House of Hope, Inc.

Thomas M. Ramseyer

House of Hope - Executive Director

1983 – 2007

In 1983 Tom accepted the challenge and task to rescue the House of Hope in the course of only one ensuing year, or see the agency fade into decommissioned history.  The odds were (not that Tom factored in such distractions) heavily in favor of agency demise.  The notion of even one client being adversely affected by such a decision proved to be unfathomable to Tom.  In the course of the next 24 years, not only did The House of Hope survive, the agency grew, diversified, thrived and continues in a professional clinical field littered with consolidation and faded memories of residential and outpatient programs past.

Those who knew Tom (even closely) most likely would not necessarily be aware of many of his accomplishments.  The soft spoken one, in terms of tone combined with a personal distain for self aggrandizement, led by example and personal action on the way to garnering numerous achievements on a number of levels.  Attributed to when considering his lifetime of personal participation, he has been described as a “touchstone” by a very close friend and colleague.  His life displayed sincere appreciation, zeal and exuberance for the journey in opposition to a singular myopic focus on a particular destination.

Curriculum Vitae:

Tom was a member of the Advisory Council to L2000+ Leadership Program of the John Glenn Institute and a member of the Advisory Committee to the Social Work Department at Capital University.  Past President, Professional Advisory Council of United Way, Past Chair of the Alcohol, Drug and Policy Alliance of Ohio, Past President of the Ohio Association of Residential Recovery Services (OARRS), and Past President of the Greater Columbus Addiction Directors Association.  He was a participant in Leadership Ohio in 1997.  Tom founded the OARRS Annual Fall Retreat at Lakeside in 1991. He received the Sister Ignatia Award, from the Woods at Parkside and The Ohio Citizen’s Advocates award in 2007. He also received the Barry Mastrine Award from the ADAMH system in 2002, the Distinguished Service Award from the House of Hope in 2002, the President’s Award from the Columbus Area Council on Alcoholism in 1996, and the Lovatt Award from the Ohio Association of Residential Recovery Services in 1994. 

Bachelor of Arts degree in History from William Paterson College, Master’s of Science in Social Administration from Case Western Reserve University.

Volumes and chapters could be written of Tom for this sort of thing, like citing a couple of his favorite quotes: “Music and Living – The Same Thing.” from the Tao of Pooh, or Vonnegut’s “The only proof he needed for the existence of God was music.”

…but in keeping within Tom’s character, manner and way…

Most (if not all) lucky enough to know him, or that had the rare opportunity to work with him, just might upon remembrance…grant a sense of satisfaction, possibly combined with just a hint of a wry smile in knowing…

the dude abides…