Based in Dallas, Texas, Caliber Account Coordinator Derrius Rodgers joined the team in June of 2022. This tried and true Chicago sports fan, former collegiate athlete, and collaborative team player sat down with Caliber Culture Manager, Kate Forster, to talk about his career in public relations in the financial services and fintech industries. Read on to learn more about Caliber Account Coordinator and Summer Grad Associate alum Derrius Rodgers in this Staff Spotlight interview.

Kate: What is your favorite nickname and how did you get it?

Derrius: My favorite nickname is simple. It’s just “D”. Obviously, it is short for Derrius, but growing up in sports, everyone called me “D” and it stuck! 

Kate: Where do you consider “home”? What is special about it?

Photo by Scott Olson/Getty Images

Derrius: Chicago, Illinois – It is where I was born and where most of my family still resides. Chicago comes with great tradition, like dying the Chicago River green for St. Patrick’s Day every year. Did you know that the Chicago Journeymen Plumbers Local Union 130 UA does that?

Chicago also has amazing food! If you are ever in Chicago, find the nearest ‘Portillos’ restaurant for a traditional Chicago hot dog. If you are looking for quality pizza, I recommend ‘Italian Fiesta Pizzeria’. But, now, I’ve traded in deep dish pizza for country cookin’ and barbeque, as I am currently living in Dallas, Texas. 

Kate: What non-work activities inspire you?

Derrius: Sports! I have always had a passion for sports and they still inspire me today, even after my high school and collegiate athletic career. I played football in high school and started to run track competitively in my sophomore year. I had quite a bit of success in track, so I made the tough decision to forgo my football dreams and run track in college. I attended Illinois State University for two years, before transferring to Texas Tech University.

In 2019, at Texas Tech, our track and field team won the outdoor national championship. Some of my top NCAA accolades include:

• Fastest freshman in the country (60m Dash)  (2017)
• 2x All-American 
• NCAA National Team Championship (2019)

I’m also a big fan of the Chicago Bears and Chicago White Sox. 

Kate: If you had to include one ingredient in every meal for the rest of your life, what would it be? 

Derrius: Garlic 

Kate: What’s your favorite movie and/or book?

Derrius: My favorite movie of all time is The Dark Knight Rises.

Kate: What’s one accomplishment from your childhood that you still brag about?

Derrius: When I was in the seventh grade, our basketball team made it to the state championship. I told you sports inspire me!

Kate: What’s something your colleagues don’t know about you?

Derrius: I love to listen to smooth jazz! 

Kate: When you think about your time at Caliber, what career accomplishment or milestone makes you feel most proud?

Derrius: Being able to be a part of an agency that is made up of an impressive group of professionals. This is something I am proud of every day. I have to add that the Graduate Associate Program at Caliber really helped kickstart my public relations career. Having the opportunity to jump into fintech and PR prepared me for the transition into a full-time Account Coordinator. 

Kate: Name one thing that amazes you about fintech or innovation in financial services.

Derrius: I am amazed at how many folks are directly impacted by fintech every day, without even knowing it. One prime example of this is the widespread adoption of mobile payment platforms, which demonstrates the power and potential of technology to transform the way we conduct financial transactions and manage our money. It’s exciting to see what the future holds as innovation continues to drive change and transformation in this space.

Kate: What’s your favorite thing about working at Caliber?

Derrius: I love the team I work with and the overall environment. The atmosphere is always positive and uplifting, and it feels very genuine. I appreciate being surrounded by well-rounded professionals and individuals who positively impact me and help me grow in numerous ways.