4001 Campbell Avenue
- Baltimore, MD – Little Havana, 1325 Key Highway
- DC – Mission Navy Yard, 1221 Van Street SE
- Bethesda, MD – BT’s** (pilot location), 4866 Cordell Avenue
**While Tiger fans are most welcome to watch games at BT’s each week, the Club will only be officially hosting a few games there this season. Stay tuned for which games!
Don’t forget to check in when you arrive each week at the parties, and we’ll make an Annual Fund donation in your name from the Club! We’re always looking for more Tigers to help host watch parties. Want to volunteer for a game or two? Contact beth@clemsonclub.org.
Wreaths Out
Wreaths Out
January 10, 2026
@
8:00 am
–
10:00 am
By January, the holiday spirit has lessened and the weather is colder. The 250,000+ holiday wreaths that were placed at Arlington National Cemetery in December are ready to be removed. Coordinated by Wreaths Across America, this is an often overlooked volunteer opportunity. Join the Clemson Club to help retrieve/remove wreaths as we honor veterans, their service and their final resting place.
This volunteer opportunity is open to everyone and many hands are needed to help!
Please note that attendees over 18 years old may be required to show a valid Real ID.
Mom's Care Package Party - VA
Mom's Care Package Party - VA
January 22, 2026
@
6:30 pm
–
8:30 pm
We would love to have you join us in Ashburn, VA for a very casual evening of Clemson camaraderie! We’ll enjoy hors d’oeuvres and beverages, meet some great local Clemson moms, and assemble care packages for our Clemson students in time for a Valentine’s Day surprise.
Here’s how it works: Once we have a confirmed guest count, each person is asked to bring one item to contribute to the care packages. For example, if we have 15 people joining, then you would bring 15 of one item (Rice Krispies treats, lip balm, ramen noodles, fuzzy socks … you get the idea!) and at the end of the night, you’ll walk away with a box full of goodies that you can mail to your Clemson student(s).
Sounds like fun, right?!
Event details and the final count for the number of items to bring will be emailed two days prior to the event.
CU@Home - CU-ICAR
CU@Home - CU-ICAR
January 28, 2026
@
12:00 pm
–
1:00 pm
Join us for this special lunch time event featuring David Clayton, the Executive Director of the Clemson University International Center for Automotive Research (CU-ICAR).
David will give us a behind the scenes glimpse into how Clemson and CU-ICAR are fundamentally redefining the automotive industry through strategic partnerships and cutting-edge research. We’ll hear about CU-ICAR’s work with autonomous vehicles including a look at Deep Orange, the flagship graduate student program that challenges students to design, engineer, and prototype a completely new concept vehicle in two years, pushing the boundaries of conventional design.
