Solano County Fairgrounds 900 Fairgrounds Drive, Vallejo (707) 551‐2000 ph (707) 642‐7947 fx SCFair.com Media Contact: Debbie Egidio
DTS Egidio
(707) 448‐3183 ph
(707) 448‐3185 fx
debbie@DTSegidio.com
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – October 9, 2014 SOLANO COUNTY FAIRGROUNDS’ GENERAL MANAGER ACCEPTS POSITION AS CEO OF THE OREGON STATE FAIR AND EXPO CENTER Solano County, CA – Mike Paluszak, General Manager of the Solano County Fairgrounds, announced yesterday that he has accepted the position of Chief Executive Officer of the Oregon State Fair and Expo Center located in Salem, Oregon. The announcement was made at the regularly scheduled Board of Directors meeting of the Solano County Fair Association and was met with an outpouring of sentiment from the Board, both for the loss of his leadership at the Fairgrounds and well wishes for his success in his new position. “The Board of Directors is extremely saddened to see Mike leave the Fairgrounds,” stated Board President, Denese Allen. “He has done a fantastic job here and we’ve been fortunate to have his leadership for the past six years through many transitions at the Fairgrounds including the first stages of the Solano 360 project. He has so many wonderful qualities that make him a great fairgrounds manager and we know that he will do an excellent job in his new position just as he did here.” “Solano County has been most fortunate to have Mike serve as our Fairgrounds’ General Manager for the last six years. He brought innovation and new energy to our Fair and has always been committed to providing a family‐friendly experience for our residents,” stated Supervisor Linda Seifert. “The annual Youth Ag Day program that introduces all the county third graders to our county’s agricultural heritage has continued to grow under his direction. He has been a community leader serving on a variety of boards with missions that range from increasing tourism in our county, to addressing domestic violence. I know that I speak for the Board of Supervisors in wishing him well as he moves forward and in acknowledging that replacing him will not be an easy task.” Paluszak’s announcement in Solano County was mirrored by an announcement made by Gene Derfler, Chairman of the Oregon State Fair Council, to its eleven Governor‐appointed members Page 1 which serve as the Board of Directors for the Fair and Expo Center. “Mike is the right leader at the right time for the Oregon State Fair and Expo Center,” said Derfler. “He is widely respected and admired throughout the fair industry, and he is committed to building on the Oregon State Fair’s reputation as one of the best in the country, and to bringing financial stability to the Expo Center.” When Paluszak takes the reins as CEO, one of his primary objectives will be to design an all new business model for the Fair and Expo Center under its new classification as a public corporation. Previously under the control of the Oregon State Parks Department, with the 2013 passage of Senate Bill 7 by the Oregon State Legislature, the Fair and Expo Center became a public corporation similar to Oregon Health Sciences University and the State Accident Insurance Fund. Paluszak’s career in the fair industry began 35 years ago with his first fair management position as Executive Director and Fair Manager of the Las Vegas Jaycees State Fair. After several years in Las Vegas, he relocated to California and worked as the CEO and General Manager of the Calaveras County Fair & Jumping Frog Jubilee in the second half of the 1980’s. Drawn to an opportunity for larger fair management and the beauty of the coast, Paluszak took the position of CEO and General Manager of the Ventura County Fair from 1989 to 2000. Taking a hiatus from fair management, in 2000 Paluszak established his own company, Crystal Events, providing full‐service event management and consulting to fairs, event organizations, venues and companies that provide services to the event industry. In 2008, Paluszak was lured back to full time fair management and accepted the position of General Manager of the Solano County Fairgrounds. His leadership and experience have been critical in guiding the Fairgrounds and its annual Fair through a number of operational changes over the past several years and positioning the organization to embrace the plans for future redevelopment of the Fairgrounds. Established in 1949 to produce the annual County Fair, the Solano County Fair Association is a non‐profit agency that is governed by a Board of Directors. The Solano County Fair Association SCF General Manager Accepts CEO Position at Oregon State Fair & Expo Center Page 2 has been providing educational, cultural, artistic, commercial and recreational programs to the residents of Solano County for over 65 years. The mission of the Solano County Fair Association is “to ensure a positive experience for the public by providing a year‐round multi‐purpose venue that showcases and celebrates the wide variety of resources and activities available to our diverse community.” # # # SCF General Manager Accepts CEO Position at Oregon State Fair & Expo Center Page 3