Our Stories

Say “Hello!” to the Fox Cities Performing Arts Center’s Facility and Operations Manager, Adam Krieger. From supervising maintenance technicians to custodians to the health and safety team, Adam oversees everything that relates to the upkeep of the Center’s facilities. There are many fine details that people may not think about with a building as large and expansive as the Fox Cities Performing Arts Center. For Adam, this includes maintaining the HVAC systems, plumbing, electrical, landscaping, roofing, painting, parking and much more. With attention to operations in the background, the Fox Cities P.A.C. is able to bring live performing arts experiences and serve as a multicultural gathering place for the community. Having just celebrated his 1-year anniversary with the Center, Adam shares what drew him to the venue and some interesting facts about his role.

Before Adam joined the team January 2022, he earned a master’s degree in business administration and explored other professional settings, spending nearly 15 years practicing civil engineering and most recently, working as the facilities director for a school district. “In this position as the Center’s Facility and Operations Manager, I can utilize all that education and work experience to serve the community by providing a safe, clean and efficient environment for our guests, patrons and employees,” stated Adam. “I am also able to work where my personal motivation and ideals align with our mission, vision and values.”

When asked what his normal day-to-day looks like, Adam mentioned that one of the many things he enjoys about this position is that every day is different. There are days where he’s sitting at his desk, planning large capital improvements projects or reviewing and developing the facilities/operations budget. “The biggest challenge is efficiently scheduling and managing the time and resources needed to maintain such a unique building,” Adam commented. “I work collaboratively with Center staff to determine and prioritize needs, then utilize available personnel and budget dollars to efficiently complete tasks and projects.” There may be other times when Adam works with contractors and vendors on the daily upkeep of the building. Within his position, Adam dons many hats, sometimes performing cleaning, maintenance or event setup tasks. Just as important as his other responsibilities, Adam is also available to talk with, coach, motivate and develop the facilities services, operations, maintenance and health and safety teams that he oversees.

Since the Fox Cities P.A.C. is such a large facility, Adam often walks the building with other Center staff to determine the needs that should be addressed. Beyond the Fox Cities Performing Arts Center’s walls, Adam belongs to the International Association of Venue Managers, allowing him to network and discuss new technology and strategies to help efficiently maintain the Center within a respective budget. Adam remarked, “Some people may be surprised the breadth of what this position oversees. It’s managing people, supplies, projects and budgets… AND I ENJOY IT ALL. I feel pride when I see guests and patrons enjoying their time in the Center and walking out with a smile on their face, knowing they felt safe enough to spend their hard-earned dollars to experience an event here.”

Tucked in a hallway near Thrivent Hall’s stage and several dressing rooms, Adam’s office is in the middle of a considerable amount of activity when there is an event or show taking place. I asked Adam what interesting stories he could share about the interactions with touring and local professionals getting ready behind-the-scenes. He mentioned that he can often hear and see them rehearsing and mingling and has been pleasantly surprised at how personable the performers and the tour management have been. “One of the members of the band Kansas stood at my door and started a conversation with me,” he shared. “Another band’s tour manager once knocked on my door just to tell me what a beautiful building we had, both how it was originally designed and how clean it was.”

Adam enjoys working with a dedicated team of professionals who work together and build upon the Fox Cities P.A.C.’s mission, vision and values. “While I have only been with the Fox Cities Performing Arts Center for about a year, I have come to quickly appreciate the Center’s mission and culture. While serving as a multicultural gathering place and providing educational and entertainment options for the community, the Center encourages its employees to be their own unique selves. The Fox Cities P.A.C. truly is a special place to both work at and visit.”

Written by Philomena Dorobek, Brand Storyteller
Fox Cities Performing Arts Center