Spider Spotlight
A Q&A with Jerry Clemmer
General Manager, Dining Services, Heilman Center

BY LIA TREMBLAY
Writer-Editor, University Communications

Jerry Clemmer wants faculty, staff and students to have a great experience as well as great food at the dining hall.

Tell me about your job.
My job is to make sure that our faculty, staff and students get great service and healthy, good food. It's more than just what's on the menu. I want them to have a good experience.

How long have you worked in this position?
I've been here since December of 2005. Before that, I was director of food and beverage at the Omni Hotel downtown. I've been in this industry for about 20 years now.

What led you into this line of work?
While I was in college at the University of Memphis, I worked at the Peabody Hotel-the famous one with the ducks in the lobby. After school, I worked in radio for two years, hosting a show on personal finance. But eventually, I realized that I shouldn't be in a job where I have to sit still. I needed to be up and moving around. I became general manager at Depuy Canal House, a four-star restaurant in New York. On my days off, I worked as a wine pourer at Windows on the World, on the 107th floor of the World Trade Center, under wine expert Kevin Zraly.

What was it like coming to UR after so many years in fine dining and hotel management?
In the hotel business, they move you from place to place and you put in really long hours. I did love it, but my mind changed in 2004 when our daughter, Hannah, was diagnosed with leukemia at age 8. That reminded me to put family first. UR has been the best thing to happen to us. I not only have time for my family, but also for projects that mean something to me. I'm president of my local Lion's Club and on the board of directors for ASK, a foundation that supports children with cancer. I'm also president of the Pastoral Council at Epiphany Catholic Church, where I'm a head minister. I wouldn't have been able to do any of that before coming to UR.

Tell me more about your family.
My wife, Deleker, and I are going on 14 years of marriage. We have two daughters: Hannah, who is now 12 and doing fine, and Makayla, who is 7.

What do you love about the work you do?
I love the contact with faculty, staff and students. I love being able to find out what they like and tell them when it's coming up. The contact with students is really rewarding. They are so much smarter and farther ahead than I was at that age! Sometimes they come in here so stressed out. It's nice to see them relax for an hour or so and head back out feeling better about their day.

I also have great people to work with. They all come up with great ideas and new ways to make it special here.

What do you like to do in your spare time?
I love to golf. My favorite thing is going out early, like 6:30 or 7 in the morning, when no one else is out there. That's my quiet time.