Renee Alexander, CFE - Minnesota State Fair

As Deputy General Manager for the Minnesota State Fair, Renee Alexander oversees the marketing, entertainment, ticketing, educational programming, graphic design, web and guest services departments. Among her primary responsibilities is booking and producing entertainment for the 13,000-seat historic Grandstand, which draws more than 100,000 concert-goers and upwards of $5 million in revenue in just 12 days. 

She is also responsible for the overall branding and promotion of the Great Minnesota Get-Together and, as part of the senior management team works to develop vision, strategies and resources for a world class exposition that preserves tradition while presenting a guest experience that is innovative, entertaining, and fun.

Renee has participated in IAFE since 2005, is a member of the International Entertainment Buyers Association and chaired the organization in 2020. She is also a graduate of the Leadership Music class of 2022.

Jaryth Barten, Program Manager, Kansas Leadership Center

Matt Bruskotter - Senior Director of Event Operations, Indiana State Fair

Jen Cannon, IFMG - Iowa State Fair

Jen Cannon is the Competitive Events Director for the Iowa State Fair where she is responsible for over 65,000 entries in everything from livestock to fine art and also oversees Agriculture Education programming.  Jen had been with the Iowa State Fair for 14 years and prior to her current position was the Sponsorship Director with the Blue Ribbon Foundation.  She received her Bachelor of Arts degree from Central College majoring in Business Administration with an emphasis is marketing and a minor in communications.  Jen graduated from the International Association of Fairs and Expos (IAFE) Institute of Fair Management in 2010.  She is active in the North American Livestock and Rodeo Managers Association and the IAFE Agriculture Committee.  Jen and her husband, Tom, have two sons, Lane and Trey.   They all work together to operate a purebred Charolais herd in central Iowa and participate in cattle shows throughout the country.  

Leslie Cunningham – Impact & Profits

Leslie is an award-winning Leadership and Teamwork Development Expert.  She has over 25 years of experience coaching, leading workshops, educational seminars and working with leaders and their teams. She is the founder/owner of Impact & Profits, a columnist for a national magazine and an internationally published author whose work has appeared in the Chicken Soup for the Soul series.  Leslie is a radio personality, hosting her own weekly call-in talk show, “Extraordinary Leadership & Teamwork,” and has appeared live on CBS (formerly CNN) News Talk Radio.  She has mentored, trained under and collaborated with Jim Bergquist, World Famous Pike Place Fish Market consultant. Her mission is to empower every leader to stand in their FULL power and authority and transform their workplace culture to inspire extraordinary teamwork and breakthrough results. 

Matt Daly, IFMG, CFE -Sonoma County Fair & Exposition

Matt is the COO of the Sonoma County Fair & Exposition, CA. Previously the Operations Director at the South Florida Fair, and prior Matt has 20 years of experience developing agricultural related programming.

Chris Derby-San Antonio Livestock Exhibition, Inc.

Debbie Evans, Marketing Executive & Crisis Communications Counsel, Ellis & Associates

Ken Karns, IFMG, CFE - OC Fair & Event Center, CA

Kathy Kramer, IFMG, CFE – CEO, Central Washington Fair Association 

Laura Kwilos, IFMG, CFE – Erie County Fair, NY

Laura Kwilos has been with Erie County Fair since 2007, and the Agriculture Manager since 2017 Laura graduated with her Institute of Fair Management in 2014 and received her CFE in 2017.  Laura is currently sits on the IAFE Agriculture Committee. Laura, her husband Josh and 9-year-old daughter Olivia live on a small beef cattle farm in Forestville, NY. Laura’s favorite pass time includes watching her daughter show animals at jackpot shows and enjoys spending time with family.

Bernee Long, Chief Navigator - GENersectuion, LLC

Bernée is the Founder and Chief Navigator of GENersection, LLC, a talent development company that specializes in early to mid-career development and fostering connection and collaboration across generationally diverse teams. GENersection partners with businesses and workforce development programs to increase the return on investment in their early career talent by bridging the gap between educational preparation and true world of work readiness. Believing that emotionally intelligent leaders who are innovative thinkers are necessary to address today’s workforce challenges, GENersection also equips and empowers people with the mindset and soft skills needed to maximize their potential and value. Bernée has facilitated workshops and conducted training with Ally, Apple, Cartier, CBRE Group, Chevron, Clemson University, Kroger, Lyft, Hennessy, HBCUs, IAFE, Molson Coors, NBA, Stanley Black & Decker, Thurgood Marshall College Fund, Truist, and Truman State University, to name a few. Her career has included positions as Director, Organizational Learning & Talent Development at SHRM; Director, Distinguished Scholars Programs with Thurgood Marshall College Fund; Assistant Dean for Student Services at Cumberland School of Law, Samford University; Director of Admissions, Drake University Law School; Director of Admissions, Talladega College; Director, Center for Entrepreneurship, Albany State University; and as an Administrative Law Judge and mediator with the Iowa Public Employee Relations Board. A native of Kansas City, Missouri, Bernée received her Juris Doctorate from Washington University School of Law and is a graduate of Truman State University. An advocate of social entrepreneurship, Bernée believes that everyone is uniquely called to fulfill a purpose in life and has spent the vast majority of hers transforming, empowering, inspiring, mentoring, coaching, and otherwise positively impacting the lives of the next generation. One of Bernée’s favorite quotes is by Henry Ford: “We each have a calling that if left unanswered will become a challenge unmet, a problem unsolved, an opportunity missed, a dream and a legacy unfulfilled, a link missing in the chain of events that were meant to form the history of the world." With a passion for the work she does, Bernée plans to “die empty” having shared all that she has learned during her lifetime with others

Penny McBride - Fredericksburg Chamber of Commerce, TX

Jessie McLaughlin, IFMG, CFE - Spokane County Interstate Fair, WA

Jessica McLaughlin hails from the Spokane County Fair and Expo in Spokane Washington. Jessica serves as the Fair Coordinator. Jessica graduated from Spokane Community College with an Associate of Arts Degree and an A.A.S in Hotel, Motel and Restaurant Management. She is a graduate of the IAFE Institute of Fair Management and received her Certified Fair Executive Designation in 2009.  In addition to her many Fair responsibilities, Jessica is involved in her community through Camp Fire-USA; Boy Scouts of America ‘Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints; and the Washington State Horsemen. Other interests include Geocaching, camping, hiking and scrapbooking.

Dr. Stephen Neel – Technical Solutions, Inc.

Dr. Neel has been active in the international food business since 1985.  Upon completion of his Ph.D. program in Meat Science & Muscle Biology from the University of Georgia in 1992, Dr. Neel was retained by the United States Meat Export Federation (USMEF) to study and develop meat-marketing strategies for USMEF programs in the Russian Federation.  Dr. Neel was subsequently employed by the USMEF as the Director of Technical Services and was responsible for development, implementation and evaluation of technical marketing activities funded by USMEF in over 50 international markets, with a particular emphasis on emerging markets.   

Dr. Neel’s primary focus during his doctoral education and throughout his professional career has been on the development, implementation and evaluation of marketing programs and market driven research.  He has created, implemented and evaluated large-scale market research programs, including a U.S. based research study profiling the preferences and usage patterns of red meat in the U.S.; an international beef quality audit; a multi-national pork competitiveness study and an international pork quality audit.  His technical education paired with a strong technical marketing background provides a unique combination of attributes to evaluate and understand international market development needs and trends.  Technical Solutions International has ongoing relationships with several U.S. based research institutions, including Colorado State University and Oregon State University, for the purpose of resource sharing and technology transfer.  Furthermore, TSI has formed working alliances with several other independent companies with special emphasis on governmental reporting and traditional market research services, allowing for a more comprehensive package of services available to clients.

Dr. Neel has been responsible for coordinating and conducting over 30 trade teams to emerging markets around the world, as well as “reverse teams” of U.S. companies to foreign markets for trade activities, tours and food shows, resulting in an impressive network of contacts and a close familiarity with overseas business practices and cultures.

Rey O’Day - National Independent Concessionaires Association

Rey O’Day has extensive management experience in the fairs and festivals, food and beverage concessions, and entertainment industries. She currently teaches the Principles of Event Management as a UC Riverside Extension Instructor and serves as the Executive Director of NICA, a sister organization focused on developing vendor and event staff Communication Committees and advantaging its vendor members with the power of group discount buying. 

Over a period of 18 years, she held a number of key management positions at Fairplex, home of the LA County Fair, including Assistant Operations Manager, Retail Sales Manager, Entertainment Manager, Director of Food and Beverage and General Manager of Cornucopia Foods, LLC

 Ms. O ’Day gives keynote addresses and leads workshops for numerous organizations. She also conducts orientations and guest service training for organizations like The Hollywood Bowl and California Fairs Service Authority.  She holds a California Community College Teaching Credential in Dance and a bachelor’s degree in business management.

Mike O’Neal – O’Neal Consulting

Mike O’Neal is a legal and governmental affairs consultant d/b/a O’Neal Consulting, LLC, having started this business after his retirement as CEO of the Kansas Chamber of Commerce in 2016. Mike O’Neal was selected as the President & CEO of the Kansas Chamber after serving 28 years in the Kansas House of Representatives and serving two terms as the Speaker of the House. Mike chaired the House Judiciary Committee a total of 16 years, chaired the House Education Committee and twice chaired the House Redistricting Committee. He was at the forefront of all economic development and legal reform legislation since the mid80s and was a key player in legislative responses to school finance litigation for the past decade. Mike earned his B.A. from the University of Kansas and his J.D. from the University of Kansas School of Law. He has served on the Board of Governors of the KU Law Society and practiced law in Hutchinson, Kansas from 1976-2012. Mike is a graduate of Leadership Kansas, having been named Leadership Kansas Alumnus of the Year in 2009. He also has served on the Executive Committee of the National Speakers Conference, the Executive Committee of the Council of State Governments, the Executive Committee of the Council of State Chambers, the Kansas Judicial Council, Uniform Law Commission, Kansas Commission on Judicial Performance, Kansas Sentencing Commission, Team Kansas Board and KTEC Board. He currently serves on the Jobs for America’s Graduates (JAG-Ks) Board, Kansas Business Hall of Fame Board and is a advisory board member to the Kansas Justice Institute. Honors include being named to Outstanding Young Men of America, Kansas/Missouri “Super Lawyers”, KBA “Making a Difference” award, Who’s Who in America, Who’s Who in American Law and Who’s Who Among Emerging American Leaders.

Jeremy Parsons, IFMG, CFE - Iowa State Fair

Rick Pickering, CFE - California State Fair

Rick Pickering is the current general manager of the California State Fair located in Sacramento, California; he has served on the IAFE Board of Directors, representing Zone 8, and is a Certified Fair Executive.

Patrick Schoen, IFMG, Minnesota State Fair

Brienne Schuette, IFMG, CFE - Moxie and Drive Marketing

Brienna Schuette is the founder of Moxie & Drive Marketing. Previously, she spent the majority of her career creating and executing strategic, multi-platform marketing plans for the Minnesota State Fair’s annual campaigns and special initiatives. As the youngest spokesperson in Minnesota State Fair history, Brienna conducted nearly 100 local radio, television and print interviews annually; was interviewed by all four Minneapolis/St. Paul national television network affiliates, plus the New York Times, Tonight Show, USA Today, Food Network and Travel Channel; and wrote hundreds of headlines and promotional pieces seen by millions.

Jim Sinclair, CFE - Minnesota State Fair

A native of Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin, Jim Sinclair began his career in the exposition industry with the Northern Wisconsin State Fair (Chippewa Falls) at the age of 15 and continued working at the fair during summer breaks from school through high school and college. 

Upon graduating from the University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire in December 1973, Sinclair continued to work at the Northern Wisconsin State Fair until February of 1975, when he was hired by the Minnesota State Fair (St. Paul) as an administrative assistant responsible for development of the fair's early American theme area, Heritage Square.  He was promoted to special events superintendent in charge of off-season special events and facility utilization on the exposition's more than 300-acre campus, which includes 12 multi-use activity buildings and a year-round Coliseum event complex. In 1978, he was named rental services supervisor charged with management of the fair's concession and exhibit rental operations, special attractions and carnival oversight.  After serving in numerous positions at the fair Jim was named, in March 2006, Deputy General Manager. During his forty plus (40+) year tenure at the Minnesota State Fair, Sinclair has had numerous management responsibilities and undertaken multiple program and operational initiatives on behalf of the exposition. Sinclair is a Certified Fair Executive and 2012 graduate of the IAFE Institute of Fair Management. 

Mark Sparks, IFMG -Triangle Talent  

Mark currently serves as the Vice President/ Manager Triangle Talent Midwest Office. Mark is a recognized expert in programming grounds attractions.  A Veteran performer, he has booked and produced grounds entertainment at more than 50 Fairs and venues across the country. Mark is an IAFE Institute of Fair Management graduate.

Jim Tucker - IAFE Legal Counsel

Jim Tucker is the past President and CEO of the International Association of Fairs and Expositions and currently serves as IAFE Legal counsel. Tucker received a Bachelors in Agricultural Economics in 1970 and a law degree in 1973 from the University of Missouri.  Following graduation, he practiced law in Columbia, Missouri and held a teaching position with the University of Missouri Department of Agricultural Economics.  In 1974, Jim returned to the home farm and established a law firm in Springfield, Missouri, where he practiced, primarily as a trial lawyer until 2000.  He has published numerous articles on law topics including agricultural law, which is of special interest to him. Throughout his years of practicing law, Tucker remained actively involved in production agriculture.  He, his wife, and two children, operate a diversified cow- calf and wheat farm on a Century farm Willard, Missouri. In January 2001, Tucker assumed the role of President and C.E.O. of the IAFE, a former client.  In that capacity he has forged relationships with many government and non-government organizations and interest groups directly and indirectly involved with agriculture, entertainment, concessions and event and venue management.  He is a founding member of the alliance among the International Festival and Events Association, the International Association of Venue Managers, the IAFE, the International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions, and the Outdoor Amusement Business Association.  

Jessica Underberg, IFMG, CFE - Erie County Fair, NY

Jordan Walker – Bondfire Strategy

Jordan Walker is the owner of Bondfire Strategy, focused on helping businesses cut through the clutter of marketing to align organizational goals to measurable marketing tactics. Professionally, she’s most known for her skills in customer experience strategy, marketing measurement and campaign optimization, but for Jordan her favorite part of her career is connecting with passionate leaders in our community .When she’s not at her desk analyzing the data, you might find her tilling dirt in her garden, getting off the grid at one of our national parks, or sitting on the patio of one of our fine local establishments reading a book.

David Wantz

Brett Whitaker - Fort Hays State University, KS

Dr. Brett Whitaker is an Assistant Professor and Chair of the Department of Leadership Studies at Fort Hays State University (FHSU).  His research and teaching interests include global leadership, ethical leadership, leadership education, and organizational behavior and effectiveness.  He holds a PhD in Global Leadership from Indiana Tech, and lives in Hays, KS with his lovely wife, Whitney.  Perhaps most importantly, he was involved in 4-H for many years, during which he attended many county and state fairs, and was always grateful for the opportunities provided through those experiences.

Ryan Wilkerson - Haas and Wilkerson Insurance

Ryan was born and raised in Shawnee Mission, Kansas. After graduating from the University of Kansas with bachelor’s degrees in political science and communications, he joined the family business in 1999 as a sales executive in the commercial insurance division. In 2004, he succeeded his father, Bill Wilkerson, as president and CEO, becoming the third generation Wilkerson to direct the agency founded by his grandfather, Ralph Wilkerson. Under Ryan’s leadership, Haas & Wilkerson Insurance continues to grow and focus on delivering excellent customer service. Ryan is an active participant of the Young Presidents’ Organization International and the Council of Insurance Agents and Brokers. He serves on the boards of the American Royal and Bank of Blue Valley. He’s been recognized as a NextGen Leader in the KC Business Journal, as well as 40 Under Forty and KC Rainmakers in Ingram’s magazine.