Steve Schainker has been the city manager of Ames since 1982, making him the longest-serving city manager in the state.

He celebrated his 25th year as Ames city manager last year.

Schainker began his career in Kansas City, Mo., after completing graduate school. Kansas City is one of the largest cities in the nation run by a manager form of government.

He worked in the budget and systems office of the city for two years, but found that big-city bureaucracy removed him from the public and other employees. In 1979, Schainker arrived in Ames and became an assistant city manager.

In 1982, John Elwell was dismissed as city manager, and Schainker assumed the position.

“The exciting thing is that there isn’t a typical day,” Schainker said of his job.

Schainker’s responsibility is to execute policies passed by the City Council. He is responsible for appointing and dismissing — if necessary — many of the officials in the city’s bureaucracy who execute their own departments of policy.

The ability to handle a large variety of circumstances that crop up in the city is the key to his job. Most of his day is spent in meetings with department heads, city employees and citizens, Schainker said.

“I never get bored doing my job,” Schainker said.

He said his interaction with Iowa State is remarkably positive, especially in comparison to many universities that have strained relationships with their home cities.

Iowa State has been very generous and helpful as a part of the Ames community, Schainker said. At a recent conference for city managers, he spoke with other city managers who have universities in their communities and said he was struck by how well Iowa State and Ames interact.

Schainker said he has a close relationship with ISU President Gregory Geoffroy and Warren Madden, vice president for business and finance. The three men work on utilities, parks and recreations issues and other topics of Ames-university relations together.

Schainker said he is chairman of the student affairs committee in Ames to deal help deal with student issues.

Riad Mahayni, professor of community and regional planning and Ames City Councilman, described Schainker as “one of the most effective city managers I’ve ever worked with.”

“He likes to engage many people before making recommendations to the council,” Mahayni said.

Mahayni also said Schainker is very consistent in bringing up advantages and disadvantages of possible courses of action to the City Council so council members know what to expect and can plan accordingly.

Mahayni said one of the most impressive legacies Schainker has had on the community is the financial stability of Ames in the midst of the recession.

“I’ve been very blessed to work with capable and competent employees,” Schainker said when asked what has led to his long tenure with the city.

He said he has been impressed with city council members he has worked with because no matter how different they are as individuals, they all want to make Ames a better place to live. This positive relationship has kept him coming back for more than 25 years.

“Not only do I have the ideal spouse, but the ideal community, as well as the ideal organization,” Schainker said.

Schainker said it is very invigorating to work in Ames, and that the community is just right in many ways.

“I don’t like to look at brick and mortar,” Schainker said of his legacy to the community.

He said he hopes his most noticeable influence on the community is a high standard of customer service in city government and a commitment to high efficiency.

Schainker said he does his best to treat tax dollars like his own dollars.

“My future is directed by the City Council, as it should be,” Schainker said of his future with Ames.

Schainker said he will work with the new City Council to help it chart its course.

Right now he is working to improve Campustown, the One Community initiative and stainability.

Ames Mayor Ann Campbell said she and Schainker are very candid with each other, which has led to a strong working relationship. He is also excellent at reading the feelings and moods of the City Council, and the citizens by extension, Campbell said.

“The fact that he’s been here so long speaks volumes,” Campbell said.