REYNOLDSBURG, Ohio — Forty-four individuals and one group were recently recognized at the 94th Ohio Fair Managers Association annual convention at the Greater Columbus Convention Center for outstanding service to their local fairs. Of this group, eight received the Director’s Award for Innovation and Excellence for their progressive ideas and actions to improve and strengthen their fairs. Ohio Department of Agriculture Interim Director Tim Derickson presented each winner with a certificate. Those chosen for the special honor (denoted by an asterisk below) received plaques.
The award recipients were:
Adams County: Mark Wickerham
Allen County: Max McCluer
Ashland County: Susan VanBuskirk Denbow*
Attica Independent: Bill Ruffing
Belmont County: Roger Perkins
Clark County: Dr. John Agle
Clermont County: Janice Schoellman
Columbiana County: Michael A. Conny
Coshocton County: Joe Wells
Crawford County: Travis Koschnick
Delaware County: Andrew Brenner
Fayette County: Dr. Robert Schwartz
Franklin County: Cornell Robertson
Franklin County: Ken Jewell*
Franklin County: Neil Distelhorst
Gallia County: Mike McCalla*
Geauga County: Artie Pritt
Greene County: Gary Zehring*
Hamilton County: Kristy Cook
Hardin County: Jim Bidwell
Harrison County: Nelson Birney
Henry County: Phil Parsons
Henry County: Marian Parsons
Huron County: Community Minded Fair Supporters Committee*
Lake County: Joe Slansky*
Marion County: Pat Baldinger
Medina County: Jeff Otterbacher
Miami County: John F. Rowley III
Monroe County: David Landefeld Sr. +
Morgan County: Carlos Dille
Perry County: Michelle Antonini
Preble County: Darrell Buckley
Putnam County: Eleanor Risser +
Richland County: Jason Snyder
Ross County: Dan Riddle
Seneca County: Robert Rainey
Shelby County: Dr. Lisa Alverto
Shelby County: Francis Gerald Schaffner
Shelby County: Patricia Schaffner
Stark County: Donna Huddleston
Summit County: Roger Bourgeois
Trumbull County: David Lynn
Warren County: Mel Hagemeyer
Wayne County: Vivian Wolf
+posthumous recognition
Ohio’s 94 county and independent fairs and the Ohio State Fair support the local economy and help educate the public about the importance of agriculture and the many necessities it provides, including food, clothing, shelter, fuel and energy. In addition to setting and approving the dates for the independent and county fairs, the department is responsible for helping to assure the safety of amusement rides, for monitoring livestock shows to help assure honest competition, and for coordinating animal health efforts with designated local veterinarians.
For more information on Ohio’s fairs, including a listing of fair dates for the 2019 season, visit www.agri.ohio.gov.
— Ohio Department of Agriculture
For more articles out of Ohio, click here.