Minnesota State Agricultural Society's Annual Meeting – Al Paulson elected as President of the Board

SAINT PAUL , MN (01/22/2014)(readMedia)-- MINNESOTA?STATE?FAIRGROUNDS – Al Paulson of Shevlin, Minn. was elected president of the Minnesota State Agricultural Society - governing body of the State Fair - during last weekend's annual meeting of the Society in Bloomington. Paulson has served on the State Fair's board of managers since 2004 when he was first elected to represent the Society's ninth regional district. The Society's series of meetings was held Jan. 16-19 in conjunction with the annual conventions of the Minnesota Federation of County Fairs and Midwest Showmen's Association.

Paulson is the Clearwater County auditor, and has a lifelong record of service to his home county fair in Bagley, Minn., where he has been fair manager since 1986. In December of 2013, Paulson received the International Association of Fairs & Expositions Heritage Award for contributions to his fair and his community. Paulson also serves on the Red River Valley Development Association, the Bagley Area Farmers Market and the Headwaters Rotary Club.

In other elections, D.J. Leary of Minneapolis was re-elected to a two-year term as State Fair board vice president, representing the Society's fifth regional district. Gordy Toenges of Alden, Sharon Wessel of Hamel and Joe Scapanski of Sauk Rapids were each re-elected to three-year terms on the board representing the Society's first, third and sixth districts respectively. Dan Grunhovd of Gary was elected to fill the final year of Paulson's unexpired three-year term as ninth district representative. Jim Foss of Kenyon, the Society's immediate past president, was elected to honorary life membership in the Society. Jerry Hammer of St. Paul was re-appointed CEO of the State Fair.

During the meetings, the State Fair board of managers approved a $15.6 million capital improvements and maintenance budget - $13.8 million of which is earmarked for the West End Market and new transit hub currently under construction on the site of the old Heritage Square. The board also approved a $40 million operating budget for production of the 2014 State Fair that includes $3.2 million for agriculture, education and creative contests and displays; $1.5 million for free entertainment throughout the fairgrounds; and $4.7 million for guest services including the Park & Ride bus system, fairgrounds sanitation and police and fire protection.

The State Agricultural Society is made up of delegates from each of the state's 87 county fairs, plus representatives of 43 statewide associations involved in agriculture, horticulture and education. The Society is a quasi-state agency charged exclusively with the production of the annual Minnesota State Fair and management of the historic 320-acre State Fairgrounds. The Society and State Fair are financially self-supporting and receive no public funding of any kind.

The Minnesota State Fair is one of the largest and best-attended expositions in the world, attracting nearly 1.8 million visitors annually. Showcasing Minnesota's finest agriculture, art and industry, the Great Minnesota Get-Together is always 12 Days of Fun Ending Labor Day. Visit mnstatefair.org for more information. The 2014 Minnesota State Fair runs Aug. 21 - Labor Day, Sept. 1.

-MSF-