Staff Writer- Amelia Dewberry
This week’s Gustie of the Week is Marketplace Supervisor Ted Rosenback. As one of the most well-loved campus figures, Rosenback can be found greeting people, often stopping to chat and catch up. He has earned this reputation from his positive personality and friendly smile.
“He is super friendly and he’s always happy to see you,” Dining Services On-Call Staff Dylan Robinson said.
Rosenback is approaching his 13th year at Gustavus, citing his daily interactions with students as his favorite aspect of the job.
“That’s kind of what keeps me getting up in the morning,” Rosenback said. “It’s the kids that keep me going. So that’s how I come to work.”
Students notice and appreciate Rosenback’s efforts to get to know them and brighten their days.
“Ted is awesome! He always asks people how their day is going, and checks in on them. He remembers little details that were only brought up once, and you can tell he actually cares,” First-year Makaio Tan said.
Rosenback’s special gift for remembering names and faces makes the difference in people feeling like he cares about them.
“It’s called face association. If I’m speaking to someone, I have to look them right in the eye, and then I ask them their name, and then I remember. For some reason, I just have a knack for that,” Rosenback explained.
Rosenback’s strong values were instilled in him by his parents, growing up in the small town of New Richland, Minnesota. His mom was a teacher, and his dad was a mechanic who had his own business in town for almost 40 years.
“He gave me a good set of values. He taught me that gray isn’t a color. . . It’s right, or it’s wrong, it’s black, or it’s white. Do the job right the first time, you know, treat people the way you want to be treated,” Rosenback said.
These values have carried Rosenback throughout his career. He went to school in Virginia Beach, where he began his over 40 years in the food service industry. He worked in hotels, golf clubs, and country clubs on the East Coast before moving to California and continuing his work. Rosenback eventually found his way back to Minnesota and now resides on his grandfather’s farm outside of Cleveland.
“My house was built in 1862. It’s actually a historic landmark in Minnesota,” Rosenback noted. “It’s made out of white oak. I’ve re-sided it and put new windows in. I spent my whole childhood down on that farm, so that’s very cool.”
Rosenback has deep family ties to the college, with many relatives attending Gustavus and a distant relative who was the namesake of Uhler Hall. His uncle started at Gustavus before leaving school to serve in World War II.
“He was in the class of 1942. December 7, 1941 comes along during the war. He quit school. He becomes a pilot in the Pacific, very highly decorated,” Rosenback commented. “One of the biggest regrets he ever had was not coming back, really missing school. He told me stories about Gustavus before I even knew about Gustavus.”
Outside of work, Rosenback spends “an exorbitant amount of time” with his grandkids, George and Ray, as well as his dogs. He also loves to play golf.
When he retires in a few years, Rosenback will miss the people he has found at Gustavus.
“I look at all the kids that come through, and for me, the biggest thrill is for me to see them succeed and see them do what they want to do. We have such a solid community here that I honestly don’t think people realize how great, intelligent, smart, caring the kids are here.”