By Staff
BERRIEN SPRINGS – Chris Carlin of Niles is the new Fair Manager at the Berrien County Youth Fair. Carlin, who has served on the fair's Board of Directors since 2003, takes over for Jeannie Rennhack who has been Interim Fair Manager since January of 2006. Fair President, Bruce Foster, said they appreciate Rennhack for "doing a wonderful job for the fair" and that "she will continue to do so as the Fair Coordinator and have more free time to spend with her family."
Rennhack said she was "honored to be asked to fill in as the Interim Fair Manager when Karen Klug resigned. It was a great experience and one I will not forget, but I requested that the search continue for a Fair Manager so I could return to my previous position with the Youth Fair. I am extremely grateful to my 'fair family' who have supported me along this journey and I look forward to working with Chris and continuing my service with the Fair." Rennhack had temporarily taken over for Karen Klug, who was the Fair Manager from 1995-2005, when she left the position to work full-time with her husband at Klug Equipment when they opened a second location in Union. Before that, Klug's mother, Barbra Kolm, had served in that capacity since 1965.
Like many families involved with the Berrien County Youth Fair, Carlin's family has been involved with the fair for many years. "I married the fair when I married my wife in 1983," Carlin said, referring to his wife of 24 years, Joanne Carlin. She is the superintendent of the Home Economics building and was an exhibitor, as were her children. Joanne's mother, Myrtle McNally, was the superintendent of foods. Carlin joined in and became involved with the fair with the rest of the family.
As a Board Member at BCYF, Carlin has chaired many departments, including Commercial, Planning, Technology, and Buildings and Grounds. He has a background in education, law, fundraising, and management. He has a Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology and a Master of Science degree in College Student Personnel/Administration from Michigan State University, and a law degree from the University of Notre Dame. Carlin also served in the U.S. Air Force.
Past positions held by Carlin include working in Student Financial Aid at the State University of New York at Fredonia; practicing law for four years; directing Planned Giving at the University of Notre Dame; managing in the Office of Business Operations at Notre Dame; owning a business in designing and building custom furniture; and most recently serving as the Executive Director of AIDS Ministries/AIDS Assist in South Bend, IN. Carlin "looks forward to working with the BCYF staff and the volunteers who make the Fair such a great event, as well as with the youth of Berrien County, who really are the reason for the Fair's existence."
Additional fair staff includes Maintenance Coordinator, Duane Miller; Marketing and Sponsorship Coordinator, Sandie Lieberg; and Entry Coordinator, Gail Holmes.
This year marks the 62nd annual Berrien County Youth Fair, Aug. 13-18.