Iowa State Fair elects board members

     During the Iowa Association of Fairs Conference and Annual Meeting, held Dec. 9-11, in Des Moines, one new board member was elected to the Iowa State Fair Board of Directors and five members were re-elected.

   Delegates who attended the meeting from six geographic districts in Iowa elected two board members to serve two-year staggered terms on the Iowa State Fair Board. Directors re-elected to their districts are Tennie Carlson, Stratford (north central); Gary Van Aernam, Exira (southwest); Deb Zumbach, Coggon (northeast); Jo Reynolds, Indianola (south central); and Gary McConnell, Bloomfield (southeast).

   Newly elected to the Board is VerDon Schmidt from Everly (northwest). Schmidt fills a vacancy left by retiring Board member Dave Hoffman who has served on the Iowa State Fair Board since 2010 and has been a vital part of many exciting State Fair initiatives. Hoffman has served in various leadership roles over his tenure, including president of the Iowa State Fair Board from 2019-20.

   Board officers for 2023 are as follows:

   • President, Darwin Gaudian, Primghar (northwest), first term

   • Vice President, Curtis Claeys, Grand Mound (southeast), first term

   • Treasurer, Deb Zumbach, Coggon (northeast), first term

   Other board members include Alan Brown, Hampton (north central); John Harms, Monticello (northeast); C.W. Thomas, Guthrie Center (southwest); Randy Brown, Osceola (south central); Darwin Gaudian, Primghar (northwest); and Curtis Claeya, Grand Mound (southeast). Board members by office held are Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds (represented by Lt. Governor Adam Gregg); Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig; and Iowa State University President Wendy Wintersteen (represented by Andrea Nelson).