23 Leaving South Dakota and a tenure position was an adjustment for a family of nine. However, Wehrung expressed that moving back to Pennsylvania, into his late grandmother’s 77-acre wooded property, was a beneficial move for their children, especially the oldest who is currently taking classes at Kutztown University. Wehrung and his wife have seven children together ranging from ages eighteen to six. “It’s awesome being a dad of seven kids,” Wehrung said with a smile. Back in South Dakota, their house was known as the fun house, complete with a rock-climbing wall and a ball pit. In PA, their fun house has expanded, possessing the same two features but now adding a full repertoire consisting of a campsite with a bonfire area, and plans for a chicken coop and a large garden. On the long trip back to PA, Wehrung and his family took time to stop at Disney World, and his oldest daughter, a competitive gymnast, competed at Nationals in Arizona. It was during this trip back that Wehrung procured the position at Kutztown. “I had heard from a friend, Eileen Hoagen, about the job opportunity here,” he said. She told Wehrung that this was something he should investigate because she thought it would be a good fit. One of the aspects that stood out on Wehrung’s CV (Curriculum vitae) when he was hired was his role in developing an Emergent Leaders Group as part of a Provost Fellowship. This program connects faculty “who are seen as prospective department chairs and leads them into learning about the university as a whole,” Wehrung explained. Employees from the foundation office, accounting, and marketing, show faculty what is done behind the scenes of the university. Wehrung said it was “fun to watch those faculty then take on more administrative roles. I’ve been waiting to bring it back up again,” Wehrung continued, “if that is something the provost would be interested in having me do.” When asked about plans for Kutztown University regarding sustainability or positive societal impact Wehrung emphasized “leveraging our strengths and analyzing what is a match for Kutztown University." Wehrung explained further, that “the Department of Business Administration has a great supply chain management program.” This could be used to help the surrounding businesses in the community pin-point weaknesses in their supply chain in a potential crisis much like the COVID-19 pandemic, he proposed. “Supporting education in minority populations is also a match for Kutztown University,” Wehrung continued, “for geographical reasons.” Wehrung expressed excitement regarding working with the team here in the College of Business. "People are really nice,” which he admits surprised him. “I was a bit worried, having grown up in this area and remembering the East Coast mentality as a bit walled off, but everyone is really open.” Wehrung has connections to the school through two of his great grandmother’s, Minnie Mease (who is sitting in the middle back row on left) and Verna Stone. “I didn’t know this until after I got the job offer,” Wehrung said, finding it interesting to learn this family history from his parents upon taking the job at Kutztown University. Someone knocks on Wehrung’s office door, drawing our attention from his future goals, and past experiences back into the present. I take a quick photo of Wehrung for the article, showcasing his smile that welcomes students and faculty to come and troubleshoot business ideas, projects, or concerns with him at any time. DR. JEFF WEHRUNG Jeff Wehrung's great grandmother, Minnie Mease is pictured sitting in the middle back row on the left.
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