Rusty Volk Honored By State Fair Association Following Retirement
longtime community, Northern Wisconsin State Fairgrounds leader receives distinctive Bob Williams Memorial Award
After over 13 years as the executive director of the Northern Wisconsin State Fairgrounds (NWSF), Rusty Volk officially passed the torch to longtime Chippewa Vallian Brian Maki in the new year. Volk’s positive impact on the NWSF is undeniable – and the Wisconsin Association of Fairs (WAF) agrees.
WAF recently presented Volk with its “highest form of honor” at this year's Wisconsin Association of Fairs Convention banquet in mid-January: the Bob Williams Memorial Award.
“The award is not presented annually and is reserved for those whose impact truly embodies the spirit of Bob Williams,” a recent media release stated.
Williams, who dedicated over 30 years of his life to the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection to coordinate county fairs, is remembered for the literal hand he played in shaping the statewide fair scene – all for the better.
As the Associated Press shared following Williams’ passing in 2016, “if there was one quality that Williams brought to his job,” a colleague said, “it was passion.”
Volk, a community-wide, respected leader, spent almost 20 years in the fair industry before retiring. As the NWSF noted in its media release, Volk saw the NWSF through the COVID-19 pandemic – “one of the most challenging periods the live events industry has faced” – including his instrumental part in securing grant funding, advocating for increased state aid funding and more.
“Widely known for his accessibility, expertise and willingness to help, Volk’s influence extends beyond policy and projects to the relationships he has built and the guidance he has freely shared,” NWSF stated.
Learn more about the Northern Wisconsin State Fairgrounds online at www.nwsfa.com • Learn more about the Wisconsin Association of Fairs online at www.wifairs.com.
