Katie Krock Kickstarts a New Era
Nine things to know about ASG Operations Manager Katie Krock
Katie Krock, ASG’s project controls team lead, has recently stepped into the role of operations manager. With 14 years of experience as a project scheduler and cost controller, Katie is enthusiastic about taking on new responsibilities to better serve ASG’s clients and team members.
“I’m excited not only for what Katie can do for the team and our clients, but also for what I can learn from her,” said ASG Principal and Senior Consultant Doug Koeneman. “I love the challenge to learn and be better. Katie does that every day. As we grow, this role could evolve into something more like a chief operations officer. I’m looking forward to partnering with Katie so we can become our best.”
Here are nine key insights about Katie and her new position.
1. She almost pursued construction.
After Katie earned a degree in architectural engineering and construction management from the Milwaukee School of Engineering, Katie realized her passion lay outside of engineering. “I preferred the contracting side,” she said. Following her husband, who aimed for a career working in racing, she moved to Indianapolis.
When she arrived in Indy, Katie worked for a small construction company that consulted with Eli Lilly and Company. There she installed fire alarm systems in nearly all Lilly buildings on the Indianapolis campuses. From there, she moved on to a project management role at an Indianapolis federal building and eventually into scheduling for Lilly’s pharmaceutical lines, paving the way for her career at ASG.
2. She began as a scheduler.
While working as a scheduling consultant at Lilly, Katie met ASG Principal and Senior Consultant Doug Koeneman. “Doug always had me put a lot of detail into our schedules,” she said. “We had trouble keeping up and we were constantly changing them as we tried to balance the details and the big picture. Sometimes scheduling took time away from the real work.”
During this time, Katie became familiar with ASG’s culture. When Doug offered her a job, she was eager to join. “The people were brilliant and had great personalities,” Katie says. “I felt honored to be part of the team.” When she joined ASG in 2014, it marked the beginning of steady growth for the company. “I was the first one on the controls side, and now we have eight schedulers and three cost controllers.”
3. She’s embraced diverse roles.
Katie ended up being more than just a scheduler for ASG. She took on responsibilities as a cost controller and a project manager. “One day I just asked Doug, ‘Is there any reason I can’t learn cost control?’” she said. Doug encouraged her to learn it. Since then, she has immersed herself in that area.
4. She’s ready to lead.
As ASG expanded to about 25 employees, it became necessary to appoint team leads, and Katie was selected to lead the project controls team. “I didn’t know exactly what to expect, but it sounded exciting,” she said. “I haven’t looked back since.” Leadership became a core responsibility for Katie.
5. She’ll never stop learning.
When Doug would ask Katie, “What do you want to be when you grow up?” she’d laugh and respond that she enjoyed understanding how the business operates. This conversation sparked many more discussions about the operations manager role. Initially Katie was worried about taking on the role and balancing work with family commitments, but Doug reassured her that her family would remain a priority. Work-life balance is a core aspect of ASG’s culture.
6. She believes in ASG’s culture.
Katie strongly supports the ASG One Team culture. “I want to help everyone succeed,” said Katie, who advocates for ASG’s flexible work environment. “If it’s not broken, don’t fix it,” Katie said. “As a leader, I believe it’s vital to be caring and understanding toward colleagues. Everyone has different circumstances that we need to embrace.”
7. She’s an advocate for development and training.
As ASG continues to grow, Katie envisions a stronger focus on development and hands-on training. “I want to play an active role in mentoring and guiding new employees,” she said. “We have a wonderful team working on rolling out a training and development program. I’m excited to see the impact it has on the ASG team.” Katie said she’s committed to watching team members grow and evaluating their contributions.
8. She’s committed to clients and the team.
ASG’s team leads will remain the key contacts for clients. As operations manager, Katie will address larger issues and needs, as well as support the team leads. “I hope to emulate the way Doug helps de-escalate challenging situations,” said Katie.
9. She loves new challenges.
One aspect of ASG that Katie loves is its variety. “No two days are the same,” she said. “Whether a project changes or I’m sought for advice, my work keeps me engaged.” As a scheduler since 2009, Katie has honed her expertise. The operations manager role will allow her to tackle new challenges while continuing to lead the project controls team. “I’ll continue to be the team mom,” she said.
“This position will require significant mental effort, and I’m excited for that,” Katie said. The job will require a larger role in financial aspects, mentoring team members and becoming more involved in the day-to-day operations of the business. “As a first-time operations manager, the learning curve will be steep. I don’t know what I don’t know, but I’m ready for the challenge.”
