HARRISBURG, Pa. – Gerri Moore, a native of Hookstown, Pa., was named Pennsylvania Fair Person of the Year at the state association convention held in Hershey.
Accomplishments. Moore has been the force behind the success of the Hookstown Fair in Beaver County for the past 20 years. She’s also been instrumental in the Pennsylvania Farm Show, held yearly in Harrisburg.
They have experienced phenomenal growth, going from 2,000 exhibits to more than 5,000 in the Family Living and Agriculture Learning Center.
She has been involved in the Farm Show as Family Living Chairperson for the past five years.
The prestigious annual award took Moore by surprise, but not those with whom she works.
In addition to serving as the 2001-2002 PSACF president, Moore has served as a state director for 15 years and chairman of the Hookstown Fair for seven.
Background. Moore, who lives in an urban area, became interested in fairs when her daughters were in elementary school and wanted to show animals.
“Hookstown is a small rural community fair, and I thought we could have a better knowledge of agriculture and education if we encouraged more youth to become involved,” Moore said of her reason for joining the fair board.
International. On the international level, Moore became the first woman to become a certified fair executive for the International Association of Fairs and Expos.
Through IAFE, Moore has judged agricultural exhibits, served on planning committees, been a table topic moderator, and served two years on the Hall of Fame committee.
“Becoming a certified fair executive is like receiving a college degree in fair management,” Moore said. “It requires seven years of training.”
Moore travels to many states to observe how fairs are conducted.
Moore has also been active with the Hookstown Grange for 17 years. In 2000, she was honored as the Granger of the Year for outstanding leadership.
She has operated a steel grinding business for 30 years. She and her husband Don have two adult daughters and three grandchildren.
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