Illinois State Fair manager, 3rd in 3 years, stepping down

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) - Illinois State Fair Manager Kevin Gordon is retiring at the end of the month.

The (Springfield) State Journal-Register reports that the 56-year-old Gordon is finishing a 29-year career with the state. He has been with the Illinois State Fair for 17 years.

Illinois Department of Agriculture spokeswoman Morgan Booth says the agency is "looking for options as a replacement."

Gordon makes $95,000. He took over in the spring of 2016 and is the third fair manager in three years.

The manager is responsible for the flagship agricultural showcase each August in Springfield and the late-summer state fair in DuQuoin. The post requires oversight of non-fair events, county fairs statewide, and horse racing.

An Agriculture Department statement says Gordon "successfully managed" the festivals during "record-setting years."

___

Information from: The State Journal-Register, http://www.sj-r.com