Alaska State Fair Board of Directors Candidate Profile
Carol Kenley
Palmer, Alaska

1. State why you wish to serve on the Board of Directors.

I have thoroughly enjoyed serving my first term on the Board of Directors.  I feel I have been effective and would like to continue to serve and represent the interests of the members of the Fair Association.

1. Summarize employment experience; include work with budgets and supervisory duties.

I currently run a small business where I handle all the accounting and budgeting.  I have also been the CFO (Chief Financial Officer) of our large family for the past thirty five years.  Juggling family finances and schedules for a family of nine has given me  supervisory experience.  During the last three years on the Board of Directors I have been involved in setting the Fair’s budget.  During 2010, I served directly on the budget committee.

1. List any volunteer activities, including board experience.

Three years as President of 4-H Leader’s Advisory Board 1998-2001
Three years as President of 4-H Large Livestock Committee 2003-2008
Chairman of Community Nativity Display 2003-2010
Member of Palmer Lions Club 2006-2010
Member of Palmer Chapter of the Alaska Farm Bureau 2007-present
Student Coordinator of Northland Pioneer Grange’s Ag in the Class project 1996-2008
FFA Parliamentary Procedures Team Coach 2003, 2004, 2005, 2007, 2008, 2009
Colony Middle School Music Booster Secretary 2003-2004

1. How have you participated in the Fair in the past?

Growing up in the Valley, I have been a fairgoer all of my life.  I have always loved the Fair!  As a youth I entered exhibits and I still make entries from time to time.  My recent involvement with the Fair has been through 4-H.  All seven of my children have been extremely active in exhibiting everything from livestock to vegetables to baking.  It has been a wonderful event which the whole family has enjoyed for years.  I have been the manager of the petting zoo which is sponsored by GCI and run by our 4-H club.  I have volunteered at the Fair in a variety of ways including scooping up behind the ponies in the parades, demonstrating pie making, cow milking and butter churning.  I’ve been a volunteer in the Republican Women’s booth and  have taken tickets at the gates.   I’ve even helped train the All Alaskan Racing Pigs!  I have been the announcer at the Jr. Market Livestock Auction, walked miles in the show ring following the judge and handing out ribbons and I believe I’ve sampled about every food booth at the fair (I think I’m stretching it here, I never did get to try the frog legs)!  For the past three years I have served  as one of the Directors of the Fair Board.

1. Summarize what you value most about the Fair. State your specific areas of interest.

I value the family atmosphere that the Fair has.  Being a farmers daughter and a hobby farmer myself, my specific interest is in the agricultural exhibits at the Fair.  I love the whole event, but I believe that the heart of the Fair is it’s agricultural roots; take that away and it will only be a carnival and business exhibition.  I bring this valuable background to the Fair Board.

1. What is your vision for the Fair, and do you have specific goals?

 I would like to help the Fair retain it’s rural flavor.  I would like to continue to bring in budding talents like we’ve seen in the past.  The Fair needs to be a safe place to bring families to.  I support the efforts that are being made to bring year-round usage of the Fair facilities.  My goal is to work hard if re-elected and to continue to give my very best effort.