Iowa State Fair Board Elections

During the annual State Agricultural Convention, held December 14, 2025, in conjunction with the Association of Iowa Fairs Conference, elections were held for positions on the Iowa State Fair Board of Directors.

One new Board member was elected to serve a two-year term. Roger Iverson from Grinnell replaces retiring board member Randy Brown from Osceola (South Central).

Outlined in Iowa Code, county fair delegates representing six geographic districts elect two board members to serve two-year staggered terms on the Iowa State Fair Board. Directors re-elected by their districts were Alan Brown, Hampton (North Central); John Harms, Monticello (Northeast); C.W. Thomas, Guthrie Center (Southwest); Darwin Gaudian, Primghar (Northwest); and Curtis Claeys, Grand Mound (Southeast).

Board officers elected for 2026 are as follows: President Curtis Claeys, Grand Mound (Southeast); Vice President Deb Zumbach, Coggon (Northeast); and Treasurer Jo Reynolds, Indianola (South Central). Jeremy Parsons, Des Moines, was re-appointed as Board Secretary.

Other Iowa State Fair Board members include VerDon Schmidt, Everly (Northwest); Tennie Carlson, Stratford (North Central); Deb Zumbach, Coggon (Northeast); Jo Reynolds, Indianola (South Central); Jarrod Horning, Ainsworth (Southeast); and Danny Olson, Red Oak (Southwest). Board members by office held are Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds (represented by Lieutenant Governor Chris Cournoyer); Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig (represented by Grant Menke); and retiring Iowa State University President Wendy Wintersteen, Interim President David Spalding, and President-elect David Cook (represented by Andrea Welchans).