“The Right Thing, Always”: The Legacy and Leadership of Mary Roder at Heights Venture

At the heart of every enduring company is a story of vision, grit, and people who choose to give their best for the sake of something greater. At Heights Venture, few stories embody that spirit more completely than that of Mary Roder, who has spent 24 years as our Chief Financial Officer. Hers is a story of reinvention, commitment, and quiet transformation—of a woman who brought stability in chaos, clarity through numbers, and compassion in leadership.

As she prepares for her well-earned retirement in 2025, we look back on the incredible journey of Mary Roder: the steady hand behind Heights Venture’s financial growth, a mentor to many, and a role model in grace, good-heartedness, and generosity.

Mary Roder’s journey into finance didn’t follow a traditional path. While her love of bookkeeping began with two high school courses, her college years were spent in chemical engineering, encouraged by her father, who recognized her analytical mind. She graduated from the University of Houston in 1983, but the job market at the time led her far from home to Richmond, Virginia, where she first worked temp jobs involving early computer automation before landing her first engineering job at a nuclear power consulting firm.

Even then, she found herself straddling two worlds—engineering and administration. She thrived in both, creating process manuals and handling internal financials. But in 1989, she took a leap of faith and changed careers completely, returning to Houston to begin anew in accounting. While working toward her MBA, she held positions in property management and higher education, rising through the ranks to become CFO of a private college in Dallas.

By 2000, exhausted from years of 80-hour weeks and far from family, Mary returned to Houston and made a life-changing decision: she wanted to find meaningful work that fit her skills and allowed her to build something lasting. Thanks to her architect brother, Ernesto, and a serendipitous encounter at AIA Houston’s Sandcastle event, Mary’s resume landed in the hands of Heights Venture founding partner Stephen Jovicich. And as Mary says, “the rest is history.”

She joined Heights Venture in August 2001. The firm was just two and a half years into new ownership and had 62 employees across two offices. The accounting department ran on outdated DOS-based systems and dot-matrix printers. “It was clear,” she recalls, “that the firm needed to embrace newer technologies, procedures, and reporting tools.”

One of her earliest challenges was modernizing cash reporting. At the time, Stephen tracked cash with a one-day, one-page report. Mary introduced a monthly worksheet that offered deeper insights—cash trends, consultant load percentages, payroll costs, and more. At first, Stephen resisted. But after 30 days of data, he was convinced.

That spreadsheet not only changed how the firm saw its finances, but it also cemented Mary’s value. From that point on, the partners realized they didn’t just need an accountant. They needed a financial guide.

Mary quickly became that person. Within months, she transitioned Heights Venture from Timberline to Deltek, a more sophisticated financial software. After just six months, she was promoted to CFO, and by 2004, she was a Senior Associate. But titles barely scratch the surface of her contributions.

Over the next two decades, Heights Venture grew and contracted in response to the market, and Mary was central to every turning point.

In late 2001, her financial forecasts prompted a difficult downsizing from 62 to 40 employees. In 2003, during another downturn, the firm went from 42 to just 17 employees.

Mary became the sole administrative staff member—managing accounting, payroll, HR, phones, and more. She stepped up in crisis after crisis—not out of obligation, but out of loyalty and love for the firm.

Even in years of growth, her voice guided the firm's trajectory. In 2005, when revenue projections exceeded staff capabilities, Mary gave the rare green light to hire again. Her fiscal discipline, combined with her ability to look ahead, helped Heights Venture thrive through the 2008 hurricane, the 2009 downturn, and the COVID-19 pandemic.

During Hurricane Ike in 2008, she helped the firm stay fully operational—despite their building being damaged—by coordinating work-from-home efforts before remote work was mainstream. Then in 2020, she returned to the office early in the pandemic to support new CEO Scott Roselius in his leadership transition. The firm’s financial performance improved each year from 2019 through 2022.

Mary’s legacy isn’t just in the crises she managed—but in the systems she built to prevent them.

She created the daily cash management system that remains the bedrock of HV’s financial operations. Her models—monthly and annual budgets, payroll estimations, KPI analyses, tax conversion tools, and more—have given the firm not only a picture of where it’s been, but a roadmap of where it’s going.

She even created a compound interest model to help staff better understand the long-term power of their 401(k) contributions—an example of how she blends financial literacy with mentorship.

Mary also developed checklists, regular payment processes, and client communication tools that strengthened the firm’s financial reputation. Relationships with vendors, consultants, banks, and clients all benefited from her insistence on timeliness, accuracy, and transparency.

Ask Mary why she stayed with Heights Venture for over two decades, and she’ll tell you: “The trust, respect, and value the partners have shown me from day one.”

Mary’s loyalty didn’t come from a paycheck. Her commitment was never about dollars—it was about doing meaningful work for people who valued her. She describes the Heights Venture culture as one of opportunity and accountability: “HV will not pull you through your career—you must take the responsibility to learn and grow.” That belief shaped how she mentored her staff, giving them autonomy, variety in their work, and a chance to rise.

Mary’s leadership style is grounded in a deep moral compass. She still lives by advice from her mother: “Always do the right thing. It may be the hardest thing, but it’s the thing you’ll never regret.” That simple truth has guided her through every tough call, every hire, every late night spent closing the books.

Knowing her husband’s health would require more of her time, Mary began succession planning early. She initiated the firm’s search for new accounting staff in 2021, and although early hires didn’t work out, she persisted. In late 2023, Heights Venture hired Jesus Uribe, who immediately proved to be a vital asset.

By January 2025, Mary had transitioned day-to-day responsibilities to Jesus and a second hire, Rodney Ferguson. She now focuses on special projects—refining models, aligning tools with new software, and ensuring the team is ready to thrive after her retirement.

Mary’s advice to new leaders is clear and simple:

•           Don’t be afraid to work hard.

•           Learn new things every day.

•           Be honest with yourself and others.

•           Step out of your comfort zone.

•           Always strive to be better today than yesterday.

It’s a philosophy she’s lived—and one she leaves behind as a blueprint for others.

Outside the office, Mary’s passions are as wide-ranging as her career: music, photography, baking, gardening, family, yoga, and mentoring the next generation of her large family. Her hobbies have helped her create balance and joy during a demanding career.

She’s recently been more intentional about downtime and looks forward to retirement with the same purpose and heart she brought to every day at Heights Venture.

What will Mary Roder’s legacy be at Heights Venture?

It will be found in the financial models still used long after she’s gone. In the culture of integrity and discipline she helped shape. In the careers she’s nurtured and the calm she brought to moments of chaos. In the firm’s steady hands, now ready to lead without her, because of her.

From a high school bookkeeping class to the boardroom of a leading architecture firm, Mary’s story reminds us that purpose isn’t found in job titles—it’s found in doing the right thing, day after day, year after year.

Thank you, Mary—for 24 years of dedication, leadership, and heart. Heights Venture is better because of you!