Dremann, ’94, Named Director of Krause Center
The Krause Center for Leadership and Ethics, the hub of leadership development curriculum at The Citadel, reopened after the winter furlough with a new director. Retired Col. Rich Dremann, ’94, comes to the position after a 30-year career in the Marine Corps. His new role places him in a unique position as a former infantry officer shaped by both mentors and his own leadership experience to lead the Krause Center.
Dremann enrolled at The Citadel in August 1990, where he was a political science major and a member of November Company. Influenced by his father, a retired Marine, Dremann commissioned after graduation.
In the Marine Corps, he served as an infantry officer, commanding at every level from platoon to regiment. He held command roles including regimental commander, battalion commander and district commander and was deployed several times in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.
“It’s funny—people would say, ‘thank you for your service.’ I appreciated that, but I didn’t feel like I was serving,” Dremann said. “I loved every day of it.”
During his career, Dremann said he had a front-row seat to strong leadership, but the lessons that shaped him most came from noncommissioned officers. He credits young NCOs and senior enlisted leaders with teaching him more about leadership than any formal supervisor he worked for.
In the summer of 2024, after retiring from the Marine Corps, Dremann returned to The Citadel, where he served as the TAC officer for Second Battalion. After 30 years away, he found cadets to be smart and articulate, balancing academic rigor with daily demands. Despite the modern veneer, he said, The Citadel remains true to its core values.
“I see the same qualities in cadets that I saw throughout my career working with young Marines,” Dremann said, “their commitment, how articulate they are and how much responsibility they handle day in and day out.”
Building on that experience, Dremann said he was drawn to the work of the Krause Center because it focuses on leadership grounded in character, ethics and service. He sees leadership development as relevant to all cadets, regardless of the paths they pursue after graduation.
As director, he will oversee the Krause Center’s leadership programming while working closely with academic departments and other campus units to support leadership development across campus. He also will contribute to preparations for the opening of the Krause School of Leadership, scheduled for October 2026.
“I feel incredibly fortunate to be here,” he said. “This is work I care deeply about, and it’s meaningful to be able to do it at a place that had such a big impact on me.”
