Iowa State Fair Board Elections and Awards

DES MOINES, IA (12/12/2018) (readMedia)-- One new board member was elected to the Iowa State Fair Board of Directors and five members were re-elected during the Iowa Association of Fairs Conference and Annual Meeting held December 7-9 in Des Moines.

Deb Zumbach from Coggon in Linn County was newly elected to serve on the Board from the northeast district, replacing former longtime Board member Paul Vaassen. Directors re-elected to their districts were: Dave Hoffman, LeMars (northwest), Tennie Carlson, Stratford (north central), Gary Van Aernam, Exira (southwest), Jerry Parkin, Earlham (south central), Gary McConnell, Bloomfield (southeast). Delegates from six geographic districts elect two board members to serve two year staggered terms.

Board Officers for 2019 are as follows: President, Dave Hoffman (northwest), Vice President, Tennie Carlson (north central) and Treasurer, Darwin Gaudian (northwest). Other Board members include John Harms, Monticello (northeast); Alan Brown, Hampton (north central); Darwin Gaudian, Primghar (northwest); Randy Brown, Osceola (south central); C.W. Thomas, Guthrie Center (southwest); and Curtis Claeys, Grand Mound (southeast). Board Members by office held are Governor Kim Reynolds (represented by Lt. Governor Adam Gregg), Secretary of Agriculture Michael Naig (represented by Julie Kenney), and Iowa State University President Wendy Wintersteen (represented by Robert Dodds).

During the Awards Banquet on Friday, December 7, out-going, longtime Board member Paul Vaassen was awarded a 2018 Hall of Fame Award. Paul, of Dubuque, was elected to the Iowa State Fair Board 17 times, serving from 1985-2018.

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Frequently ranked as one of the top events in the country, the Iowa State Fair is the single largest event in the state of Iowa and one of the oldest and largest agricultural and industrial expositions in the country. Annually attracting more than a million people from all over the world, the Iowa State Fair located at East 30th and East University, just 10 minutes from downtown Des Moines, is Iowa's greatest celebration with a salute to the best in agriculture, industry, entertainment and achievement. "Nothing Compares" to Fair Favorites, August 8-18, 2019. For more information, visit www.iowastatefair.org.