Du Quoin State Fair staff reporting to Illinois Ag Department chief of staff in the interim

Du Quoin State Fair administrative aide Angela Wildermuth said Friday she and the fair's staff are hoping for an announcement soon on a new manager for the Du Quoin State Fair.

Illinois Department of Agriculture spokesman Jeff Squibb told the newspaper Friday the search process is well underway, but added the department and the governor want the person to be someone who can do the job.

His thought was that it might take a little time to identify that person, but the department wants it done once and wants it done right.

Eleven-year Du Quoin State Fair manager John Rednour, Jr. resigned two weeks ago and said he did so to step into his late father's position as Du Quoin State Bank board chairman. That work started today.

Squibb said that in the interim, the fair staff has been asked to rely on Illinois Department of Agriculture director Robert Flider's Chief of Staff Jared Thornley if the fair needs anything.

Squibb said the department and the governor's office know how important the fair is to Southern Illinois and don't take the matter lightly.

"It is our intention to move quickly, but with the goal of making a good decision," Squibb said.

Fair staff members have told the newspaper individually they look forward to the year ahead, but are anxious to have some direction from the new manager.

Former manager Rednour told the newspaper Friday, "We have to have someone to keep it going. It is the most important thing in Southern Illinois. I didn't leave soured. People have the password to my email out there.

"We have the Fleetwood (RV) group coming back in June. We were working on three other rallies. I was also working on a five-year contract for the Street Machine Nationals. We didn't want more than a one-year contract to begin with just to try it. Between the flea market and the softball tournament out there this weekend, the rooms and the restaurants in Du Quoin should all be full."

Rednour said in his afterlife he wants to work hard for the Du Quoin State Bank and wants to make the relationship between the bank and the community as strong as it can possibly be.

He said he will stay in politics, working alongside Democrat chairman Nick Dolce and playing a larger role if committee chairmen deem that important. "As a matter of fact I will be in Springfield next week," he said.