Institute of Fair Management
The mission of The Institute of Fair Management is to enhance the professional development of the employees and volunteers of our member fairs and expositions by providing education and training in areas of core competency necessary for the operations of today's fairs, large or small.
The core competency areas in which the courses of the Institute will be focused include management, risk management, marketing, programming, operations and facility usage.
Most Institute courses will be offered as part of regular IAFE educational events (Annual Convention, Zone meetings and CyberSeminars) and repeated over a two-year cycle. A special enrollee-only event, The IFM Summit, is offered once each year with at least five courses. Enrollees will have up to six years to complete the courses necessary to achieve their Institute diploma. An enrollee must attend at least two Summits in order to graduate. IFM enrollees are required to participate in the course CyberSeminar "live".
Upon graduation, graduates will qualify to use the IFMG designation.
The Institute is made possible by the IAFE Education Foundation and the efforts of dedicated members who have volunteered their time and talents to raise funds through events such as the annual Raisin For A Reason auction, Century Club and other activities.
Beginning in 2024 all individuals seeking Certified Fair Executive designation will be required to be a graduate of the Institute of Fair management (Application deadline January 15, 2024).
All IFM enrollees must be 18 years of age or older.
"Coming from a privately managed, East Coast Convention Center to a State owned, West Coast Fairgrounds, my CEO steered me in the direction of the IAFE's Institute of Fair Management to get me well versed with the fairgrounds industry (you could say I was "fairly" new to this industry sector). While there are similarities among both industries, I found the investment to the IFM program to be fruitful during my career transition, and the connections I have made so far will help carry me through the rest of my career. I would encourage anyone who is on the fence about enrolling in IAFE's Institute of Fair Management to make the investment and help pave the way for the future of our industry"
Andrew Shreve, Cow Palace Arena & Event Center, CA
