Business Quiz: Terry Pitts

Terry Pitts

Executive Director

Cedar Rapids Museum of Art

What was the last book you read?

I just finished the third volume of Marcel Proust's “Remembrance of Things Past.” Only two more volumes to go.

Proust writes so beautifully about growing up and making one's way into the world at large.

Where is your favorite place to get away?

My idea of an escape is to more or less aimlessly explore a great city on foot. My favorite cities are places like Paris, Tokyo, New York, San Francisco.

What do you always have close at hand at your desk?

I'm something of a minimalist, so my ideal desk is an uncluttered space with just a computer. Plus a jar of pens and a pad or some Post-it notes to jot ideas on.

But I have plenty of distractions to look at because my walls are covered with art.

Did you start out in this line of work?

I'm afraid I never thought very seriously about a career when I was growing up. I applied for an entry-level museum position because it sounds like an intriguing challenge.

Only after I was hired did I realize I'd found my calling. I'd always been an art museum-goer, but it never occurred to me that it could be a career.

Did you have a job while you were in school?

I have worked continuously since I was 15. In college I was a dishwasher, building janitor, library clerk and probably a few other jobs I'm glad to have forgotten.

How would you describe your management style?

My style is deliberately fluid - every problem and every situation is unique, so I find it helps to be flexible and to be a good listener.

I always want to understand the big picture, which helps me stop sweating the small stuff, as the saying goes. I always try to keep my focus on the goal.

Do you want to take The Business Quiz? Contact business editor Michael Chevy Castranova at michael.castranova@sourcemedia.net.