A delayed air force stint, a social fraternity, and a happenstance meeting with a hotel mogul led J. Robert Droege, ‘49 to a successful career. Bob used his law degree to put his stamp on the business community and at the same time was able to give back and make a difference. He has been very generous to the UC College of Law by creating a trust that is providing significant dividends to the college now and for years to come.

How it All Began

Bob Droege was born and raised in Ft. Thomas, KY. He graduated from Highlands High School at the onset of World War II. Wanting to serve his country, he enlisted in the United States Army Aviation Cadet program. Upon learning that he would not be called to active service for some time, he decided to continue his education enrolling in the University of Cincinnati in 1942. As a freshman at UC, Bob joined the Sigma Chi fraternity and developed friendships that he continues even today. This would prove to be one of the most significant associations he would ever make.

For his sophomore year, Bob decided to move further away from home and transferred to Miami University at Oxford. Soon after the school year started, he was finally called to active duty in the Air Force. Bob reported to a WWII Reception Center in Ft. Thomas then on to San Antonio Aviation Cadet Center. He completed their Cadet Pilot Training program but was almost immediately released since the war was over. This allowed him to return to Miami University and complete his undergraduate work and then enter the UC College of Law.

"I remember it like it was yesterday," said Bob. "A family friend who had attended Columbia Law School in New York recommended that I go to law school." Before making this decision, he consulted with the Dean of Students at UC, Dean Joe Holiday, who had been his UC Sigma Chi chapter advisor. Bob chose to attend law school at UC instead of Columbia.

He completed law school in six straight quarters and passed the bar exam in August 1950 with the fourth highest score of that session.

Making A Career

After law school Bob married Bev Scott, whom he had met at Miami University. His first job was in the legal department at The Kroger Company in Cincinnati. After two years in Cincinnati, his boss-also a Sigma Chi member-asked him to sit in on a meeting where they would be selecting candidates for two key real estate branch positions-one in Dayton (OH) and one in Roanoke (VA). After the meeting his boss commented that management was so impressed with him during the meeting, they wanted to offer him the Roanoke position.

Taking the position was life changing. Bob and Bev moved, with their young son, to Roanoke. His job was to develop Kroger's presence locally as well as into North Carolina. During his final year with Kroger, he and the Roanoke team received the President's Cup Award for the greatest expansion of any Kroger branch at the time.

A chance meeting with J.W. Marriott led to an unexpected career change. Mr. Marriott was scouting property in Roanoke for his Hot Shoppes restaurant chain and asked Bob, who at the time was still at Kroger, to do him a favor and show him around to various Roanoke properties. Impressed with Bob, Mr. Marriott offered him the position of Assistant Director of Real Estate for the Marriott Corporation-expanding Marriott's national presence. Bob left Kroger in 1956 and went to work for Marriott – a career which he enjoyed for 30 years, retiring as Corporate Vice President of Real Estate and Development.

One of Bob's proudest expansions is the Marriott near the Los Angeles airport. While scouting locations, he spotted a location four blocks from the LA airport which he envisioned for a Marriott Hotel. The property was owned by the Parker Aircraft Company. He walked in and told the receptionist that he wanted to purchase the property and she referred him to the President of the company.

Undaunted, he went upstairs to the President's office to pursue his task. While in the office he noticed photos of B-17 bombers from WWII on the walls and remembered his own days of flying a B-29. Having this mutual connection, Bob and the President of Parker Aircraft struck up a heartwarming conversation trading flying experiences as the company president was a B-17 pilot. Bob mentioned that Marriott wanted to build a hotel in that area and asked what it would take to buy their factory. It turned out the president was looking to move to the Newport Beach, CA area.

A deal was then struck. The Marriott Corporation purchased land and built a new aircraft plant for Parker in Newport Beach, then the companies swapped properties. Marriott then demolished the plant near the LA airport and built a hotel with 350 rooms. The hotel soon was expanded to 500 rooms, 750 rooms, and finally 800 rooms. Years later, after initially putting $15 million into the project, Marriott sold it for $75 million. The last Bob heard, the property was sold again for $275 million. Bob's determination and perseverance, as well as his law school education, served him well in this deal and many others throughout his career.

Bob credits his law school education for much of his knowledge and negotiating skills. For this he and his wife have been very generous to the UC College of Law. Their original gift in 1993 of a $1.2 million irrevocable trust has grown to over $6 million and continues to grow – thanks significantly to their continued contributions of dividends. The trust has grown substantially for three reasons: its own successful growth; Greg, their son, has managed the trust in an exceptional manner; and Greg, who could take the dividends himself, has continued to generously donate the dividends back to the gift principal.

Though initially considering making an outright gift to their son, the Droeges were advised that by placing the funds in a trust for an organization that is dear to them, they would serve a number of purposes. The Droege gift is structured so that the College benefits from the trust and the Droege's son and granddaughter receive lifetime benefits, if they so elect to take them, at the end of each tax year. If not, they go to the principal to vest to the Droege Law Center.

Their gift created the Droege Center at the College which UC Law students use daily. It is a lasting legacy to Bob and Bev's commitment to his alma mater and we are extremely grateful for their continued support.

Article taken from the Spring 2007 issue of Counselor, the law school's corporate magazine. Editor's Note: Mr. and Mrs. Droege have been Founder's Level donors ($10,000 and above) for the past 14 consecutive years. In the Summer 2006 issue of the Counselor, the Droege's were not listed in our Honor Roll. We regret the omission and apologize for this error.