Iowa State Fair Board Elections

During the annual State Agricultural Convention, held December 15 in conjunction with the Association of Iowa Fairs Conference, elections were held for positions on the Iowa State Fair Board of Directors.

Two new Board members were elected to serve two-year terms. Danny Olson from Red Oak replaces retiring board member Gary Van Aernam from Exira (Southwest), and Jarrod Horning from Ainsworth replaces retiring board member Gary McConnell from Bloomfield (Southeast).

Outlined in Iowa Code, county fair delegates representing six geographic districts elect two board members to serve two-year staggered terms on the Iowa State Fair Board. Directors re-elected by their districts were VerDon Schmidt, Everly (Northwest); Tennie Carlson, Stratford (North Central); Deb Zumbach, Coggon (Northeast); and Jo Reynolds, Indianola (South Central).

Board officers elected for 2024 are as follows: President Curtis Claeys, Grand Mound (Southeast); Vice President Deb Zumbach, Coggon (Northeast); and Treasurer Jo Reynolds, Indianola (South Central). Jeremy Parsons, Des Moines, was re-appointed as Board Secretary.

Other Iowa State Fair 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); Curtis Claeys, Grand Mound (Southeast). Board Members by office held are Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds; Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig (represented by Grant Menke); and Iowa State University President Wendy Wintersteen (represented by Andrea Welchans).