 Shannon Woodworth, 47, of West Frankfort, has been a familiar
face at the fairgrounds since 1999, when he went to work on a
contractual basis for then-manager Sammye Fark.
"The Du Quoin State Fairgrounds is an incredible economic
engine for all of southern Illinois," Woodworth said. "I have
always been honored to be a part of the great team of dedicated
employees who make this engine run. To now be manager of the
fairgrounds is, obviously, a great, great honor, but the success
here has and always will be a team effort."
"Shannon is very knowledgeable and passionate about the fair
and understands the importance of agriculture to our heritage,"
said Agriculture Director Bob Flider. "His work has brought
hundreds of thousands of dollars in business sponsorships to the
fair, and I believe he possesses the right skills to ensure the
fair remains a showcase for southern Illinois."
Woodworth is a national award-winning newspaper reporter,
photographer and marketing professional, with awards from the
Associated Press, National Newspaper Association and the
National Council on Marketing & Public Relations. In 2003,
Woodworth was awarded a Gold Paragon, a top honor through the
NCMPR for the nation's 1,200 community colleges.
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Woodworth also was chosen to receive an Excellence Award from the
Center of Excellence in Teaching, Learning and Leadership at John A.
Logan College as an employee in the college's marketing department.
As a volunteer, Woodworth has overseen the Black Diamond
Harley-Davidson Scholarship program since its start five years ago,
helping to give out more than $250,000 to graduating high school
seniors in southern Illinois.
Woodworth, who grew up on a farm near the Jefferson County
community of Bluford, now lives at the West Frankfort Lake. He
enjoys hunting and fishing and even created his own bait for
catfishing, which he continues to keep a secret.
[Text from file received from the
Illinois Department of
Agriculture]
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