Stephen Hales named as new county fair manager

   The Solano County Fair Association has a new general manager, and it is somebody who has worked within the organization for 13 years.

   Steve Hales will be taking the reins from Stephen Pierce, the general manager since 2014 who announced his resignation in November. Hales’ background is primarily in equine. He was the Chief Operating Officer for The Horse Park in Woodside, where he was also the manager of its nonprofit corporation. He was also the manager of the Wild Horse Valley Ranch in Napa and also oversaw the eventing competition in the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta. He came to Solano County Fairgrounds in 2003 as the operations manager and was elevated to the position of assistant general manager of operations and maintenance in 2008.

   “The board is excited about having Steve expand his role with the Fairgrounds,” Lee Williams, the president of Solano County Fairgrounds’ board of directors, said in a statement.  “His intimate knowledge of and experience with the various aspects of our operations over the past several years is invaluable in making the transition between general managers go smoothly.  We’re fortunate to be able to promote from within and keep our existing team intact to continue the momentum of success we’ve had over the last two years.”

   “I have big shoes to fill,” Hales said in a statement.  “During my tenure at the Fairgrounds, I’ve witnessed the highs and lows that all businesses can face but in the last two years we’ve laid the ground work to expand our operations.  I’m looking forward to the opportunity to add more depth to our existing events like Youth Ag Day and the annual Solano County Fair, while also bringing more and new events, people, community groups and businesses to connect with the Fairgrounds.  This focus on our business development will be the cornerstone for our success going forward.”

   Hales’ new position will become effective Jan. 14. Solano County Fairgrounds will host several events this year, including Youth Ag Day on March 17 and the annual Solano County Fair, which is scheduled for Aug. 2 to Aug. 6.