Kevin D. Bieber was awarded 2013 Fair Person of the Year for his dedication to and involvement with the Oley Valley Community Fair, the Oley Valley community and the Pennsylvania State Fair Association.
Bieber was honored to receive the award.
“The award is very prestigious to me and is probably the most coveted award I have ever received. It meant so much to me that the State Association would think of me to receive this award,” he said.
As Bieber accepted the award and said his thanks last January, his family and fellow fair board members appeared behind him. He had no idea they were there.
“It is an honor to receive it,” he said. “But without my fellow Oley Fair and State Board Member volunteers, nothing like this would be possible.”
This honor is given annually at the Pennsylvania State Fair Association Convention in Hershey. Up to 2,000 members from approximately 110 Pennsylvania fairs attend. As President of the Oley Fair, Bieber was awarded based on his leadership and involvement on a larger scale.
“One requirement of the award is that you have to be active, not only in your local fair, but also in the Pennsylvania State Fair Organization,” Bieber said.
Bieber has served as a Pennsylvania State Fair Director for the past 15 years. He is chairman of the State Angel Food Cake and Apple Pie Contest that is held each year at the farm show. He also serves as chairman of the Seminar Committee, which involves setting up the seminars for the annual Pennsylvania State Fair Convention. Bieber serves on the State Budget Committee as well.
“The award is given out by a state committee who elects who that person will be,” Bieber said. “They take into consideration your involvement on the state level, as well as your involvement with your local fair and local community.”
Bieber’s involvement in the fair started when he was just a toddler.
“My parents were always involved as long as I can remember, so the fair has been a big part of my life,” he said.
Bieber’s first job at the fair was digging a ditch for water to flow to a flower building. He has come a long way from there. He has served on the Commercial Exhibit, Entertainment, Publicity, and Sponsorship committees for the fair. Before beginning his position as President in 2003, Bieber served as Fair Treasurer, starting in 1995.
“I was in banking, so treasurer was a good position for me,” Bieber said.
Bieber looks forward to the upcoming Oley Fair. He takes pride in the fact that it is different from other fairs.
“We are 100 percent volunteer based, and we get help from 18 churches,” he said. “At the end, we donate the money back to the churches depending on how much we make and the help they offered.”
The Oley Fair will kick off at 8 a.m. on Thursday, Sept. 18 and runs through Sept. 20. For more information on President Kevin Bieber and the Oley Valley Community Fair, visit www.oleyfair.org.