Nebraska State Fair Executive Director Bill Ogg is stepping down next week, saying he was hired 2 years ago to “right the ship” for the struggling fair and has done just that, leaving him ready to invest more time with his family and for himself.
Ogg isn’t leaving the State Fair flat – he’s taking on the newly-created position of Executive Director Emeritus and will work closely with Jaime Parr, his long-time deputy, to transition duties and responsibilities until a new Executive Director is selected.
When Ogg joined the Nebraska State Fair, it was struggling both financially and with public trust issues while facing the COVID-19 pandemic. Since then, the Fair has gone from a $1.7-million dollar deficit to having nearly $9-million dollars cash-on-hand.
This year’s State Fair had record numbers in several areas and positive surveys of exhibitors, vendors and the public. Ogg says that’s clear evidence they’ve regained the public’s confidence and are “heading in the right direction and full steam ahead.”
State Fair Board Chairman Bob Haag says those facts “are testaments” to Ogg’s leadership and hard work on behalf of both the Fair and the Aksarben Stock Show, now also run by the State Fair,
The State Fair Board will officially accept Ogg’s resignation and approve his emeritus position at its regular meeting next week. An announcement on the search process for his successor could be a few more weeks down the road.