Meet the next leader of the Minnesota State Fair

CATHY WURZER: The Minnesota State Fair has a new CEO. Renee Alexander, the organization's longtime deputy general manager, will take the reins this spring, after retiring CEO, Jerry Hammer, steps down. Renee will be the first female CEO in State Fair history. She's on the line right now. Renee, congratulations.

RENEE ALEXANDER: Thank you so much, Cathy. Thanks for having me.

CATHY WURZER: Hey, why is it-- what is it about the State Fair, where folks start at a young age, and they work their way up to leadership-- I mean, Jerry, your predecessor, started in the greenhouse as a teenager, and you started as an intern back in 1989. What kept you at the Fair all these years?

RENEE ALEXANDER: Well, there was a time that I was not at the fair, actually, Cathy. I was here for five years. I was-- like you mentioned, I was an intern, and after that first summer, I mean, it's-- there is something magical about being a part of something that is so much bigger than yourself and something that is a class reunion, a family reunion, and a block party, all mixed into one.

So I was offered an opportunity to work full-time after that first summer. I left for about 11 years, did some other things. And when I was offered the opportunity to come back, I said, I'm not leaving this time. It does-- as you mentioned, it gets in our blood. It's something that we love to be a part of.

CATHY WURZER: You are the person best known for, probably, booking the annual series of Grandstand shows, which, of course, is one of the biggest attractions at the fair. That's not an easy job. What kind of work goes into booking the acts?

RENEE ALEXANDER: You know, that's a year-round process, even on these cold, icy, rainy days. I was corresponding this morning with agents working on filling those last few blocks, so-- fill spots that we have for this year. So it's a year-round process.

Like so much of what we do at the fair, it's about relationships. It's creating relationships with agents, with artists, and it's just-- it's an adrenaline rush when you get a good one, though.

CATHY WURZER: Now, is it true that you almost booked Prince?

RENEE ALEXANDER: I came as close as I could. [LAUGHS] I'll never know for-- we'll never know for sure, will we?

CATHY WURZER: No, maybe not.

RENEE ALEXANDER: It was certainly not for lack of trying, but that was something I would have loved to have had-- would have been so wonderful to have Prince play here, but unfortunately, it did not come to pass.

CATHY WURZER: Well, shoot. What was your favorite moment at the Grandstand?

RENEE ALEXANDER: Oh, gosh. I would have to say, in more recent years-- and it's rare that I meet the artist. That is not my role. But I did have the opportunity to meet and actually sit and chat with Aretha Franklin. So, to be in the presence of such an incredible icon-- that was a once-in-a-lifetime experience, for sure.

CATHY WURZER: So in your current role, lead marketing for the Fair, which is another-- it's a difficult job-- what have you learned from that job over the years here, when communication and marketing really has just changed so dramatically?

RENEE ALEXANDER: Changed, dramatically-- you're absolutely, right, Cathy. I think the thing that I've learned-- the most important thing is transparency, just to be upfront about what the issues are you may be dealing with, and craft a message that is as clear and concise as possible. And you know, from a marketing perspective, we've got a lot of fun.

I mean, we have a great job, to be able to-- we sell fun. So the marketing piece of it is really where we get to have fun. The messaging piece-- that can be a little more challenging. But as we all know, social media has played a huge role in all of our lives.

CATHY WURZER: Right. And you've made strides to make the Fair more inclusive. How will you continue that work?

RENEE ALEXANDER: That's-- the work never ends. I mean, that is something that we're always working on, in increasing what the-- the people that we can reach. I think it's continuing to have conversations with people in our community, and just doing a lot of outreach and bringing more people into the Fair that we possibly can. So we're here for everybody, and we want everybody to have a seat at the table.

CATHY WURZER: Jerry Hammer held that job for almost 30 years-- 27, to be specific-- and that's a whole lot of history to follow, as you know, Renee. What tricks of the trade have you learned from him?

RENEE ALEXANDER: Oh, gosh, Jerry is always cool under pressure. That is one thing I've certainly learned from him. And he and I both have the same passion for the Fair. So our styles may be a little different, but at the end of the day, we're both most interested in doing what is best for this institution and keeping the traditions alive of the Minnesota State Fair.

CATHY WURZER: You are a Minnesota girl. Where did you grow up?

RENEE ALEXANDER: I grew up in the North Metro. I grew up-- I went to high school at Coon Rapids, just north of the Metro here, and I went to college in River Falls, Wisconsin.

CATHY WURZER: Good for you. Go Falcons. [CHUCKLES]

RENEE ALEXANDER: Yes, and I went to school with your colleague, Tim Nelson. He was also--

CATHY WURZER: There you go. I'm wondering, does it help to be a Minnesota native to run the State Fair? I would think it would.

RENEE ALEXANDER: I think we're-- just having experience in the fair industry is really important, and having all-- I think so many Minnesotans have such pride in their fair, and we look at it, as staff here, as we are the caretakers. So I think having-- we also have that pride, in that feeling of just a love for the institution. So it certainly helps. I think it would be a challenge for an outsider to come in and understand our traditions at a rapid pace.

CATHY WURZER: OK, so this is kind of-- I'll put you on the spot here.

RENEE ALEXANDER: Oh, boy.

CATHY WURZER: It's OK. When you arrive at the Fair, that first day, what's the first place you go to? What's the first thing you do? And you're steeped in the Fair, but I mean, what's the magic for you? Where do you go?

RENEE ALEXANDER: There is so much magic and so many traditions that I think we all have as a staff. The first thing that I do on that opening morning is I go to the main gate, because I love to see people coming in for the first time. They're so excited.

I love-- we have politicians that are at the gates. We have some of our vendors there with food, all of the local media there. So just the excitement-- and that is my morning-- my first opening-day routine-- is showing up at the front gate to watch us just bring everybody in for that first morning.

CATHY WURZER: OK. And then, get-- what? Maybe donuts and coffee?

RENEE ALEXANDER: Coffee is definitely in the mix, no question.

CATHY WURZER: Good for you.

RENEE ALEXANDER: But I'm more of a morning foot-long girl than I am a donut girl-- in the morning, at least.

CATHY WURZER: (LAUGHING) Gotcha, I understand. Say, when do you start your new job?

RENEE ALEXANDER: Jerry and I'll be working out the timeline for the transition here in the next few weeks. So not until later spring, so he's sticking around. And as you know, Jerry is a neighborhood guy, so he won't be far away from us. The Fair is very steeped into his traditions as well as mine, and so many others.

So we'll work through that. He and I have worked closely together for years and will continue through this transition. So I'm very lucky in that regard.

CATHY WURZER: Well, Renee Alexander, congratulations and best of luck.

RENEE ALEXANDER: Thank you so much, Cathy. Look forward to seeing you during the Fair.

CATHY WURZER: You will see me. Thank you, Renee. Renee Alexander is the incoming CEO of the Minnesota State Fair.