June Newsletter

It’s here! Please go to www.fairsandexpos.com and check out the new IAFE website. It has been developed to make it easier for you to access important member services.

Updating your Account and Password is as easy as 1, 2, 3: 

1. Log on.  Go to “Site Login” on right side of page. When the Access Badge appears, put in your email address.
2. Use this password:  temp123
3. Change your password, update your account.  The system should recognize you; the page will say “Welcome Back". Now go to “My Account” at right and drop down to “My Information” to change your password and to be sure we have everything correct with your account.

If you need assistance, please call the IAFE Office, (800) 516-0313, during regular business hours Monday – Friday, or send an email to the Membership Department.

May Newsletter

Time Management & Balanced Schedules

Being a Young Professional also means you are most likely involved in numerous activities both professionally and personally.  It is important each of us acknowledge our time management skills to incorporate a more balanced and stress free life.  Take a moment to reflect on what you do and how you approach your full-plate.  Do you find you are over extended at times, or don’t have enough time for something or someone?  

Here are a few tips on how to improve productivity and reduce your stress level, creating a more balanced life (provided by the Mayo Clinic):

• Plan each day.
• Prioritize your tasks.
• Say no to nonessential tasks.
• Delegate.
• Take the time you need to do a quality job.
• Limit distractions.
• Break large, time consuming tasks into smaller ones.
• Evaluate how you're spending your time.
• Get plenty of sleep, eat a healthy diet and exercise regularly.
• Take a break when needed.

Developing A Social Media Calendar & Helpful Tools

The total number of social media users is growing each year, and more people are engaging with your brand by the day.  Some rely on social media to find out the most accurate and up-to-date information about your event.  That’s a frightening thought if you don’t have a schedule in place for reaching your guest with the information they desire, while remaining efficient and relatable.

If you’re new to social media, start out slow and focus on one or two outlets first.  Once you’re comfortable with those, expand to other outlets.  Start following similar brands to track what content they post and what type of engagement and interaction they are receiving.  But, keep in mind, what works for them might not work as well for you.  Remain unique and exclusive to your followers.

Not sure how to build a social media schedule or where to start?  Start by determining the following and make sure you think about these when you develop each post:

• Content:  what type of content do you want to post?  Photos, links, videos, promotions, fill in the blanks, polls
• Goal:  What are you trying to accomplish through social media?
• Audience(s):  Who are your fans? Who do you want to reach?
• Brand Messages: What message do you want to get across to your followers?  How does social media support and convey your brand?

Items you might also consider: How frequently do you want to post?  How unique should the information be? What reoccurring content would you like to post each month?

Below are some unique content suggestions that you might consider integrating into your campaign.

• New Ride at Noon – Guests look forward to the thrilling rides they don’t want to miss, feature a new ride coming to your event and give it a catchy name.
• Fill in the Blank – Encourage users engage and interact on your page while researching what they look forward to most.
• Newsletter – Have your newsletter post to your social media outlets to reach those that might not know your newsletter exists and increase your newsletter database.
• Entertainment Announcement – Make a big deal about the exciting, and costly, entertainment coming to your event.
• Fun Food Friday – People love food, especially fun and unique food, feature the new food that will be available at your event and tag the concessionaire if they have a page.
• Sponsor & Media Highlight – Tag your sponsors and media pages in posts and thank them their partnership; improves working relationship & reaches their fans.
• Poll of the Month – Produce a poll that might have answers to help you understand your social media audience; what day they plan to attend, which food they like best, etc. This can help gear promotions and other posts.

When building a calendar, start with your five basic headers:

• Posting Date & Time
• Social Media Outlet(s)
• Message
• Link
• Insights/Results

You can put these in an Excel spreadsheet or Word document to stay organized and as a reference in the future.

There are many free social media content management systems out there that will simultaneously post to Facebook and Twitter, LinkedIn and more.  These dashboards are easy to use and allow posts to be scheduled in advance to improve efficiency while streamlining your social media marketing needs.  They allow you to track engagement and monitor your outlets from one location.  Do some research on which system best fits your needs, but here are a few systems to get you started: HootSuite, Gremln, BufferApp, MediaFunnel.

Take time to research systems, but start planning and organizing your content for your fans and followers NOW!

YPI VIP Highlight

Steve Richo

Co-Founder

Noise New Media

Nashville, Tennessee

Steve Richo moved to Nashville from Connecticut in 2006.  He was involved in telecom and network operations prior to entering the business.  He worked at various record labels on Music Row before founding Noise New Media in April of 2008, with Mark O'Shea.

In the day-to-day operations, Richo's work consists of being the social media strategist for many fairs, festivals and rodeos across the United States.  He also oversees all aspects of technical and visual developments.  Noise New Media started working in the fair industry after acquiring their first client: The Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo.  The 2013 Rodeo Houston will mark the fifth year of collaboration between the organizations.  Richo has attended The Big E in West Springfield, Massachusetts  since he was three years old and says it is his favorite time of year. 

Richo's interests include baseball, specifically the New York Yankees, classic cars, any and all live music in Nashville and traveling.  After visiting Australia in 2012, for the first time, Richo is seeking more time for international travel.

Mentor Spotlight

Michele Ruby

Oregon Ag Fest
Salem, Oregon

How long have you been in the Fair Industry?
I've been in my role as Executive Director of Oregon Ag Fest for 5 years, but have served on boards, as a volunteer, and/or as a fair exhibitor my entire life.

What's the best lesson you have learned in the industry / or the hardest?

• Best lesson: Flexibility is KING!

• Hardest lesson: Expect the unexpected, no matter how much you plan, unforeseen incidences will happen.

What's your favorite fair food?

Dairy Woman's Soft Serve Vanilla Ice Cream with HOT FUDGE!

What do you feel is the biggest change / challenge you have faced?

We are 100% funded by private dollars, so with increased expenses and board decisions to make the event more family-friendly since the 2008 economic downturn, translating to free parking and children 12 & under admitted for free, we've had to get VERY creative in our partnerships to cover expenses with the decreased gate revenue; which we've accomplish every year since 2008.

What question would you ask a mentor?

How to achieve balance to fair season? I struggle with that.

If you could give one piece of advice what would that be?
Be kind to others. Always. No exceptions. 

What’s the one thing during the fair you can’t live without?
Good pair of sneakers and a fully charged walkie talkie.

What's your advice on handling failure?
Learn from it. Life's greatest adversities are often more meaningful and useful to the future than successes. 

What’s your favorite quote?
“I have not failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work.” - Thomas A. Edison

Who is your role model / mentor?
I actually have several. The most influential is my mom. I saw her, from an early age, manage work, family, volunteerism and our farm with grace, patience and precision. If she was born in my era, I'm pretty sure she could be the first female President. 


YPI Updates

• YPI Steering Committee is seeking new members from Zones 1, 3, 5 and 7.  For more information and how to apply, CLICK HERE.
• Food from Fairs will feed the Hungry through the Dream Big Food Drive in 2013.  For more information and how to get involved, CLICK HERE.
• Join the YPI Facebook Discussion Group to connect with other YPI members, CLICK HERE.
• Tell us what you want to see featured in the YPI Newsletter, CLICK HERE.

March Newsletter

Generational Communincation
In the Fair Industry, and in most aspects of life, all generations are communicating.  Communication is imperative for a successful event and work environment, no matter what generation.  Being a young professional can encompass adversity when trying to illustrate your message to an individual from a different generation, and vice versa.  Therefore, it is important for everyone to stay in tune with how their communication styles differ from their peers, and how to appropriately interact with the challenges faced.

At our most recent IAFE Annual Convention, Jeremy Parsons (Clay County Fair) and Jessica Underberg (Erie County Fair), developed a comprehensive PowerPoint focusing on Gerational Differences.  Get plugged into communication, and gain insightful knowledge about how these differences affect us. 

• To view their presentation, CLICK HERE.

Fair-licious Food

Many of our guests visit our Fairs each year for delicious Fair Food.  This month’s Industry Highlight explores how concessionaires develop their new tasty concepts that keep the public coming back for more, year after year. 

Taking a journey through Destination Deep-Fried can be intriguing, two concessionaires from the the Minnesota State Fair shared insight on how they come up with their delectable delights.  The two concessionaires interviewed included, Tim “Giggles” Weiss, owner of Giggle’s Campfire Grill and Stephanie Olson, owner of Blue Moon Dine-In Theater. Each vendor had a very different approach, however they both go for more of a delicious factor than a shock factor.  Most of the time when you think about new and unique foods, one may think of a more crazy item, such as chocolate covered grasshoppers.  These successful concessionaires both have one thing in common, they develop more savory products, keeping their taste buds poised to want more all year long.  When asked how they come up with their ideas, Olsen stated, “we travel a lot, and we typically go for something that sounds good and is in line with the global trends.”  Whereas Giggles said that his inspiration is sparked mid-event during the Minnesota State Fair; resulting in a solid idea for the next year.

From a business standpoint, the food industry can have a lean profit margin.  When our concessionaires were asked if this played a role in the development of their product, Giggles said his focus was on people enjoying a great product at a value.  Olsen stated she has developed a measurement, which equates to the product cost and production being no more than 30% of the total cost. 

So how do our concessionaires market their most popular products, Olsen’s Sweet Corn Ice Cream and Giggle’s Walleye Cakes to their customers?  They each have a very different marketing approach.  Giggles utilizes a more structured solution with traditional components, such as billboards, radio and print advertising.  Olsen takes more of an old school approach with word of mouth and capitalizing on any opportunity that is free. 

One thing is for sure, both of these concessionaires truly enjoy what they are doing.  Their passion for food and excellent customer service has resulted in successful businesses for over 30 years.  Developing new products can be tricky, but we all enjoy the Fair-licious Food that our concessionaires develop, while increasing profits and creating tasty memories.

• For more food inspiration, visit the Minnesota State Fair's New Food Page, CLICK HERE.

Looking to Get Involved?

The YPI Steering Committee is seeking new members from Zones 1, 3, 5 and 7.  If you are under 40 years old and from an IAFE member fair in one of these Zones, we encourage you to apply to serve on the YPI Steering Committee.  All applications must be submitted by May 31, 2013.

• For more information and how to apply, CLICK HERE.

YPI VIP Highlight

Sara Renee Hallman

Event Coordinator

Benton Franklin Fair

Kennewick, Washington

Sara Renee Hallman is a small town girl born and raised in Pasco, Washington. She is a mother of two very energetic boys, and decided to raise her children in her hometown. At the age of 23, she was new to the fair industry when she joined the Benton Franklin Fair & Rodeo in Kennewick, Wash., as a temporary employee inputting entry data. Even though she didn’t have a background in fairs or a knowledge of livestock terminology, she proved to be a quick learner and was soon hired as a full-time permanent employee.

In Ms. Hallman’s seven years at the Benton Franklin Fair, her role has evolved and she now manages contracts, vendors, exhibitors and volunteers. Her job responsibilities do not stop there. Ms. Hallman has been a fill-in for one of the rodeo specialty acts when things went awry, an experience she will never forget. Ms. Hallman is very grateful to have been introduced into the fair industry and enjoys com­ing to work each and every day. She looks forward to seeing a younger generation be more involved with what this industry has to offer.

Mentor Spotlight

Adam Heffron

Wisconsin State Fair Park
West Allis, Wisconsin

How long have you been in the Fair Industry?
All but six years of my career when I worked for a convention and visitors bureau.

What's the best lesson you have learned in the industry / or the hardest?
There are so many lessons that I have learned the hard way, but one that comes to mind is from early on in my career when I lent my back stage pass to a trusted fair-time employee, and she proceeded to make an embarrassment of herself and of the fair while wearing my credential.  The lesson I learned is:  don't accept a backstage pass if you have no business being there; and if you have one, keep it around your own neck.

What's your favorite fair food?
Since I have had the fortune of working and visting many good fairs throughout North America I would say it depends on the fair and region.

• Washington State, I love a Walla Walla Onion Burger
• California fairs, I would choose a Fish Taco
• Canadian fairs serve a mean ice cream Fiddlestick
• Western New York fairs bake a killer piece of pizza
• Minnesota State Fair, where do I begin ...
• Wisconsin State Fair, it's Cream Puffs and Beer (off the clock of course)

What do you feel is the biggest change / challenge you have faced?

Nearing graduation from college and trying to land a fair job was a challenge for me.  I was blessed to have two very special people present me with a unique opportunity to gain fair managment experience.  Norb Bartosik from the Orange County Fair and Joan Weil from the San Diego County Fair pulled together to hire and train me at both of their fairs. 

A more recent challenge has been my experience with directing a new department at Wisconsin State Fair Park.  Building a staff, creating operating policies and procedures, gaining rapport with hundreds of clients, managing such a diverse inventory of venues while maintaining a high ROI brings about daily opportunities and challenges. 

What question would you ask a mentor?
How did we get so lucky to create such a large fair-going audience willing to stand in lines to spend money for admittance, a toilet stall without a door, deep fried foods, nauseating rides, concerts seats, a look at the biggest boar, cash machines, and last but not least, a long parade of vehicles to get off the grounds after the fireworks?  We have to love fairgoers. 

If you could give one piece of advice what would that be?
Always strive to improve our product, making it diverse, exciting, innovative, eye appealing, comfortable and representative of our community; yet, don't forget to understand what got us here - agriculture, entertainment and education.

What’s the one thing during the fair you can’t live without?
A really good staff.

What's your advice on handling failure?
A great leader, friend, and trusted mentor in our business frequently advised me that, "If you want to make an omelette you have to break some eggs." I make mistakes daily, but in doing so, learn from them and eat a lot of scrambled eggs.

What’s your favorite quote?
“Enthusiasm is one of the most powerful engines of success. When you do a thing, do it with all your might. Put your whole soul into it. Stamp it with your own personality. Be active, be energetic, be enthusiastic and faithful, and you will accomplish your object. Nothing great was ever achieved without enthusiasm.”  -Ralph Waldo Emerson

Who is your role model / mentor?
My father, Mike Heffron.


YPI Updates

• Food from Fairs will feed the Hungry through the Dream Big Food Drive in 2013.  For more information and how to get involved, CLICK HERE.
• Join the YPI Facebook Discussion Group to connect with other YPI members, CLICK HERE.
• Tell us what you want to see featured in the YPI Newsletter, CLICK HERE.

January Newsletter

Plugged-In.....To Your Community

The Fair Industry and Community intertwine significantly, which is why it is important as a young professional to get Plugged-In.  Involvement in your community provides access to many opportunities, which include sponsorships, networking and public relations to name just a few.  In addition, being Plugged-In exposes you to educational opportunities that will assist in molding you to be a more rounded and diverse individual, giving you more relevance in today’s competitive world.  We all make a difference now, but if we all get Plugged-In, think of what a greater impact YPI can have.  So how can you get Plugged-In? 

·         City Organized Young Professional Groups

·         Non-Profit Boards (great resource to learn about non-profits in your area are Social Calendars)

·         Schools (Public, Private and Colleges)

·         Public Library

·         Hospitals

·         Rotary

·         Junior League 

Don’t just wait for opportunities to come to you, get Plugged-In, and create your own opportunities.

 
 

Dream Big:  Food Drive 101

Approaching the idea of where to start on hosting a food drive may seem a little overwhelming, but with a few basic steps your Fair can be on its way to food drive success.  Here are four areas that you will want to outline when planning your food drive.

 

Planning a food drive can be broken down into as many areas as you would like, but you must make sure you have four major areas:

 

1.       What are our goals?

2.       Who are we going to partner with?

3.       What location will work best?

4.       What incentives will we offer?

 

As with any project being taken on, establishing goals and what you want to achieve is the first step.  You will then want to determine what charity you want to partner with, what volunteer base you will work with or establish and what media partners you want to directly team up with.  These will also be a big source of how the event will be publicized.  The location selected should be determined on space availability, ease of getting food items to this area and is it easily accessible to vehicles.  Lastly, what will drive people to participate and make it worth the effort of bringing food donations to the fair?  Explore different promotions that would work the best for your fairgoers. 
 

Each food drive can be different and unique and that is one thing that makes them so successful.  Dream Big in 2013!

 

• For more information on the IAFE Dream Big Campaign, CLICK HERE

 

YPI VIP Highlight

J.D. Linn

Producer
Haas & Wilkerson Insurance
Fairway, Kansas

J.D. Linn is a producer for the fair, festival, and special event divi­sion of Haas & Wilkerson Insurance. He uses contractual analysis, policy reviews, and other risk management techniques to protect the assets of festivals from the unique liability ex­posures associated with them.

 

Prior to working at Haas & Wilkerson In­surance, Linn graduated from the Uni­ver­sity of Kansas’s School of Economics in 2010 with a bachelors degree in economics and minor in business. In 2010, he was also employed as the music director and composer for the Story Worx Studio of Kansas City. His love of music lead to him attending and sometimes performing at several different festivals through­out the country, where he developed a passion for the special event industry. From 2008-2011, Linn served as an independent contractor for Blue Jay Properties in Law­rence, Kans. He was responsible for managing a clean­ing/maintenance crew for a 192-unit apartment complex.

 

As a producer at Haas & Wilkerson In­sur­ance, Linn uses his analytical skills, econom­ics background, and risk management knowl­edge to serve the industry that he has grown to love. He designs risk management programs for the specific, high-risk exposures associat­ed with special events. He was recently elected to serve on the board of directors for the Flor­ida Festival and Event Association. He has at­tended numerous state fair meetings as well as IAFE zone meetings for zones 1, 2, 3, and 6.

Linn has one older brother, Mike Linn, and a 135 lb black lab/Newfoundland mix dog named Vito.  During most of his free time, Linn writes music or is playing with a couple of bands around Kansas City.  His other hobbies include boating, attending concerts, snowboarding, hunting, and occassionally rock climbing and white water rafting.

 

 

Mentor Spotlight

Marla Calico

IAFE

Springfield, Missouri

 

How long have you been in the Fair Industry?

I began work at the Ozark Empire Fair (Springfield, Missouri) in early 1977, while attending Southwest Missouri State University (Now Missouri State University).  I worked 12 hours per week in the office, but also picked up extra cash by selling tickets on Friday night at the stock car races, selling bedding at the horse shows on Saturday and Sunday.  I was the general manager of the fair from 1995 through mid-2004.  I have been on staff at the IAFE since September, 2006.

 

What's the best lesson you have learned in the industry / or the hardest?

No matter how much success you enjoy, no matter how GREAT things are going you must constantly be pushing yourself -- and htose around you -- to always do better.  It is the 4-H motto learned so many years ago, "To Make the Best Better".

 

What's your favorite fair food?

Nachos with cheese (on the side) and LOTS of jalapeno peppers with a Dr. Pepper. This was my Friday night dinner for decades because I most often could be found working a horse show or rodeo or other event at OEF.

 

What do you feel is the biggest change / challenge you have faced?

The biggest change has been the technology, not only while I was at the fair, but here at IAFE. It is moving SO fast, compared to what I first knew and the rate of change from the late 1970s through end of 1990s. Consider this -- getting a FAX machine was a huge deal for us! As far as a challenge, nothing -- nothing at all -- can compare to the horrible tragedy of a natural gas explosion on our fairgrounds, 32 days before the 2003 fair opened, which killed one of our employees.

What question would you ask a mentor?
Advice on how to be a good leader. You can be the best at marketing, the best at arranging competitive exhibits, or managing an agricultural program....but that doesn't necessarily make you a leader.

If you could give one piece of advice what would that be?
Everyone fails at some point in their life. The key is to learn something from that failure...to admit it, to own up to it. to make the changes necessary so that the next time you fail it is at something else! We remember Babe Ruth not for the phenomenal number of strike-outs but for his home runs.

What’s the one thing during the fair you can’t live without?
Extra shoes. If your feet aren't "happy" the rest of you cannot be happy!

What’s your favorite quote?
The 4-H motto, "To Make the Best Better".

Who is your role model / mentor?
My mentor was Dan Fortner, the manager of Ozark Empire Fair from 1983 through 1994. I learned so very much from him, not only about how to run the fair, but about living life. Although also a mentor, my dad was and remains my role model. The world lost a great man when he died, and I miss him still. He was one who always had a smile on his face; who never met a stranger; who always found the good in people; who survived failure; a man who was never afraid to show his love or his emotions.

November Newsletter

YPI Events at IAFE Convention

Sunday, November 25

• YPI Wine Pull: 6pm - 8pm, Planet Hollywood London Club

Monday, November 26

• Rising Star Award Presentation: 8:30am, Champagne Ballroom
• Mentor Mixer: 4:30pm - 6pm, Paris Versailles 3 & 4

Tuesday, November 27

• YPI General Committee Meeting: 2:30pm, Bally's Event Center
  (All under-40 IAFE fair and associate members are invited!)
• YPI Reception: 7:30pm - 8:30pm, Paris Versailles 1 & 2
  (Sponsored by Noise New Media and Sapphire Events)
• Informal Night on the Town: 8:30pm, TBD

Wednesday, November 28

• Generational Differences: 3:15pm - 4:30pm, Bally's Skyview 1
  How Do They Affect Us? (Sponsored by the Young Professionals Initiative)

New YPI Steering Committee Members

Amanda Blair, Tulsa State Fair, Zone 6 - Amanda Blair is an Oklahoma native, with strong ties in the Tulsa community.  After graduating from the University of Oklahoma, Amanda began her career at Expo Square, advancing from Assistant Ticket Office Manager to the Executive Manager of Sales & Maketing for Expo Square, as well as the Manager of the Tulsa State Fair.  While pursuing her career, she has completed her Master's in Public Administration and is a graduate of IAFE's Institute of Fair Managemnet.  In addition to her work at Expo Square, Amanda serves on the Event, Entertainment and Tourism Advisory Committee for Tulsa Technology Center and Habitat for Humanity Board.

Sara Renee Hallman, Benton Franklin Fair & Rodeo, Zone 8 – Sara Renee Hallman was new to the fair industry when she joined the Benton Franklin Fair & Rodeo in Kennewick, Wash., as a temporary employee inputting entry data in 2005. Even though she didn’t have a background in fairs or knowledge of livestock terminology, she proved to be a quick learner and was soon hired as a full-time permanent employee. In her seven years at the Benton Franklin Fair, Sara Renee’s role has evolved and she now manages contracts, vendors, exhibitors and volunteers.

J.D. Linn, Haas & Wilkerson Insurance, Associate Representative - J.D. Linn is a producer for the recreation division of Haas & Wilkerson Insurance.  His division specializes in providing risk management consulting and insurance services to fairs, festivals, and large special events. He is also on Florida Festivals & Events Association’s board of directors. Prior to working at Haas & Wilkerson Insurance, J.D. graduated from the University of Kansas’ School of Economics.

Leah Norris, Lake County Fair, FL, Zone 2 - Norris was born and raised in Eustis.  She graduated from the University of Florida with a B.S. in Food and Resource Economics.  While at UF, she was active in Sigma Alpha sorority, Gator Collegiate Cattlewomen, FRE-NAMA, and the Agriculture & Life Sciences College Council.  She is the 4th generation to be involved with the Lake County Fair, through either volunteering on the Board or as part of the staff.  Norris grew up on the fairgrounds, where her father, Happy Norris, CFE has been Manager since 1997.  Norris began her career in October of 2005, and became Assistant Manager in November 2011. 

Jen Puente, Wisconsin State Fair, Zone 4 - Jen Puente has been part of the fair her entire life.  In her current role as Sponsorship Manager for the Wisconsin State Fair, Jen focuses on securing, fulfilling and maintaining over 100 corporate partnerships totaling over $2.2 million dollars in gross sponsorship revenue for the annual Fair.  She is also involved with the Wisconsin Association of Fairs and the Wisconsin Fairest of the Fairs program.  Outside of the Fair, she enjoys cheering for her favorite sports teams, spending time with family and friends, and traveling.

Steve Richo, Noise New Media, Associate Representative - Steve is currently in his fourth year of business at Noise New Media, the preeminent social media strategist for fairs, festivals and rodeos across the US. He oversees all aspects of technical and visual development at Noise. He is originally from Connecticut and enjoys traveling, baseball and all that Music City has to offer.

Zone Scholarships Awarded

Using their Zone Account funds, the IAFE Zones 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 7 have selected young professionals from their geographic areas to attend the 2012 IAFE Annual Convention and Trade Show.  The YPI Zone Scholarship program, begun in 2010, has expanded with a total of 15 scholarships ranging from $500 to $1,000 made available to young people ages 21 to 39 from member fairs.  Here’s a salute to the 2012 recipients:

Zone 1
Brandon Johnson, 29, is the entertainment chairperson for the Orleans County 4-H Fair in Medina, N.Y.  In this volunteer capacity, Brandon is responsible for booking and managing all aspects of the entertainment for his fair. He has attended the state association meeting in New York for seven years and attended the Pennsylvania association meeting on his own for two years just to see how fairs in other states are operating!

Paul Kennedy, 31, is the elected president of the Schuykill County Fair (PA) board serving in his 7th term as director. For his fair, he is the midway coordinator as well as the chief of safety and security.  He has been active in the Pennsylvania association meeting as a round table moderator and seminar presenter on issues of venue security and traffic.

Zone 2
Ismael Ramos, Jr. is on the staff of the Miami-Dade County Fair and Exposition, Fla., serving as the competitive exhibits manager. He coordinates over 400 volunteers in the department at the fair in addition to many other duties. He also is the key staff member working with schools to insure students have information about fair participation. Ismael, 32, recently enrolled in the IAFE’s Institute of Fair Management.

Hank Luton, 30, is the box office supervisor at the Salem Civic Center in Salem, Va., and part of the staff charged with putting on the annual Salem Fair. In addition to working with ticketing, Hank is involved in the social media and promotional marketing of the fair.  In the coming year, he will be picking up additional staff duties booking commercial exhibits.

Zone 3
Matt Wells and is director on the board for the Porter County Fair (Ind.) and also serves on the executive board. Matt, 27, works with the junior board, 4-H projects, the veterans’ recognition program and is also the fair’s historian. He has participated as a round table moderator and attended the Indiana association’s annual meeting for five years.

Jessica Vanderschee is the administrative assistant and event coordinator for the Norfolk County Fair & Horse Show (Simcoe, Ontario).  This 30 year old works with commercial exhibitors, assists with marketing to local schools and community groups, handles customer service and facility bookings – a “jack of all trades” according to the fair manager!

Zone 4
Maria Budnik, 29, is the fair administrator for the Wisconsin Valley Fair in Wausau, Wis.  She is responsible for all financial records and bookkeeping, working with 4-H, FFA, media, vendors, exhibitors and the fair board. She also supervises up to seven seasonal workers and over 80 fair-time employees.  Just 15 months on the job, Maria has already attended the Wisconsin State Convention and served as host for the IAFE Zone 4 meeting in 2012.

Jennifer Pickett is a director on the board of the Fillmore County Fair, Preston, Minn. All directors “work,” and this 34 year old has been involved in building stages, maintaining the conservation fish exhibit as well as doing plumbing on the grounds!  Jennifer is in charge of the sponsorship program for the fair. This fair has only been an IAFE member for two years, but Jennifer has represented it at the Zone 4 meetings both years. She also has attended the Minnesota Federation’s state and regional meetings.

Zone 5
Heidi Steffen, 34, is the marketing manager for the Linn County Fair in Central City, Iowa.  She develops the marketing plans, handles all aspects of promotion and production and is also the fair’s official spokesperson.  In addition, she manages the grandstand events and serves on a number of fair committees.  Since joining the fair in 2005, Heidi has attended every state Convention and attended her first Zone 5 meeting in 2012.

Zone 7
Alli Barnes, 27, is just four months on the job as the coordinator for the Davis County Fair in Utah.  Alli is responsible for all fair preparations, marketing, sponsorships, promotions, and volunteers – all aspects of the fair.  She brings to the county fair a background in event planning and is excited about the opportunities and challenges she is encountering in her new job.

YPI VIP Highlight

Amanda Blair
Fair Manager
Tulsa State Fair
Tulsa, Oklahoma

Amanda Blair is a Tulsa-born native with deep roots in the Sooner State. After finishing high school, she graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Communication from the University of Oklahoma. While pursuing her career at Expo Square, she has completed her Master’s in Public Administration from the University of Oklahoma and is a graduate of the IAFE Institute of Fair Management.

Blair is the executive manager of sales and marketing for Expo Square, as well as the manager of the Tulsa State Fair. She began her career path at Expo Square as the assistant manager of the ticket office in 2005. Since then, Ms. Blair contributed to the organization as the marketing and media relations manager from 2007-2008. Both roles provided a foundation and well-rounded background in event planning and execution. Her leadership and accomplishments at Expo Square and the Tulsa State Fair illustrated her commitment to excellence, which earned her the opportunity to become fair manager in October 2008.

Over the past four years, Ms. Blair has been challenged to produce the community’s largest event, the Tulsa State Fair, which she called “an enriching opportunity to provide an educational and entertaining experience that continues our Oklahoma heritage.” She possesses a great deal of gratitude to those who have taught her, and is a firm believer that one’s education is never complete.

During her career as fair manager, she has emphasized a collaborative team effort approach with a focus on creativity, professionalism, and striving to have a lasting impact on the Tulsa community. In 2011, she was instrumental in the Inaugural Corndog Classic 5K Run, which provided an avenue for the fair to give back to a community that has been supportive for more than 100 years. Ms. Blair’s passion and progressive approach has enabled her to refine the Tulsa State Fair’s focus, creating an environment that has yielded an increase in revenue and attendance.

In addition to her career, she serves on the Event, Entertainment and Tourism Advisory Committee for Tulsa Technology Center, Habitat for Humanity Board, and most recently, has been elected to serve on the IAFE YPI Steering Committee as the Zone 6 Representative beginning November 2012. Ms. Blair is currently in Leadership Tulsa Class 47 and has been recognized by Tulsa Business Journal and Oklahoma Magazine as a Top 40 under 40.

She thrives in a fast paced environment and looks forward to continuing her career in the fair and event industry.