Ohio Fair Managers induct four into hall of fame

COLUMBUS — Four new members were inducted into the Ohio Fair Managers Association Hall of Fame during the 88th Annual Ohio Fairs Annual Convention held Jan. 3-6 at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Columbus.
Inducted into the Active Category were Robert J. Dawson, from Lake County, and William J. Locker, of Stark County.
John McDavid, from the Hartford Independent Fair, was an Inactive inductee and Yvona Stahl, from Clermont County, was an Associate inductee.
Inductees. Robert Dawson has had a 34-year relationship with the Lake County Fair, serving 12 years as president and 24 years as concession manager.
He has served the OFMA board of directors for 16 years, including the past 10 years as treasurer.
He is a past recipient of the Ohio Department of Agriculture’s Outstanding Fair Supporter recognition (2010) and the Greater Ohio Showmen’s Association Lifetime Achievement Award (2011).
In addition to his service to the fair industry, he is a 17-year member of the Lake County Board of Education and the Auburn Career Center governing board.
Stark County. Dawson is a member of the Perry High School Distinguished Alumni Hall of Fame and the Lakeland Community College Alumni Hall of Fame.
Locker is a 34-year member of the Stark County Fair Board and has served 33 years as treasurer.
Locker has been responsible for capital improvement to the Stark County fairgrounds and has served on every operating committee, attending more than 50 meetings per year.
He was a 23-year 4-H adviser, 11 year member of the 4-H advisory committee and a 10-year member of the Extension Advisory Committee.
McDavid served for 32 years as director on the Hartford Fair Board with 17 years as the manager/secretary.
During his tenure, McDavid oversaw the addition of 11 new structures to the fairgrounds.
McDavid was responsible for starting a scholarship fund and was a past member of the OFMA board of directors having served as the District 6 director for 13 years.
Beyond the fair, McDavid served his community on more than 22 boards and commissions.

Entertainer

Stahl is owner of the Cavalcade of Thrills, the entertainment company serving Ohio’s fairs industry the longest.
Stahl was born and raised on a farm in Clermont County Ohio. She met the late Chester Rotroff in 1964 and joined the Cavalcade of Thrills a year later.
She became a driver in the All Girl Auto Thrill Show and performed for many years in front of thousands at county and state fairs throughout the Midwest.
In the early 1970s Stahl began promoting demolition derbies for the Cavalcade. She served as operations manager for many years and then became a full partner with Rotroff prior to his passing in 2008.

Background

The Ohio Fair Managers Association is made up of all 94 county and independent fairs and the Ohio Exposition Committee. The association represents more than 3,000 fair directors and associate members on matters pertinent to Ohio’s fairs industry.
Questions should be directed to Howard Call at OFMA 330-208-0372.