House Director’s Note

First off, let me introduce myself.  I am an alumni of Alpha Gamma Rho, Beta Chapter, initiated in January 1981.  During weekdays, I work in downtown Columbus as the Director of Data Integration for the Ohio House Republican Organizational Committee (OHROC). This Republican organization is the campaigning arm for the 99 seats in the Ohio House of Representatives.

Secondly, we are close to ¾’s of the way through this the 2015-16 academic year, but it seems like last week that our young men were moving into our newly refurbished AGR Chapter house.  I had the privilege to be here as the active chapter adjusted to the new amenities and modern features the house now provides, in particular, up-to-date codes required by new and refurbished multi-unit residences.

Our first significant change last year was halfway through the semester when our house kitchen received the permit for operations.  Meals which had been prepared offsite and catered onto heating plates, are now prepared in the house kitchen and served from hot and cold buffet carts.  While our chef, Gary Nixon has always prepared great meals, our food’s freshness and consistency improved with the kitchen’s opening. The house kitchen is now one of the best, if not THEE best, fraternity/sorority kitchen at Ohio State.  I want to thank our Hirzel alumni brothers for their generous donation providing modern kitchen appliances.

I have been living on 3rd floor of the ’71 addition.  While it has allowed me to interact with the actives, particularly those living on the 3rd floor, I am looking forward to the completion of the House Director’s suite on the 1st floor.  I have been given the opportunity to work with the architect designing the new layout.  A new open concept of the Director’s living-room/kitchen will be in the space previously containing the front room and bathroom.  The suite’s new bedroom and bathroom will be where the former bedroom and kitchenette were located. We are taking special care to save the 1904 integrity of this space and where possible refurbish to the original architectural design as seen in the house foyer and living-room.

I am hoping to have the House Director’s living-room/kitchen open for the alumni and actives to see and use, particularly on weekends when the house kitchen is locked.  The suite’s bedroom and/or bathroom can be locked while the remainder of the suite is open.  I believe access to this great room is important because alumni have told me Ma Beall kept her front room open for the actives and alumni.  I want actives and alumni to view the suite’s living-room and kitchen as part of YOUR house to be used and not a seldom seen space, as was the situation when I was undergraduate.

Lastly, a House Director does many things that often go unnoticed. I provide required documents, keep the house’s new monitoring systems running smoothly, work with the actives to not let things ‘fall through the cracks’ etc.  An additional possibility for our young men is State House contacts for work as Pages and Aids should they want to pursue these political experiences.  Beta alumni and Greene County Representative, the late Joe Haines made sure I felt welcome at the State House when I was an undergraduate. This is my way to pay forward.

Terry Krukemyer, 1141 Beta

House Director