New fair manager hired

A Washington man with 25 years of experience in managing fairgrounds has been hired as the Flathead County fairgrounds operation manager.

Mark Campbell, 51, has spent the past eight years as manager of the Evergreen State Fair in Monroe, Wash. He will begin work in Kalispell on Oct. 15.

Campbell replaces interim fair manager Ted Dykstra Jr., who has filled in since former fair manager Jay Scott was fired in February. Scott is suing the county for wrongful discharge.

Campbell began his involvement with fairs at an early age through the 4-H and FFA youth organizations. During college, he completed fair management internships at the Yuba-Sutter Fair in Yuba City, Calif., and the Calgary Stampede in Alberta. He has served as a manager at four different fairgrounds during his career in fair management.

The Evergreen State Fair has average annual attendance of 700,000, compared to the Northwest Montana Fair’s attendance this year of 74,000 in Flathead County.

Flathead County Fair Board Chairman Butch Woolard said Campbell’s experience made him the top candidate.

“He understands the fair industry and is excited to begin work in building upon the traditions and business potential of our Northwest Montana fairgrounds,” Woolard said.

The Fair Board advertised the expanded position of fairgrounds operation manager two times to find the right person for the job.

Campbell has been active in community service and with fair industry organizations, serving as chairman of the California Fair Services Authority in the mid-1990s and as a member of the Washington State Fair Association board from 2000 to 2005.

He was re-elected to the Washington board in 2009.

“It’s very rewarding to work in the fair industry,” Campbell said in a press release. “Fairs should reflect the broad interests of their communities while showcasing the talents and skills of individuals. When organized in such a way, the positive economic and moral impacts to that community are endless.”

Campbell said he also believes in utilizing fairgrounds facilities to their maximum potential.

Earlier this year the Fair Board changed the job description from fair manager to fairgrounds operations manager to reflect broader duties that now involve managing expanded facilities — including the Expo Building and Trade Center — that are used year-round.

Among the new duties are researching options and preparing proposals to adopt technology to automate manual processes and enhance efficiency at the fairgrounds. The new operations manager also will take a bigger role in marketing the facilities, in addition to managing the many elements of the Northwest Montana Fair.

Features editor Lynnette Hintze may be reached at 758-4421 or by e-mail at lhintze@dailyinterlake.com