For 25 years, the Jewish Community Campus has been the place where thousands of people gather, learn and play every day. There’s been one individual who’s been at the center of it all since the beginning — Alan Bram.
The Campus opened its doors in October 1988, and it is Bram who has kept things running as the institution’s first and only executive director. Now, after a quarter of a century of service, Bram is retiring in September.
“I’m looking forward to it,” said Bram, in his typical short, to the point manner.
Bram first came to Kansas City in 1987 to help get systems in place before the actual Campus opening. Bram had been serving as the executive director of the Tulsa Jewish Community Center. The Kansas City position appealed to Bram because all the Jewish agencies would be under one roof.
“I liked the concept of cooperation — of doing things together,” Bram said. “It hit me as the way to do things.”
Born in Cleveland, Ohio, Bram spent considerable time in the JCC arena working in his home state as well as Richmond, Va. The Kansas City job allowed Bram to use all of his professional skills that he’s sharpened over the course of his career.
From day one, Bram got busy establishing policies and systems to operate the 267,080-square-foot building. He’s been responsible for the total operation of the building that includes all staffing, housekeeping and maintenance issues. It’s no easy task to run a diverse structure that includes a full-service fitness center, indoor and outdoor pools, a preschool and day school as well as a theater and meeting rooms.
Bram said people don’t often realize all the intricate systems that are part of operating a building like the Campus. There’s heating and cooling systems, lighting and mechanical items and areas for food service — all have fallen under his realm. Bram does this with a small staff of nine dedicated employees.
“I don’t have many on staff,” Bram said. “We operate the building from 5 a.m. until 10 p.m. at night. It’s challenging.”
If it snows, it’s Bram’s responsibility to see that the snow and ice are cleared so parents can safely bring their children to school and folks can get to the gym or offices at the Campus. When the elevator gets stuck, Bram and his team work to get it working again. If toilets are overflowing, again it falls to Bram’s crew to clean up the mess and keep the building in tip-top shape.
As the executive director, Bram has worked closely with a board of directors. Former board President Irwin Blitt — who co-chaired the Campus Building Committee — was part of the process that brought Bram to Kansas City.
“He’s been a super management person,” Blitt said. “The building looks great and it’s thanks to him. … We’ve been lucky to have him.”
Past Campus president and board member Frank Lipsman has also worked with Bram.
“I have great respect for the professionalism and dedication that Alan brought to his role as executive director of the Campus. He truly treated that Campus as if it were his ‘home,’ ” Lipsman said.
Lipsman recalled how Bram made a point to attend at least one board meeting of every Campus tenant to explain the role he played and how he could assist them.
“Alan is innovative,” Lipsman said. “He worked tirelessly with the Overland Park Police Department to assure that Campus has state of the art security cameras and computerized surveillance.”
Overland Park Police Chief John Douglass said Bram has been thorough and cooperative.
“Notwithstanding that he can be a little eccentric, Alan has always had the best interest of the people at the Jewish Community Campus and the community at heart,” the chief said.
Past Campus president and board member Scott Slabotsky has worked side by side with Bram since the building opened.
“His ownership and tireless efforts have been instrumental in maintaining this jewel of the Jewish community in Kansas City,” Slabotsky said. “Without his dedication since the Campus was built, we would not have had the benefit of enjoying a first-class facility for so many years.”
Over the years, Slabotsky said it wasn’t unusual to see Bram carrying a screwdriver, wrench or plunger at any hour of the day as he made his rounds of the building. Bram’s constant companions are his walkie-talkie and pager, so he’s always connected putting out one crisis before moving on to another.
“One side of Alan that I saw that many others did not was the pride he had when the people were in the pool, using the gym, filing into classrooms and coming out of the theater, knowing that he was personally responsible for their wellbeing and safety,” Slabotsky said.
The search is under way for a new campus executive director, but Blitt said Bram’s shoes will be hard to fill.
“It’ll be tough on the next person,” Blitt said.