After 27 years working as the CEO of the Minnesota State Fair, Jerry Hammer is now retired. Never one for job-hopping, he’d worked at every State Fair since 1970, when he was 15, starting with a position in the greenhouse and working his way up to the top job.
So, what was it like Thursday – opening day of the 2023 State Fair – when he walked onto the fairgrounds for the first time in 53 years as a “civilian?”
“It was bizarre,” said Hammer, who is 68. “A little odd, but actually really nice.”
He started the day wandering the grounds with his wife, Debbie, their two grown children and their families. His whole gang, 11 of them in total, have always been avid fairgoers. Last year, they all qualified for the “12-Day Club” by attending each of the fair’s 12 days.
But it was different this year because Dad/Grandpa stayed with them for an extended morning stroll.
“I’d always get to see them on fair days, but usually just for 15 or 20 minutes at a time before I’d have to get back to my rounds. So this was good; this was special,” he said.
Later on opening day there was another special moment: He had a beer at the fair for the first time in 40 years.
Back in the ‘80s when he was the fair’s PR guy who dealt with the media, he had a couple beers with friends one evening after work, went to bed and was awakened with a 1 a.m. call about a fair emergency. The details, he said, are fuzzy.
“I wasn’t in real bad shape, so I dealt with it, but I decided then and there: no more beer during the fair,” he said.
His friend, Jake Nyberg, knows that story so Thursday afternoon he invited Hammer to the Ball Park Cafe, near the Food Building, where, by coincidence, the Lift Bridge Brewery was celebrating the 10-year anniversary of its popular fair-themed brew Mini-Donut Beer. Hammer and Nyberg toasted the occasion, along with Dave Theissen, the cafe’s owner. No worries about a press call after that one, Hammer said: “I don’t work here anymore.”
Fair roots
Hammer grew up in St. Paul, just blocks from the fairgrounds. “A long drive and a six-iron away,” said Hammer, who now has more time to golf with his boyhood chums. He still lives nearby, not far from Como Park.
At 15, he began working the summer greenhouse job at the fair. His friends were jealous because he made $1.75 an hour and worked 8 to 4:30, Monday through Friday. “Everybody else was working maybe 20 hours a week, sometimes Friday nights and Saturdays. And they made less.”
He kept the job through high school at Cretin and then college at St. Thomas, where he majored in journalism. Still working at the fair the summer after graduation, he appeared in a newspaper photo showing fairground preparations, and the next day got a call from the Rev. James Whalen, the head of St. Thomas’ journalism program, who had seen the photo and wondered why his newly-minted graduate wasn’t working in his chosen field.
Whalen told him the Owatonna newspaper was looking for a sports editor. Students tended to listen to Whalen’s suggestions, so by fall Hammer was working on a sports desk in south-central Minnesota.
But the fair always beckoned and by the next summer, Hammer was back in Falcon Heights working in the fair’s space rental department. Soon after, he moved to Public Relations and when the top fair job opened up in 1996, Hammer was named CEO.
Making changes
At that time, the fair was running well, but many of the buildings were aging, with many dating back to the 1920s and ‘30s. Fair officials had been told in 1955 that the horse barn roof needed immediate repair, but it hadn’t happened yet.
Under Hammer’s guidance, the fair got approval to sell its own revenue bonds, so it could take on big projects like the barn roofs, remodeling the grandstand, building the West End and the Bazaar and a transit station. Not to mention the bathrooms.
Clean, modern bathrooms are crucial, he said. “I tell the staff that we’re only as good as our bathrooms, and they laugh. But people can tell how much you care by how much you take care of them.”
Hammer also started the Minnesota State Fair Foundation, a hugely successful, nationally renowned non-profit that raises money for fair programs and helps preserve buildings.
But his tenure wasn’t filled with just good news.
In March 2020, when preparations for the August event were well underway, fair officials realized that COVID would derail the fair. It was canceled. The next year, despite ongoing COVID concerns, the fair returned, although attendance was off; 1.3 million attended versus the record 2.1 million in 2019.
There was a divide that year, he said, with some saying it was too soon to reopen. “It was actually more difficult than having no fair, but we’d learned more about COVID transmission and decided that, as a state, we needed that fair,” he said.
There have been safety concerns in recent years, including a shooting near the Midway last year. The fair takes no budget short-cuts with public safety, he said. “Whatever they need,” he said. “Anytime you get two million people together, there is a potential for problems,” he said. Teams of federal, state and local law enforcement officials work with the fair police department to monitor the grounds, he said.
Meet the new boss
Renee Alexander, a veteran fair official who has been booking grandstand entertainment acts since 2006, is the new fair CEO. She leads a year-around staff of 80, which grows to a few hundred in the summer and about 3,000 during the fair.
“She’s great with people, very special, and I feel great about how things are going,” he said.
Hammer, known around the fair for his congenial and humble leadership style, gives credit for any success to the teams he’s led over the years.
“I felt my job was to provide a good work environment and set a good tone. I tried to convey that we have a responsibility for an incredible state treasure, and that they should also have fun: and then let ‘em go do their jobs,” he said.
“People will live up to your expectations if you trust them; they’ll be creative and innovative. And I think they understood how lucky we are to do this. How many people have jobs where the fundamental purpose is to bring joy?”
Now, with more time to actually enjoy the fair, Hammer will enjoy more Midway excursions with the family, and, for the first time in decades, take in a grandstand show: Brandi Carlile on Tuesday night.
“Last one was Neil Diamond in the mid-70s,” he said. “I’d sometimes see parts of shows, cutting through the grandstand on my patrols, but never stayed or met the performers.”
He’ll likely try more fair foods; in his working days lunch and dinner were usually a quick bite he could eat while walking around. His favorites were Peters Wieners or hamburger baskets or El Sol tacos.
He said he thought about retiring earlier, and was close to announcing it in 2020, But two weeks later COVID hit and he decided not to leave during a crisis. “I needed to stay until the fair was back on track.”
“But if I’d retired five years from now, or five years ago, it would be the same. As a newly-minted retired guy, I’m so proud of what the staff does and I’m so grateful for the opportunity to have been here.”
I hope he’s truly enjoying it. Being with an event for that long means you probably are still looking for full garbage cans, messy bathrooms, or other issues.
For all the woke articles we read on Minnpost, one must remember that the State Fair and the way its run is the most walled off garden when it comes to minority representation. A state related entity, made into a semi-private organization, operates largely out of the view of the public.
In short Jerry Hammer for years ran a private segregated paradise with public money. And all the wokes in Minnesota starting with MinnPost, the Attorney General, the Governor, the Legislature look the other way.
Here is a link to a Minnpost article that pointed out the discriminatory nature of the runnings of the state fair.
https://www.minnpost.com/good-jobs/2019/08/how-does-the-minnesota-state-fair-do-in-hiring-minority-vendors-nobody-knows-theres-no-data-to-figure-it-out/
“Hammer said the fair, a quasi-state agency, is legally barred by Minnesota’s human rights laws from using race, gender or ethnicity to pick vendors and can’t require applicants to divulge that information either. He also said the fair could ask people to volunteer their race, gender or ethnicity, but opts not to, because not everyone would answer. “I’m not sure we would ask a voluntary question that would give us data that’s not complete,” he said.”
Looking at the Star Tribune’s rankings of 100 new foods, I see Union Hmong Kitchen, Afro Deli, Baba’s, Caribbean Smoothees, Holy Land, Soul Bowl, Herbivorous Butcher, Churros & Agua Fresca, Que Viet, and Momo Dosa. These are all non-white vendors—the ones I know of, anyway (I did not look up every vendor). So it seems there is some minority representation after all.
Let me respond Ms Mack.
Lets for argument sake say as an immigrant and i apply to the University of Minnesota. If the University responds to me and states that i can be considered for admission only to the Ethnic Studies Departments and not to the School of Medicine or Engineering due to historical reasons; would you consider that legal ?
Can minority representation at the quasi govt State Fair, limited only to Quick E Marts, jerky stands, Gyro stalls, Hookah bars legal. Are you saying they cannot be allowed to bid in competition for larger venues like Marthas Cookies, Corn Palace. That’s exactly what is happening.
Immigrants can run companies like Microsoft and Google. But when it comes to good ole’ boy State of Minnesota they are not eligible to apply!
Historical Reasons!!!
White Minnesotans love the “appeal to tradition.” However, their deep seated traditions are more often than not something that’s only been around for 30 years
Sweet Martha’s is a privately owned business who has been around for 40 years. They’ve been at the fair since 1979 but their application was rejected prior to that. They’ve built themselves into the number one food venue at the fair generating $3.3 million last year of which the fair receives 15%.
You have to apply bro be a good vendor at the fair. You don’t get to bid on Sweet Martha’s. They own the company , the brand and the results.
Sweet Marthas is a fantastic business and private business. The Food Category (snacks , cookies ) is the purview of the Fair Authority. The State Fair claims it renews a license on an annual basis. That means there is absolutely no guarantee that it will be granted to the prior vendor. That means technically the State Fair is obliged to give equal access / opportunity to ALL vendors according to the State and Federal law. It is clear that does not happen.
The State Fair Authority is not some persons heirloom. It is indirectly owned by the people of Minnesota, which means it is supposed to be EQUAL ACCESS.
“The State Fair Authority is not some persons heirloom. It is indirectly owned by the people of Minnesota, which means it is supposed to be EQUAL ACCESS.”
I’m not sure what the “State Fair Authority” is. Are you referring to the Minnesota State Agricultural Society? It is a government-associated organization, but it doesn’t use government funds – it is self-funded. While the grounds are technically owned by the state, they are assigned exclusively to the MSAS. But I’m really not certain what your beef is with equal access. Were you denied entry? Can you point to a recent exclusion of a business on the basis of race or gender? Your link pretty much says that vendors can’t be discriminated against because of race or gender, but that they also don’t even ask that question of new applicants. It also says that an informal survey of vendors indicates that the percent of minority-owned businesses exceeds the percent owned by minorities in the state as a whole (though both underrepresent the minority population). Nowhere in that article is there any evidence that there’s not equal access for minority-owned businesses. Or are you saying that the MSAS should put that on the application and admit vendors on that basis? Are you saying that you’re a proponent of Affirmative Action now? Because I thought you said that Affirmative Action is a “grand sham.”
Firstly are you aware of the difference between Affirmative Action and Equal access. I think not. Equal access is when all applicants are treated EQUALLY. Go read my initial posts where i point out where equal access is being denied.
Actually let me post you a snippet.
“Can minority representation at the quasi govt State Fair, limited only to Quick E Marts, jerky stands, Gyro stalls, Hookah bars legal. Are you saying they cannot be allowed to bid in competition for larger venues like Marthas Cookies, Corn Palace. That’s exactly what is happening.”
They don’t consider bids for the cookies vendor of the fair (Sweet Marthas being the “permanent” vendor). And you call that equal access. I guess i have to conclude that in your world of equal access or affirmative action as long as minorities are provided a stand for a Quick E Mart etc then they make up the same ratio of vendors as the population while we can all put our head in the stand and pretend that a Quick E Mart like stand is not the same (revenue wise) as the Cookie stand or corn palace.
https://www.minnpost.com/good-jobs/2019/08/how-does-the-minnesota-state-fair-do-in-hiring-minority-vendors-nobody-knows-theres-no-data-to-figure-it-out/
“While nearly all vendors are on 12-day licenses that they have to apply for each year, Hammer said about 99.5 percent of vendors are renewed. ”
So much equal access that Ms Kahler is worried that i’m now demanding Affirmative Action !
The state spent over 1.5 billion dollars to build 2 venues: US Bank Stadium and Huntington Bank stadium. And while both seem to be doing fine where they are, a single venue on the fairgrounds had a lot of advantages: Adjoining the St Paul U of M campus and the ability to open up the grounds another 10-15 times per year and fill it with people: go to the game or just go to fair grounds to join in the party. Have a maroon and gold gate on the U of M side and a purple gate on the other.
Worth considering. And every time it was even mentioned, Jerry Hammer shut it down: Nobody was going to encroach on his fiefdom and force him to share power. He did not own the place, just acted that way and was accountable to no one…
Dude, it ain’t 1980 anymore. It’s all about revenue streams, and a large part of that is suites, which are primarily bought by the corporate community. This is one of the reasons the Dome was abandoned by the Twins, they wanted all of the revenue streams, which they were mostly locked out of in the Dome.
One of the reasons Quebec has not landed another NHL franchise is that as a government town, the fear is that they won’t be able to sell all of the suites they would need to sell. It seems bizarre, a world out of whack, that the ticket buying fan base is not enough to support a professional team anymore. One wonders what would happen to the value of these franchises, were it not for cable TV revenues and socialist stadiums.
One stadium, two tenants? Life’s such a drag when you live in the past.
Oh Yeah?
NBA teams that share arenas with NHL teams:
American Airlines Center: Dallas Mavericks and Dallas Stars
Ball Arena: Denver Nuggets and Colorado Avalanche
Capital One Arena: Washington Wizards and Washington Capitals
Crypto.com Arena: Los Angeles Lakers, Los Angeles Clippers and Los Angeles Kings
Little Caesars Arena: Detroit Pistons and Detroit Red Wings
Madison Square Garden: New York Knicks and New York Rangers
Scotiabank Arena: Toronto Raptors and Toronto Maple Leafs
TD Garden: Boston Celtics and Boston Bruins
United Center: Chicago Bulls and Chicago Blackhawks
Wells Fargo Center: Philadelphia 76ers and Philadelphia Flyers
Always a glass half full to some…. Hammer seems to have remained humble, that’s difficult to do in todays environ, hats off, but for 300K plus per year, he should. Hard to beat those (quasi) government jobs….
“Always a glass half full to some…” – Being relegated to a third class citizen status leaves a bad taste in my mouth.
In what way are you a “third class citizen”? Or are you referring to someone else? I’d like to understand.
If i have to stand in line for an opportunity that will not be granted due to my lack of “historic” relationship that is relegating me to third class citizenship.
If an African American soccer club is not given fields to play in a city (lets say for argument a mythical city called Diversity Central Park) due to that cities “historic relationship” with a privately run club, are those African American soccer club member equal members of that community ?
Next you’re going to tell me that it is Affirmative Action. Or better yet it does not happen in a mythical Diversity Central Park or any real city in Minnesota or any organization like the State Fair authority.
https://www.minnpost.com/good-jobs/2019/08/how-does-the-minnesota-state-fair-do-in-hiring-minority-vendors-nobody-knows-theres-no-data-to-figure-it-out/
Read this article carefully Ms. Kahler.
“Still, Hammer said the fair works “very hard” to make sure it recruits vendors and hires employees that represent the state. ”
Mr Hammer will talk of the sun, moon, earth when it comes to how open the State Fair is. But what he will not answer is whether EVERY resource in the State Fair is open to Equal Opportunity. When he walls off 95 percent of the opportunity (in financial terms), for a State Owned resource, then that is an illegal sham.
Now that Jerry is retired perhaps someone with more vision can put to better use a giant space in the metro that is wasted 50 weeks out of the year. However, this being Minnesota it is unlikely that will happen
Right now I’d have to wager that the Hammer has more vision of Minnesota State Fair reality than anyone, anywhere.
What reality ? It’s a State Fair. Persons have run far more complex organizations without all this secrecy.
It’s actually not wasted 50 weeks out of the year. Have you been to the “Back to the 50’s” car show? How about any of the other events that are on this packed agenda: https://www.mnstatefair.org/fairground-events/
Just because you haven’t been to the fairgrounds for anything other than the State Fair doesn’t mean that it isn’t used for other things. In any case, what’s the problem if it does sit empty 50 weeks out of the year? It’s literally nothing out of your pocket.
“It’s literally nothing out of your pocket.” – Actually it is. It’s state owned land that’s not being utilized to obtain revenue.
For sale: Well used light house, dramatic Lake Superior views.
After all it gets less visitors than the State Fair.
Maybe a package deal with Itasca State Park. Combined they get less visitors…
I don’t have a dog in this fight as I haven’t attended the fair in years and the thought of spending a day shoulder to shoulder with thousands of sweaty strangers, especially in the age of Covid, makes me twitchy. I do want to point out that Minnesota is not unique as far as pre or post fair facility utilization goes. I’ve spent a great deal of time in both Wisconsin and Iowa. Outside of the occasional car/rv or sportsman type events, their facilities aren’t used much either. You can also look to the sites of many county fairgrounds as well. Those are also used sparingly.
I just don’t think there are enough events available or popular enough to draw the amount of people to justify the land use, at least from a profitability stand point.
I do agree with your point however.