Five minutes with "The Krei"

Some of his employees affectionately call him "The Krei," and everyone around Perry seems to know who he is. We take you behind the scenes to meet the real Mike Krei.

Krei serves as National Matches Coordinator at Perry and Director of Competitive Shooting for the National Rifle Association. His duties leading up to Perry include overseeing the communication between the Civilian Marksmanship Program and Ohio National Guard and the NRA.

How did Krei get to be the head of Competitive Shooting at the nation's largest gun rights organization? Well, he started as a field representative, bringing the NRA's programs and issues to the states of Washington, Oregon, Idaho, and Alaska. "I've seen a lot," Krei says. He spent 17 years promoting the NRA at the grassroots level and uses the experience to manage dozens of employees at NRA Headquarters.

"I know there has to be a better way of saying it," Krei's Administrative Assistant John Parker says, "but he's just very, very good at his job. It also helps that he's hilarious. In the meeting we were just having, he was cracking jokes."

Krei has been at NRA Headquarters in Fairfax for five years, the same number of years he's been at Perry. Every summer he sets up camp in Port Clinton, renting a house and overseeing daily operations. This year he joined NRA President John Sigler in shooting the Harry Reeves Memorial Revolver Match and the Distinguished Revolver Match.

The best part of Perry?
"I enjoy the people I work with every day. The volunteers, the staff ... it's just a great atmosphere. To be able to meet with the shooters, to try and make things better each year with their suggestions. That's what's good."

Anything you could do without?
"The rain. The only thing we haven't had here is snow -- and I anticipate that any day."

Has anything been a surprise to you this year?
"Yesterday John Whidden's score of 200 with 15 was an exceptional score under the conditions that he fired. It was a tremendous record he broke."