Inspecting leaks in roofs and overseeing numerous departments were not what Sue Krogsdale had in mind when she received a master of fine arts theater degree 10 years ago.

Then she came to work at Iowa State Center.

Now Krogsdale, director of operations at Iowa State Center since mid-July, finds herself overseeing all aspects of the Center — including the operations, technical, house, custodial and concession staffs.

Of her responsibilities as operations director, Krogsdale said, “We joke around here that if it moves, makes noise or breaks, then it’s in operations.”

A job carrying such duties and responsibilities is not, she concedes, for everyone.

“This job is really fun for certain people; others can’t understand why someone would ever want a job like this.”

Though Krogsdale has never worked in Iowa before, she said she was drawn to ISU for a number of reasons.

“I liked this position for the university and student environment it offered, and I like the Midwest,” she said.

“Also, as a graduate of a land-grant university, I really enjoy the pride that exists within the system of these universities,” Krogsdale said.

Krogsdale said her day-to-day duties are constantly changing.

“One minute I’ll be up on a roof of one of the buildings, discussing its molecular structure and checking for leaks — the next minute I’ll be in a staff meeting dealing with personnel,” she said.

Krogsdale said the most exciting aspect of her job lies in the potential the Center holds for attracting and putting on exceptional shows.

“The scope of Iowa State Center is so huge – there are no parameters,” she said. “The motto here is ‘endless possibilities,’ and we feel that we can handle any event. We challenge ourselves not to set barriers.”

Not setting barriers seems to be a continuing theme in Krogsdale’s life in general.

“It’s my life’s quest not to get into a rut,” she said.

Challenges abound in Krogsdale’s position as well. “Because this position is really about supporting everyone (in the Center’s various departments), it can become overwhelming,” she said.

Making efficient use of time is one of the major requirements of the job.

“Time management is essential, since I spend a lot of the day dealing with little crises and more of the day doing things to avoid crises,” she said.

But the most satisfying part of the job for Krogsdale comes when people simply have a good experience at one of the Center’s shows.

“My favorite part is when people leave (shows) for the night with satisfied expressions,” she said.

Krogsdale said her eclectic work and educational background gave her the advantage which got her the position.

“I didn’t choose a management role; it just happens to be where I clicked,” she said.

“If I had gone to school to get a job as diverse as this one, I would’ve needed degrees in engineering, art and management.”

Combined with her previous jobs, Krogsdale said her art background and the fact that she is also a softball official lent her the wide range of professional experience necessary for the job.

Some of Krogsdale’s previous jobs included work as an art director, a building manager at NBC and a facilities manager in New York.

Krogsdale also spent time freelancing in Hollywood after graduate school, working with production of films and commercials. Amid the jobs which often included such tasks as painting scenery used in commercials, Krogsdale realized that a life of freelancing was not the career she wanted.

“I didn’t like the pressure that came along with freelancing — pressure to say yes to every project that came along,” Krogsdale said. “It makes it really tough to take any kind of break from work. I didn’t want to become a statistic.”

For Krogsdale, job satisfaction has everything to do with constant challenges. “If something doesn’t interest me then it’s not challenging — and if it isn’t challenging, then it doesn’t interest me.”

Even with a job as unpredictable as this one, there are certain aspects which come as a surprise, like ending up on the roof.

“I have learned more about roofs in the last three weeks than I ever thought I would know,” she said.