Why Her? Why Not Me?

Roland Bain was a Great Depression baby, having been born in Los Angles, California in 1928. After graduating from Los Angeles High School, he enlisted in the Navy near the end of World War II. Following his discharge, he attended UCLA where he earned his Masters Degree in petroleum geology. While at UCLA he joined the Beta Theta Pi fraternity, becoming its president in his senior year. In 1956, Roland was awarded a Fulbright Scholarship to study at the Sorbonne and to conduct research at the French Petroleum Institute near Paris, France. His first employment was with Texaco Corp. where he became engaged in the search for oil and gas accumulations in the Los Angeles Basin. Two years later he was transferred to Sacramento where he spent the following seven years conducting similar research. Leaving Texaco, he became a Consulting Petroleum Geologist and was successful in developing several impressive accumulations of natural gas. His expertise resulted in his consulting for such entities as the Pacific Gas &Electric Co., Dow Chemical and the Sacramento Municipal Utility District. Rolands publishing credits include two published books - HOLLYWOOD DECO FASHIONS OF THE 1920s, a heavily illustrated fashion-design book about his mothers arrival from France in 1919 and her becoming a costume designer in Hollywoods movie industry during its1920s Golden Age, and ENTER THE ENEMY, A French Familys Life Under German Occupation. Other publishing credits includea seven-year stint as a columnist for The Sacramento Union (the oldest daily newspaper west of the Mississippi), and numerous published professional articles. His dedication to professional reporting earned him honorary life-time memberships in two professional associations.