FALCON HEIGHTS, MINN – (KFGO) – Jerry Hammer, the long-time CEO of the Minnesota State Fair, will retire from his position in the spring of 2023. Hammer’s State Fair career spans 53 years including the last 26 as CEO. He is the longest-serving chief executive in the 169-year-old institution’s history. The Great Minnesota Get-Together is one of the world’s largest and best-attended events, with this year’s fair attracted visitors from all 50 U.S. states plus 38 nations around the world.
During Hammer’s tenure as CEO, the State Fair has seen significant growth in attendance, programming, and revenue with a Super Bowl-sized annual economic impact in the Twin Cities of $300 million, plus more unmeasured impact across the state.
Also during his tenure, the 322-acre State Fairgrounds has undergone nearly $180 million in major improvements and upgrades including renovation of historic facilities, significant new construction, and large expansion of the fairgrounds landscape, amenities, and infrastructure – all with no public funding.
