The Board of Trustees for the Nebraska State Fair 1868 Foundation appointed Tom Middleton to serve a three-year term on its board of directors, bringing the total number of board members to nine.

Middleton has a vibrant history of maintaining strong community ties and supporting various charitable endeavors in the community. “Tom has a long history in working with both the state fair and Fonner Park. His institutional knowledge of the campus is unmatched, and he’ll certainly be of great assistance to the 1868 Foundation as we work towards future improvements for the fair,” said Lindsey Koepke, executive director for the 1868 Foundation.

“We are delighted to welcome Tom to the board of directors. Outstanding community leaders like Tom bring a great deal of perspective and valuable insight to assist us with our mission,” said Terry Galloway, chairman of the 1868 Foundation board of directors. “They bring tremendous expertise and skills that will help 1868 Foundation reach its goal of raising funds and resources for the state fair.”

“The fair has brought so much activity and growth to this community, said Middleton, “I look forward to serving alongside my fellow board members to help be a driver for the continued success of the state fair.”

The 1868 Foundation also honored Beth Smith of Lincoln with the 2022 Lifetime Friend of the Fair Award. “Beth brought stability, courage and strength in leadership in a challenging time for the fair,” said Galloway. “She was instrumental in carrying the fair through COVID restrictions and aligning the fair with new leadership. We would not be where we are today without her confidence in the state fair and her commitment to seeing it succeed.”

Additionally, the 1868 Foundation also presented Dan and Nancy Brosz of Grand Island with the 2022 Excellence in 1868 Society Award for their dedication to the 1868 Foundation and their volunteer commitments to the fair. “These two are the epitome of all things good and right about the fair. Each year they give so much of their time and talents to better the fair and we couldn’t be more honored to present them with this award,” said Koepke.

“We are so fortunate to have such a talented group of individuals serving on the board of directors,” said Koepke. “As we continue to strengthen our efforts and look to the future for opportunities for growth, we will rely greatly on these individuals to keep the positive moment we are seeing moving in the right direction.”

The purpose of the Nebraska State Fair 1868 Foundation is to raise funds and resources for improvements, renovations, and revitalizations for the Nebraska State Fair. The foundation is a charitable 501(c)(3) organization. For more information about the Nebraska State Fair 1868 Foundation, visit http://www.1868foundation.org.