A Reflection on Working for KDR by Scott A. Johnson, Phi Alpha ’95 IT WAS MARCH 1998 when I accepted my employment with the national fraternity, and had I known then what a lifechanging experience it was going to be, I would have taken more pictures. I say that with just a twist of sarcasm, as there were, during my four years on the road, a few undergraduate members who would kid with me about the number of photographs I would snap on any given trip. When asked to write about life after the road, my first thought was of my memory mentioned above. As I contemplated how to approach this article, I have already taken more than a few moments to sift though my numerous shoeboxes full of 4x6 memories to aid in the literary motivation. My current “life after the road,” as it has come to be known, is a place that I would not be without the lessons, friendships, and professional experience that I gained from KDR. Like an undergraduate experience helps our students prepare for entry into the real world, working for KDR was one that afforded me the freedom and opportunity to explore other avenues of my career while maintaining a safe shelter to return to should the ventured path not lead to a desired destination. This is not unlike the proverbial “chapter house” and how it offers a safe haven for the undergraduates to seek direction and learn about themselves while being protected by the support of their brothers to help in times of need. The professional side of KDR instilled me to work tough everyday, live life with honor and integrity (and to the fullest everyday), and set goals that are mutually beneficial to all stakeholders. However, most of all, it taught me to have the confidence in myself to take risks and make mistakes; because if I live with honor and show integrity, my mistakes will be looked upon as a learning experience in a never ending road to improvement. In January 2002, I relocated to New Jersey to pursue an opportunity with a private hospitality firm, Dolce International. In my two years, I have been placed in situations where I have had to call on my experiences at KDR. First off was my meeting planning experience; as the director of programming I was charged with planning the semiannual board meetings as well as the annual convention/leadership academy and Regional Conclaves. It was this experience that got me in the door as I spent two years in the sales and planning arena selling primarily to the pharmaceutical markets interested in conducting sales and management training. Secondly, which brings me to my
current venture, was organizational development. I recently accepted a charge from my company to take over an entire department responsible for the day-to-day service delivery and incorporate a number of various initiatives to increase a number of areas in the process management and customer service realm. It is my duty to analyze the operations’ big picture of how the different processes are used, fix the parts that are “broken”, and streamline what isn’t. As time moves forward I know that I am going to continue to face times when I am going to have call on the knowledge and experience I gained working for KDR and I know that I am well prepared to handle whatever is dealt my way. So here it is, 2004 — six years after my adventure began. Roughly 23 states and 100,000 miles later I still have my sanity and an endless supply of memories to look back on. I still continue to remain involved with KDR on a voluntary capacity. I no longer sleep on couches or eat in a campus cafeteria, but please note that I never said these were necessarily bad things (although sometimes the craving for a dried burger and cold fries does strike my interest.) I know that I speak for some of my past colleagues when I share the sentiment that the professional experience gained through KDR is not one that would ever be traded or forgotten, nor is it something to be taken lightly. I never knew on the day in March 1998 what I was getting myself into and I must say that I’m glad I didn’t; sometimes not knowing what is to come allows you to look upon the big picture with wide eyes to capture and absorb every possible moment you can. In the end, I walked away from the KDR office with the hope that I left something about our fraternity better than when I found it. Sometimes I had to make a tough decision and do something that wasn’t the most grand. However, I felt confident that I was making a choice that had the interest of the whole organization in mind. I hope that some of you reading this contemplating the next step in your career development and will consider going to work for the national office. For those of you who do, I wish you luck and if you listen to no other advise, listen to these three things: 1. Pack smart 2. The Rand-McNally Truckers Map is your friend 3. Take a lot of pictures. If you are interested in joining the staff of Kappa Delta Rho, contact Executive Director J.R. Rees at jr@kdr.com.
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