Thursday, February 18, 2021

Meet your YPI Steering Committee!  

Name- Jennifer Dunn, CPIA, 2021 Chair


 
Fair- The Linn County Fair in Central City, IA

 Position- Vice President (all volunteer run fair)

 Age- 36 (freshly 36)

Hobbies- Anything outside (Snowmobiling, running, refereeing HS and Collegiate soccer) love traveling and if I can catch a fair that’s an added bonus! In 2019 I visited 31 different fairs that year, I’m a fair junkie!

How long have you been involved with Fairs? I’ve been with the fair since 2006, where I served as the Secretary and Treasurer because they couldn’t find anyone to take the position. I had been attending our fair as I was a 4-H kid. When joining our fair association, it was all because of my beloved Father-in-law who is no longer with us today and his passion and care for the fair was infectious! He had big dreams for our fair and after his sudden passing, I made it a goal of mine to make those dreams happen! I regularly think about what he would say today about how far it’s come and the memories we are helping create each year! He is the reason I am involved with our fair and involved with IAFE. 

How did you get involved in YPI? It was all because I wanted to be like one of the “big kids”. It reminds me a lot of when I wanted to be fair queen. Looking at all the queen candidates from my youth days and thought “I want to do that one day!” Well, my dream came true! I paid attention to the emails, got involved when coming to convention and made connections! Believe me my role models come in all ages and if it wasn’t for the events that YPI put on at convention I wouldn’t be in this position today. With the events we are going to be putting on all year long that makes it that much easier for you all to be involved and I cannot wait to see you all more than just 1x a year.

What are you most excited about in 2021, personally and professionally? Personally- Mental and physical development. Challenge myself mental and physically. Professionally-taking YPI to the next level! I want to grow this group to one of the strongest groups in our profession. This network we build will help us all for the future and so excited to see this group take it up a notch! We didn’t get where we are today with out the work of everyone before us and I am grateful for the efforts they put into it!

What is a Fair memory you will never forget? Too many to name, but my top 3 are 1. Tornado touching down during our opening ceremonies! 2. Having to move our fair to our “sister” fair up north because our grounds was projected to be underwater in 24 hours on the 2nd day of fair. 3. In 2014, seeing the smiles from all the 4-H kids, parents, visitors to the grounds while standing on the wrap around porch of the newly constructed building that is named after my Father-In-law. He was smiling so big that first fair we opened that building that he had dreamed of for years! I just wish he was there to see it in person.

What is a motto or phrase you live by? “It all happens for a reason” I’ve had some challenges that looking back, it was part of the path that led me to where I am today. Those experiences were not fun, heart breaking, friendships and relationships changed (which hurts) but I have come to realize that I’m where I was supposed to be! I’ve grown so much from those challenges and what felt like road blocks or hurdles. I appreciate them now!

 

Name- Beth Pomije, 

2021 Vice Chair

Position- Commercial Vendor Manager at Wisconsin State Fair 

Age- 35

Hobbies- Hiking, reading, drinking coffee

How long have you been involved with Fairs? All in all, over 15 years. I started as Vendor Services Administrative Assistant in 2005, working summers through college and a teaching career, until I was added on full-time in 2015. Before that, I attended the Wisconsin State Fair every year with my family.

How did you get involved in YPI? I attended the Zone 4 Meeting in 2018 where I participated in my first YPI happy hour. Emily Grunewald (current Past Chair) talked about the Steering Committee and I was so excited about the mission and events of the group. I can truly say it was one of the best decisions, personally and professionally, I ever made submitting an application and jumping in head first as Zone 4 YPI Representative at my first IAFE Annual Convention.

What are you most excited about in 2021, personally and professionally? Personally, our family will be welcoming a baby girl on January 26th, joining our 4-year-old daughter, Cady! Professionally, I can’t wait to see how our new knowledge, skills, and initiatives from 2020 make our State Fair and events even that much better.

What is a Fair memory you will never forget? I got to meet the group Hanson at our Fair in 2018. The 12-year-old inside me was screaming, but I kept it together.

What is a motto or phrase you live by? “No day but today” from the musical Rent. But in 2020, it was “Just do the next right thing” from Frozen 2.

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