DES MOINES, IA (12/17/2015)(readMedia)-- Two new members were elected to the Iowa State Fair Board of Directors and five were re-elected during the Iowa Association of Fairs Conference and Annual Meeting held December 11-13 in Des Moines. Delegates from six geographic State Fair Board districts elect two board members each for a total of 12 directors. All terms are staggered two-year terms.
Directors re-elected to serve two-year terms and their districts are: Bob Schlutz, Columbus Junction (southeast); C.W. Thomas, Guthrie Center (southwest); Randy Brown, Osceola (south central); Alan Brown, Hampton (north central); and, John Harms, Monticello (northeast).
Two new board members and their districts are: Darwin Gaudin, Primghar (northwest), elected to serve a 2 year term for former Board member, Bill Neubrand, who passed away this year. Tennie Carlson, Stratford (north central), elected for a 1 year term to complete the term of board member, James Romer, who moved out of state this year. Tennie joins a notable list of women who have served on the Iowa State Fair Board including most recently, Leona Ashman (south central) who served as president in the 90s and Jeannie Partlow (northwest) who served as treasurer and retired from the Board in 2010.
In 2016, Alan Brown will serve the Board as president, John Harms will serve as vice-president and Dave Hoffman will serve as treasurer.
Other Board members include : Paul Vaassen, Dubuque (northeast); Gary VanAernam, Exira (southwest); Jerry Parkin, Earlham (south central); and Gary McConnell, Bloomfield (southeast). Directors by office held are Governor Terry Branstad (represented by Lt. Governor Kim Reynolds), Secretary of Agriculture Bill Northey (represented by Michael Naig), and Iowa State University President Dr. Steven Leath (represented by Dr. John Lawrence).
###
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. For more information, visit www.iowastatefair.org.
