Carnival & Fair News

The International Association of Fairs and Expositions (IAFE) will began a new year with a new leader. After months of national search by an appointed committee, David Grindle will be the new President and CEO, effective January 1.

Grindle, an accomplished association executive with over a decade of leadership in national and global Associations, marks the first time in recent memory the largest association of fair managers and other fair professionals have selected someone without fair management experience. Although Grindle has agriculture experience – he grew up on a dairy farm in the mountains of Georgia — his career has taken him from professional stage management to university instructor to association management.

Not only is Grindle the first non-fair-veteran in recent memory, he will be the first President/CEO who did not rise though the IAFE ranks. Lewis Miller, who held the post from 1980 - 2000, was a fair manager (Ozark Empire Fair) and IAFE member, but not an employee until taking the captain’s seat. His successor, Jim Tucker was the association’s attorney and also worked at the Missouri State Fair as state FFA, who hired Marla Calico in 2006 as Director of Education.

Community Connections

In the official announcement, Grindle signaled what appears as a new emphasis on community relation building by the association. “Now more than ever, fairs and expositions play a vital role in bringing together our communities to connect with each other and with their food sources and natural resources. Helping the IAFE and its members magnify their voice sharing that important mission with their local communities and various political bodies is one of the things that excites me about this position.”

“We are excited to welcome David Grindle as our new President and CEO,” said Ken Karns, Incoming IAFE Board Chair and COO of the OC Fair & Exposition center. “David is truly a shining star in the trade association world, and we believe his expertise will play a crucial role in strengthening our association.”

“Our entire membership must thank the Search Committee for their commitment to such a thorough and rigorous process to select the individual they feel will best lead this Association forward,” said Marla Calico, CFE, retiring IAFE President and CEO. “They have dedicated countless hours to this process since January, and I have every confidence they have made the decision that is right for the IAFE at this time in our history.”

Search Committee

IAFE Chair Jo Reynolds, fair manager, Warren County Fair, selected the Search Committee, which was headed by Jeremy Parsons, CEO of the Iowa State Fair. Other members included Alexcia Jordan, CEO, Northern Idaho State Fair, Marlene Pierson-Joliffe, Executive Director, State Fair of Virginia, Ray Allison, Chief Development Officer, Indiana State Fair, Jaime Navarro, COO, State Fair of Texas and Eugene Cassidy, CEO of Eastern States Exposition.

The search began in earnest in July, with a deliberate objective not to be bound by fairs as the main objective, breaking from decades of precedence. When the search was announced, the statement insisted: :”Work experience within the fairs, shows, exhibitions, festivals, or events industry or related industry is desirable – but not required. We don’t want previous work experience to be a limiting factor.”

“David’s expertise in growing membership, finding non-traditional revenue, leading remote teams, and coordinating government relations will continue to move the IAFE forward in innovative ways,” said Parsons. “In his tenure as an association executive, Grindle has focused on providing increased benefits to highlight the return on investment of membership in organizations. He led the growth of the United States Institute for Theatre Technology’s Stage Expo by more than 50 percent and created hands-on learning environments that engaged attendees with exhibitor products while learning from industry professionals. He has also worked to build partnerships with other associations as well as engaging in student outreach to begin highlighting career opportunities to high school and junior high students.”

In an open letter by the committee, the prioritizing of association experience was stated as a major factor in selecting someone outside of the fair business. Parsons wrote: “Since we are a trade association, we prioritized experience in leading a trade association…. We were not concerned by a lack of fair experience because it could provide a fresh perspective.”

Next Level

The search was conducted by Sterling Martin Associates, and provided a number of qualified applications. “This search was truly an embarrassment of riches,” said Parsons. “Those individuals came from many walks of life with many diverse experiences, both inside and outside of our industry.”

Settling on Grindle does indicate a new direction for the association as it seeks to expand membership, reverse the graying of the industry and strengthen its annual convention & trade show. “For the first time in its history, the IAFE will be led by someone with a CAE (Certified Association Executive) designation from the American Society of Association Executives. We feel David’s expertise an association executive will take the IAFE to the next level.”

That also will also include an expanded role of advocacy, although how that will translate across the fair industry remains speculative. “The IAFE has always been involved in advocacy efforts on various levels, most recently (and currently) working with the OABA on the CARE Act. However, the COVID-19 pandemic taught us that the fair industry needed to be a louder, more collective voice with public officials. Grindle’s experience in developing advocacy strategies at various governmental levels will help the IAFE amplify its voice.”

He added that while “Advocacy has always been part of the CEO’s job description, a reoccurring theme in the membership survey that was taken at the beginning of the search was the need for the IAFE to be a stronger advocate for our industry on various governmental levels (local, state, provincial, and federal). Therefore, it became a priority in our search. We were looking for someone with that experience. The membership did not specify issues that they were most concerned about; rather, they wanted the IAFE to be a larger resource in their advocacy efforts.”

"David advocates for lifelong learning and community building, just like our IAFE members,” said Reynolds. “Under his leadership, combined with the industry knowledge of our membership and staff, the IAFE will continue to grow and adapt to the ever-changing fair industry."

Besides advocacy, the search committee prioritized experience with managing a remote-worker staff. “Currently, half of the IAFE staff works remotely,” said Parsons. “ During the interview and hiring process, relocation to Springfield was not required. Those specific details regarding Grindle will be worked out between him and the IAFE Board of Directors.”

Grindle’s association management experience includes the Society of Motion Picture & Television Engineers (SMPTE), United States Institute for Theatre Technology. Grindle has spoken across the U.S., Europe, Asia, and Oceania as well as before government commissions and committees. He served on the Opera America Production Committee and the advisory boards for Syracuse STEAM School, Shepard Exposition Services, Louisville CVB, and Visit Salt Lake. He and his wife Julie reside in Baldwinsville, New York where they are active in church and community activities.

While Grindle will be expected to maintain a travel schedule similar to the often grueling one maintained by Calico, who visited dozens of fairs and meetings per year, Parson said his “first 100 days will be spent observing staff, learning about our industry and meeting our members. He will be working with the IAFE Board of Directors to determine specific priorities. Grindle will continue to be deeply engaged with members through a variety of ways, including visiting fairs.”

The bulk of IAFE membership, including its previous CEOs, came out of that environment and gained association experience through on the job training. For the new CEO, the process is reversed, association expertise is already in place, now he must learn the fair business. What does he already get about fairs?

Parsons: “From the interview process, it was evident that Grindle was passionate about his craft, he wanted to see others succeed, and he learned all about hard work growing up on a dairy farm (an agricultural background). Sounds like many people in the fair industry, doesn’t it?”