The Antelope Valley Times

Your community. Your issues. Your news.

  • Home
  • Latest News
  • Local
    • Palmdale
    • Lancaster
    • Los Angeles County
    • Littlerock
    • Lake Los Angeles
    • Rosamond
    • Edwards AFB
    • Acton
  • Crime
  • Politics
  • Education
  • Health
  • Business
  • Opinion
    • Advertise
    • About
    • Contact Us
    • Facebook
    • Twitter
    Show Search

Van Dam added to AV Fair Board, 3 others reappointed

by The AV Times Staff • November 23, 2015

Gary Van Dam [contributed]
Gary Van Dam [contributed]
LANCASTER – Longtime local resident and businessman Gary Van Dam has been added to the Antelope Valley Fair Association’s Board of Directors, officials announced.

Van Dam replaces outgoing Director Raj Mahli for the remainder of a four-year term that expires Dec. 31, 2016. Mahli was recently appointed as a council member for the city of Lancaster.

Van Dam has lived in Lancaster since 1960, and he is a graduate of Antelope Valley High School.  He is a third generation dairy farmer with the family owned and operated High Desert Dairy, and he is also a long-time board member of Ducks Unlimited – Antelope Valley Chapter.

In his youth, Van Dam participated in FFA Livestock competitions and numerous Rural Olympics events. He has been an active member of the Rural Olympics committee for more than 30 years.

“I am very honored to have been selected to the position of  A.V. Fair Association Director,” Van Dam stated in a news release. “As a long time resident of the Valley and active participant on the Fair’s Rural Olympics Committee for many years, I am looking forward to being a valuable member of the Association’s Board of Directors and will continue to promote agriculture, education and the many traditions that the Fair provides to the community.”

The Antelope Valley Fair Association also announced the reappointments of Directors Howard Harris, Drew Mercy and Mark Troth for four-year terms that expire Dec. 31, 2019.

The 11-member A.V. Fair Association Board of Directors is responsible for the day-to-day operations of the Fair and for the planning and production of the annual Antelope Valley Fair and Alfalfa Festival.

Criteria for Fair Board members include a commitment to dedicated service, excellence, and ethical standards that ensure the continuance of the A.V. Fairgrounds and its’ facilities.

Annually, as Board terms end, appointments are made to serve four-year terms, and Directors whose terms are up can reapply.

The Association members are appointed by the Antelope Valley Fairgrounds Authority, a Joint Powers Authority (JPA) responsible for the oversight of the fairgrounds. The Antelope Valley Fairgrounds Authority was established in 2011 and allows the AV Fair to operate free of the constraints created by state bureaucracy. The goal in forming a JPA with closer ties to local government is to enable the AV Fair to operate more efficiently and with greater flexibility.

Other members of the A.V. Fair Association Board of Directors are President Tim Fuller, President, Vice President Howard Harris, Deana Ward, Ron Emard, Sandy Smith, Newton Chelette, Mark Troth, Drew Mercy, Angie Hughes and Gus Camacho.

[Information via news release from the Antelope Valley Fair Association.]

–

Filed Under: Lancaster, Politics

2 comments for "Van Dam added to AV Fair Board, 3 others reappointed"

  1. Lorena Green says

    November 26, 2015 at 5:06 pm

    Gary Van Dame deserves this opportunity. He gives so much to our community. Just like his father and mother. All the Van Dam family are friendly, kind, genuine people. So glad to know all these fair board members will do and have done a great job. I love the antelope Valley fair.

  2. Douglas Wade says

    November 24, 2015 at 8:06 am

    Great. I met Gary a few times and he was always pleasant to me.

Recent Comments

  • Sonya on Newsom proclaims May “Small Business Month”: ““it is almost impossible to find an actual successful small business.“ Absolute clown take right here. You like to spend…” May 17, 14:36
  • Tim Scott on Newsom proclaims May “Small Business Month”: “I’m actually a little sunburned right now, so pass. As to fools, yeah the GOP counts on them. I’m sure…” May 17, 12:42
  • America's Most Censored & "Governed", & Rightly So on Readers Speak Out! (new): “Wow, imagine the field day the new “Disinformation Governance Board” will have “governing” MY speech. They’ll have to hire more…” May 17, 12:11
  • Sonya on Newsom proclaims May “Small Business Month”: “Who are you trying to fool? Go outside and get some sun.” May 17, 11:00
  • America'a Most Pandering Panderer on Readers Speak Out! (new): “Biden went to Buffalo to pander to the Blacks there after the supermarket shooting. He did not go to Wisconsin…” May 17, 09:40

Copyright © 2022 · The AV Times LLC. All rights reserved. Terms of Use