News & Notices
Officer Profile: David R. Krajec
Making Ideas Possible is a "Family" Affair
David Krajec, USITT’s new Vice-President for Commissions, takes office just as the Institute announces that it will hold its 2013 Annual Conference in his back yard, Milwaukee.
“I enjoy interacting with colleagues across the country” he noted “and I am excited to be able to serve the Institute on another level.” As VP, he wants to help assist the Commissions in what they are trying to accomplish, building on the strong legacy of his predecessors. “The Commissions are the backbone of the Institute, and I’m a firm believer in service leadership. To me, this is leading by empowering people to do the jobs that need to be done.” He quotes Eugene B. Habecker, author of The Other Side of Leadership, "The true leader serves. Serves people. Serves their best interests, and in doing so will not always be popular, may not always impress. But because true leaders are motivated by loving concern than a desire for personal glory, they are willing to pay the price."
David feels it is “always good to examine how we do business, whether it is in the classroom or in the board room. Even if it is decided that no change is warranted, that kind of activity keeps the juices flowing. It grows ideas.” If someone has an idea, inspiration, goal, want or need, they should approach the appropriate Commission. As David says, “This is where the rubber meets the road. Not everything is possible, but we will strive to keep the process transparent so people know what is happening with their ideas.”
David & Debra Krajec
He is also excited to be working with USITT’s Executive Director. He anticipates looking at ways to make Commissions more vital. “All of the commissions are doing great work, he says, but we need to look at new ways to get younger people involved.“
For David, USITT really is all in the family. He has been chair of the Midwest Regional Section, on the USITT Board of Directors for two terms, and served as a Vice-Commissioner for Programming for the Education Commission and served as the Commissioner for Education for seven years. His wife, Debra, served as the Commissioner for Costume Design & Technology, served three terms on the Board of Directors, was selected a USITT Fellow, and currently heads the Awards Committee for the Institute. They met in 1987 at the USITT Conference in Minneapolis and are the only husband and wife team to have served on the board at the same time.
David was at Cardinal Stritch University for almost 20 years and is now project manager for Mainstage Theatrical Supply, a USITT Sustaining Member. Deb has been with Marquette University for more than 27 years, and is artistic director of its Theatre Arts program.
While David has a serious side, he feels people should enjoy themselves, especially if they are volunteering their talents. “Even if the task is tedious, there is a way to have fun,” he opined. He’s also an animal lover, which is obvious when you learn that he spent several days in June traveling from Milwaukee to New England in the company of his wife, two dogs, and two cats in the cab of his pickup truck. “We can’t leave them home, they’re family.”
For David, “family” extends from that truck packed with life into the Commissions, across USITT, and out to the limits of what may be possible as he begins his term as VP-Commissions.
