To those unfamiliar with Ohio State facts and folklore, Gordon Gee stands out as probably the most impressive and well-liked Presidents in the University's history.
Gee had that pefect balance of academic smarts and a respect for academia, financial and funding knowledge, political hob-nobbing with Columbus area Power Titans, developing short and long term goals for academic excellence, improving the school's physical facilities, mastery of alumni relations, knowing the appropriate role of the Athletic department in a major university, goal setting among the bazillion university department heads, and, at the end of the day, just being able to sit down and have a conversation with a group of undergrad students in a dining hall some afternoon.
Gee was Ohio State's Ronald Reagan -- someone you could like and trust to run the ship even if you didn't agree with him on a specific issue. He was (and is) a larger than life figure in the Columbus area.
7 out of 10 people can't describe Karen Holbrook to save their life. A picture of Gee, by comparison, is instantly recognizable to many people who only had casual contact with Ohio State University over the years.
