Minnesota State Fair CEO Jerry Hammer will retire before the next Great Minnesota State Fair, the organization announced Monday.
Hammer, who first started working for the fair when he was a high school-aged greenhouse worker in 1970, spent the last 26 years as CEO. He will retire in the Spring 2023.
While others he knows in the business got into the work because of their love for celebrations, he said he did because "It was close to home."
But what started as a close summer job quickly turned into a career, as he spent the next several decades working and leading the the Minnesota State Fair to where it is today.
“I’m extremely grateful for the opportunity to serve this amazing place for so long,” Hammer said in a press release. “What a great gift it is when your life’s work is bringing people together to celebrate the very best of each other. This is way more than an agricultural fair. It’s a uniquely Minnesota-style celebration of our humanity.”
Hammer spoke with News Talk 830 WCCO sharing his thoughts and feelings after deciding to step away from his position, which he’s held for over two decades.
“I’ve, of course, been thinking about it for quite some time,” Hammer said. “It’s inevitable.”
He also noted that had it not been for the pandemic and COVID-19, he would have already left. However, he stayed, saying that you can’t jump ship when you are out of business.
According to the fair, the organization has grown to provide a $300 million annual economic impact, and the state fairgrounds have undergone $180 million in improvements during Hammer’s time in charge.
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