Andrew Bodner, president of Oxford Penacook Investments Inc., has had a career that spans energy and real-estate, even a tennis bubble. It amounts to a “path less travelled,” as he calls it, and it has led him also into the arenas of voluntary and elective public service.
Bodner grew up in New Haven and attended high school in Manhattan. He went on to Dartmouth College where he graduated with a major in economics.
“I graduated and started a Ph.D. program in economics at Princeton but realized that wasn”™t my calling,” said Bodner. “I got an MBA from the University of Chicago and then went off into the financial world.”
Bodner began his career at Banker”™s Trust in New York City.
“In 1982, I started in venture capital and the project finance area,” said Bodner. “It was an exciting place to be in the early ”™80s. That was the beginning of the alternative energy industry.
“We were providing debt and equity for projects ranging from large multinational petrochemical and mining facilities to the small leveraged buyouts,” he said.
He would become involved in investing in hydroelectric projects. “The bank did a series of investments and projects like that, and it became something that I really enjoyed,” said Bodner. “I left to start my own business.”
Â
Bodner built a company, Oxford Energy, which developed and operated a number of power plants throughout the country producing electricity from things ranging from water and garbage to rice and wood.
Â
“Ultimately my claim to fame is tires,” said Bodner.
Oxford Energy turned tires into energy.
“Tires were particularly interesting because there were 250 million tires each year being thrown away,” said Bodner. “Tires are basically oil that is shaped like a donut. They don”™t biodegrade they don”™t bury in landfills, they just sit there in these accumulating piles breeding mosquitoes and starting fires. So finding an environmentally sound way to get rid of tires and make electricity was wonderful.”
Bodner”™s company began to be involved in the collection, grinding and reuse of tires in a multitude of ways.
Bodner”™s business involvement also stretched to dry bulk freight shipping and real estate development. “I enjoyed the venture capital-backing world,” said Bodner.
Bodner had always had a passion for tennis and played through his early 20s but as his busy business load progressed the racquet fell from his hands.
Bodner”™s wife suggested that he get back in shape.
He joined Ridgefield Tennis Club also known and Ridgefield Athletic Club.
“The person who was the owner at the time was capable, but needed more resources to make it what it could be,” said Bodner.
Â
Always the investor, 10 years ago Bodner saw an opportunity in his backyard to invest and five years ago ultimately to own the operation.
Â
Bodner has expanded the facility, added a new outdoor tennis bubble and a new lighting system.
“I love working to make businesses the best they can be,” said Bodner. “I enjoy the process.”
In recent years, he won a seat as selectman in Ridgefield”™s Town Hall.
“I became involved about 10 years ago,” said Bodner. “I realized I was rooted here and that I should be giving back.
“I”™m now on my second term,” said Bodner. “It”™s a challenging thing to be a part of; Ridgefield faces the same challenges other communities face; maintaining quality schools and infrastructure, though we get very little back from the state.”
Bodner, who is the father of five children and four step-children, all in the Ridgefield Public School System, said he sees it as a responsibility to be a part of keeping up the quality of life in Ridgefield. His wife is Nina, a New York City attorney.
Bodner also serves on the board of the Ridgefield Republican Town Committee and on the board of the Ridgefield Rotary Club.
“My philosophy is to do something special that can be challenging and fun,” said Bodner. “My career has become one of doing the path less traveled.”
