Robert Kramp
University of Houston '93 

DSF: Tell us where you were born and where you grew up?
RK: I was born in Springfield, IL. My dad used to work for IBM, so we moved around quite a bit. Growing up, our family spent some time in Oklahoma City, and I attended high school in Austin, TX.

DSF: What did you do after high school?
RK: I graduated from high school in 1988, but did not enroll in college right away. Following high school, I spent three years abroad in a humanities program in England.

DSF: How was your experience abroad?
RK: Great! It provided a good perspective on life. I travel so much right now in my job, and my experience in England gave me the necessary skills to work well in other cultures. My travels have taken me to every state in the U. S., every continent except Antarctica, and I have flown over the Arctic Circle.

DSF: What was your next step following time abroad?
RK: I enrolled at the University of Houston in the fall of 1992.

DSF: Tell us about your time at the University of Houston.
RK: It was a great education. When I arrived for freshman orientation, I completed an interest card for greek life, and Delta Sigma Phi followed up with me. I went to their first recruitment event, and was really impressed with the guys and their maturity. The group wasn’t into partying too much. Everyone was really approachable; they took education seriously, and that was very important to me. I graduated sixth in my class out of 500 students. This group of men was in alignment with my values and goals. With all that being said, I joined in the fall of ’93. My involvement with Delta Sig definitely helped me become who I am today.

DSF: Why do you say that?
RK: While at Houston, I took advantage of the opportunities the Fraternity had to offer. One that I think fondly of today was the College of Engineered Leadership (now known as the Delta Sigma Phi Leadership Institute). I was part of the Beta Class in 1994, and I still refer to my binder that we received as undergraduate participants. I wish every Delta Sig undergraduate had the opportunity for leadership training that I received at the Leadership Institute.

DSF: What did you do after graduating from Houston?
RK: I graduated with a B. S. in Political Science/Sociology in 1996, and enrolled in graduate school at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, TN. While at Vanderbilt, I was hired by a local property tax and appraisal firm back in Houston. Therefore, I did not complete my graduate degree. I worked there for about three years until I came to Grubb & Ellis, which is where I now work. My current role is VP & Director with their National Client Services group. I direct their research, business development, marketing, and financial analysis for 12 of their 48 offices. I handle the central part of the U.S and mid-Atlantic regions.

DSF: How did being involved in the Fraternity specifically help you?
RK: I apply the leadership skills I learned as an undergraduate in the fraternity to my daily business life. I manage just fewer than 90 people – all with different personalities. This is very similar to managing a chapter of young men – not exactly the same, but similar. It requires me to be flexible so I can get excellence from them on a daily basis. I also learned how to recruit as an undergraduate. Today, I use those skills to identify potential employees, a talent that is very necessary to be successful in business. Finding talent is a talent all in itself.

DSF: What is your most fond Delta Sig memory?
RK: My experience with the 1994 Leadership Institute. I still have my binder and refer to it on occasion. That program was just incredible for me.

DSF: Who has been most influential in your life?
RK: My mentor during my first job, Wendi Grba. What I learned from her in just two years helped prepare me for where I am now.

DSF: What advice do you have for Delta Sig undergrads?
RK: Do what you love, love what you do, and deliver more than you promise. I can’t emphasize the importance of the right resume and how you conduct yourself in an interview – appearances matter. My company pays very well for entry level employees and making a first impression is what it’s all about.
Robert resides in Houston, TX