At the International Association of Fairs and Expositions (IAFE) 127th Annual Convention, Cynthia “Cindy” Hoye of the Indiana State Fair was inducted into the IAFE Hall of Fame. The IAFE Convention is currently taking place Nov. 26-29, at the Paris Hotel in Las Vegas, NV. The highest honor bestowed by the IAFE, the Hall of Fame Award is presented annually in recognition of an individual’s distinguished achievement in, or contribution to, the Fair industry.
Ms. Hoye is an Indianapolis native and grew up 10 minutes from Indiana State Fairgrounds, where she spent her childhood summers participating as a 4-H member. She attended Southern Methodist University and interned at the State Fair of Texas. In 1980, Ms. Hoye accepted a position as 4-H extension agent in Ozaukee County, WI. From there, she became the promotions director for the American Dairy Association of Wisconsin and then moved on to the Wisconsin State Fair accepting the special events director position. From there, Ms. Hoye moved to her hometown fair and became marketing director for the Indiana State Fair. As marketing director for the state fair, Ms. Hoye led several award-winning marketing efforts including the “Little Hands on the Farm” program which has been franchised to several other fairs and expos.
In 2004, Governor Mitch Davis appointed Ms. Hoye to be the Executive Director of the Indiana State Fair Commission, which oversees operations of the Indiana State Fair and the year-round activities of the Fairgrounds & Event Center. Under her leadership, the Indiana State Fair has experienced a number of positive changes. The business operations have been streamlined and facilities have been upgraded. The Fair received national attention by being the first Fair in the U.S. to institute a zero-trans fat cooking oil policy in 2007. During her tenure, the Indiana State Fair the event expanded from 12 days to 17 days.
Ms. Hoye received her Certified Fair Executive designation from the IAFE in 1992. She served the IAFE in numerous capacities including as second vice chair in 2008, first vice chair in 2009, board chair in 2010, and past chair from 2011-2012. Ms. Hoye resides in Indianapolis with her husband Bob. They have two children: Abigail and Robbie and three grandchildren: Harvey, Betty, and Elsie