Rod Sands, who helped turn San Antonio's Pace Foods into a picante sauce empire, dies at 75

Rodney “Rod” Sands, who helped turn San Antonio’s Pace Foods into a salsa empire and orchestrate the company’s $1.1 billion sale to Campbell Soup Co., died Jan. 20. He was 75. He was described as a devoted and humorous friend, a tenacious colleague and a man of faith who cared deeply for his family and was known affectionately as “Hot Rod.” “Rodney’s life was one of dedicated service to his loved ones and his community. His self-deprecating humor and warm personality were matched only by his commitment to his faith and his generosity, which were magnified after a life-changing heart attack in his early fifties,” the family said in his obituary. “He was a constant presence at Bible study and a leader in his local community.”

Sands worked alongside then-Pace Foods owner Christopher “Kit” Goldsbury for 25 years, running the company and introducing its popular Pace Picante sauce in new markets. In a rare interview, Goldsbury said Sands was a loyal friend and colleague who worked hard and “always had my back.” “He was the kind of person that if you had any kind of problem, he was always there to help,” Goldsbury said. “I can’t say enough good things about him.” Balous Miller of the Bill Miller Bar-B-Q family recalled meeting Sands 45 years ago through a tennis league at Dominion Country Club. He said Sands was the “best professional-trained businessman in San Antonio,” a marketing savant and hard worker who often took home two briefcases of papers to finish work at night. They were also part of a YPO forum, a peer support group for businesspeople. Sands was always willing to share his knowledge, carve out time to help someone and give his opinion without sugarcoating things, Miller said.