Kansas State Fair’s director announces resignation in wake of fair cancellation
His first Kansas State Fair was last year.
It was also his last fair.
On Thursday, Robin Jennison — who took over as the Kansas State Fair’s general manager at the conclusion of the 2018 event — announced that he was resigning.
His purpose in leaving the post, he said, is to keep the fair’s front line staff members employed, which will be difficult without revenue from the 10-day event.
The fair was set to run Sept. 11-20. But Monday, the Kansas State Board unanimously voted to cancel the event for the first time in its 100-year history after several large vendors pulled out amid COVID-19 concerns.
Jennison sent a resignation letter to the board on Tuesday.
“The impact that COVID-19 has had and will continue to have on the Kansas State Fair will be significant,” Jennison said in the letter. “It is my intent that — in serving as the first casualty — it hopefully will lessen the impact on our other employees.
Jennison added in the letter that he’d be surprised if the fair was able to survive into next year without furloughs or layoffs.
He could not in good conscience watch that happen, he said.
“Having the highest-placed administrator surviving while front line essential employees bear the brunt is something I will not do.”
The fair is financed by what it makes each year from the event, taking in money from gate admission, grandstand events, food and drink sales and more.
Jennison said his last day will be sometime this month. He also said in the letter that he felt confident that David Tobias, the fair’s operations and human resources director, “is up to the task of getting the Fair through this difficult time.”
Jennison served as the Secretary of the Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism before starting with the fair in 2018, replacing Susan Sankey, who left after two years in the top job.
The 2021 Kansas State Fair is scheduled for Sept. 10-19.
This story was originally published July 16, 2020 at 2:18 PM.
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