W. Jerry Cook, chair of the Board of Directors of the State Fair of West Virginia, has announced the appointment of Kelly Tuckwiller Collins to the position of CEO, effective immediately. In making the announcement, Cook stated Collins was the unanimous choice of the Board after an extensive nationwide search and noted “Kelly’s diverse skill sets, previous experience and dynamic personality make her the ideal choice to lead the State Fair organization.”
Collins was reared in Greenbrier County, earned a Bachelor of Science in Journalism and a Master of Science in Integrated Marketing Communications from West Virginia University. She joined the staff of the State Fair in 2012 as Agricultural Competitions Manager and was named Operations Manager in 2014. She also held the position of Public Relations Manager for WELD in Oak Hill. She served as a Graduate Assistant with the West Virginia University Sports Communications Office and was an intern with the New York Jets.
A graduate of the International Association of Fairs and Events Institute of Fair Management, she is a member of the IAFE Agriculture Committee and is Co-Chair of the Zone II Wine and Dine Committee. Other board directorships include the West Virginia Association of Fairs and Festivals and the Greenbrier County Youth Camp.
Collins and her husband Zack were married in 2014. They reside in Lewisburg.
The 2015 State Fair themed “It Feels Like Fun. It Feels Like Fair,” is a 10-day Fair scheduled Aug. 14-23. The State Fair of West Virginia, with a $13.8 million economic impact on the state of West Virginia, is a 501(c)3 nonprofit corporation committed to the traditions of agriculture, family entertainment, and education. For more information, please visit www.statefairofwv.com, or follow fair events on Facebook and Twitter.