lifelong resident of Idaho, Bill Roden is a graduate of the University of Idaho, where he received degrees in political science and law. Following his admission to practice law in Idaho, he served as Special Agent, Counter-Intelligence Corps, United States Army for two years. Upon returning to Idaho, he served one year as an Ada County Deputy Prosecuting Attorney, and two years as an Assistant Attorney General for the State of Idaho, where he was counsel for the Department of Law Enforcement, the Department of Finance, and the Public Utilities Commission. In 1958, he was elected to the office of Prosecuting Attorney for Ada County.

In 1960, Mr. Roden entered the private practice of law and was also elected to the Idaho Senate, representing Ada County, Idaho. He served four terms in the Senate, during which time he also served as Assistant Majority Leader and as Senate Majority Leader.

Throughout his career he has combined an active law practice with work on behalf of diverse national and state clients concerning major legislative and administrative matters before the Idaho legislature and local and state administrative agencies. His role has been not only as a legislative and public affairs advisor to his clients, but as the primary draftsman of significant and complex legislation, including the Idaho Telecommunications Act of 1988, which achieved substantial regulatory reform for the telecommunications industry in Idaho.

Since 1992, the biennial editions of The Idaho Political Almanac have ranked him as "A dean among Idaho lobbyists" and reported that he "routinely ranks first in surveys of legislators asked who is the most influential lobbyist at the Statehouse." The 2000 Idaho Yearbook Directory, published by Ridenbaugh Press and edited by Randy Stapilus, which admits that its list of Idaho's Influential 100 Idahoans is "an unscientific, thoroughly subjective list, with some claim to reasonable, ballpark validity" listed Mr. Roden in the top 25 of that group for the third year in a row and stated that he was "widely regarded as the single most effective lobbyist in Boise."

Mr. Roden is active in a number of civic organizations, including the Greater Boise Chamber of Commerce and the Idaho Association of Commerce and Industry. Mr. Roden and his wife Betty are the parents of two children. They share a love of the outdoors with most Idahoans, and especially enjoy the beautiful mountain and outdoor activities at their summer home on Payette Lake.