A bacterium DGUM 2011 has been selected from various samples of industrial wastewater and soil. Based on the morphological and physiological characteristics, the isolate DGUM 2011 was identified as Rhodococcus sp. and named as Rhodococcus sp. DGUM 2011. The optimal temperature and pH for the cell growth of Rhodococcus sp. DGUM 2011 were 37$circ$C and 7.6, respectively. When phenol was added to the minimal media as a sole source of carbon and energy, the concentrations of maximum and optimum for cell growth was 0.10% and 0.08%, respectively. When 0.05% phenol was given in the minimal media, Rhodococcus sp. DGUM 2011 completely utilize it within 24 hrs. The isolate could utilize benzoic acid, p-hydroxybenzoate, p-cresol, tyrosine and phloroglucinol. The isolate possessed both catechol 1,2-dioxygenase and 2,3-dioxygenase activity. However, the activity of catechol 1,2-dioxygenase was much higher than that of 2,3-dioxygenase, which suggests that the isolate might degrade phenol via both ortho- and meta-cleavage, mainly via ortho-cleavage.