Catching Up With Alumni Association President Randy Houston

Randy Houston began his term as the 81st president of the Penn State Alumni Association back in July, with Jan. 1 being the six-month mark in his role.

Since then, Randy has traveled across the country representing the Alumni Association at our Away Game Tailgates for Penn State football and returned to Happy Valley for numerous events.

He’s connected with hundreds of alumni and friends who share his passion for Penn State.

We caught up with Randy for a Q&A during his busy schedule to discuss his first six months as president, what it’s been like connecting with Penn Staters everywhere and much more.

You can also learn a little bit more about Randy in our feature story from this past summer.

How have your first few months as president gone, what’s the experience been like for you?
RH: With my presidency almost starting right along with the football season, it’s kind of been a trial by fire. From Labor Day on, I didn’t have many weekends where I was home. But I wouldn’t trade it for anything.

It’s great to see alumni when they come back to Happy Valley, but it’s also special to go out where they live now and see how they live their Penn State lives in Iowa, in Michigan, in Minnesota. It’s incredible. There’s no other way to describe it.

The love that people have for Penn State and their allegiance to the Alumni Association, seeing it firsthand is special. I wish every Penn Stater could feel the power of this network and feel how much love there is among Penn Staters for their alma mater. It’s been tremendous

Going off of that, what have the atmospheres been like at those away game tailgates?
RH: For a lack of a better word, it’s real. I love award ceremonies and the formality of those programs. But the tailgates, they’re just a different kind of fun. It’s another way to connect with Penn Staters who maybe can’t get back to State College often.

I’ve noticed subtle differences in the way people interact with each other and the way they interact with Penn State based on where they’re from. In Iowa for example, the folks out there at our mixer and tailgate, called themselves “the corn-fed Lions.” It’s cool to see how people put their own spin on being a Penn Stater based on where they are. That was a new experience for me.

Did you have an away game stadium experience that stands out to you?
RH: It has to be Iowa and Kinnick Stadium. People can tell you how much the wave to the children’s hospital means and how it can affect you emotionally. But until you’re there – I’m actually getting choked up talking about it now – you’re looking at that hospital in a sea of flashlights, you can see the figures of kids looking back at you and you think about what they’re going through. It’s moving. Nothing touches that.

Is there anything about your first few months as president that’s maybe surprised you a little bit?
RH: For me, the executive board that (Alumni Association CEO) Paul Clifford and I put together, I have been so pleasantly surprised and so proud at the response I’ve gotten from them on the initiatives I want to put forward.

The response, the feedback and just the support I’ve gotten is a pleasant surprise. I don’t mean to sound like I didn’t expect to be supported, but the level and the quality of the support has been unprecedented.

Some of those tough parts of the job have been made a lot easier by some really great Penn Staters who serve on our alumni council.

Along with your presidency, you also work for Complex as a senior counsel in business and legal affairs. Can you go into a little more detail about your role there and what your responsibilities are?

RH: I’m one of three senior counsel in our legal department and then we have the general counsel at the top.

Complex is a digital media company, so virtually everything we do involves intellectual property and content of some sort. Because we are a publisher, a lot what we do involves sales and branding and collaborations with big brands. I’m focused on anything related to intellectual property. So, the content of our articles. The photos that we use. The brands themselves.

The thing that probably keeps me the busiest is litigation. All of our litigation, whether it’s related to intellectual property or not, is my responsibility. What I see most often are people claiming we’ve used their photos or content without permission, so I have to deal with those situations.

Because we’re a technology company, I also deal with our technology agreements, our partners and some of the vendors that we use. Anything related to compliance and HR, that also falls to me.

It’s a big chunk of things. Overall, it’s a great company and a great culture, and I love what I do.

Last one, what is your go-to Berkey Creamery flavor?
RH: That’s a tough one. Of all the flavors I’ve ever had it’s “Birthday Bash.”

Teaberry in general is actually my favorite ice cream flavor, and for a long time I didn’t even know they served it at the Creamery. It’s seasonal and it wasn’t ever there when I was there.

I’ve been informed they will have it in the spring, so that will probably replace “Birthday Bash.”

It’s probably between those two. Right now, it’s “Birthday Bash.” But lookout because “Teaberry Delight” is coming!