(Spencer)– The CEO/General Manager of the Clay County Fair is moving on. Jeremy Parsons has been named CEO and manager of the Iowa State Fair. s Parsons will succeed Gary Slater who retired from the position in October, 2022. Parsons’ appointment will be effective in early March. Parsons tells KUOO news he’s excited and thrilled about his new job…
“Well you know I’ve had the fortune to be in Iowa’s second largest tourism event for the past 11 years here at the Clay County Fair and it’s just an honor to be able to move to Iowa’s largest tourism event. Just so many great memories and obviously the things I’ve learned here at the Clay County Fair are what put me in the position to be able to move on to the Iowa State Fair. It’s just exciting again to be able to go back to the place where I started working as a summer employee when I was in high school and it’s just a great honor.”
Parsons says while he’s excited for his new job, there’s a lot he’s going to miss during his stint with the Clay County Fair…
“You know for the last 11 years it’s just been a pure labor of love to manage an incredible staff and work for a talented board of directors. You know the Clay County Fair is so special to this area, to northwest Iowa, and such a tradition and part of so many family’s memories. And so I think really for me it’s just taking those memories with me, just knowing that so many people have come to the fair over the years and enjoyed it and I just had the chance to be a caretaker of it for the last 11 years and now that will get passed on to someone else who will lead the fair to even better and greater things.”
Parsons adds even though he’s moving on, plans for the 2023 Clay County Fair continue full throttle…
“You know I’m just looking forward to the next six weeks here. We’ve got a lot of things to do to get ready for the 2023 Clay County Fair and full speed ahead. We’ll be making lots of grandstand announcements, and so. Just excited to get things wrapped up here and finish things off here before going on to the next chapter.
Parsons has served as CEO/Manager of the Clay County Fair since 2011. He says the Clay County Fair’s Executive Committee has already started a search for his successor.
