Boester-Quaid named CEO of Ventura County Fair/Seaside Park

Although most people think of the annual Ventura County Fair as the only event held at the 62-acre Seaside Park, it also is home to the highly popular Derby Club, which features off-track betting. Seaside Park also hosts major trade shows, concerts, expositions, equestrian events, flea markets and cat shows, among other events held throughout the year.Boester-Quaid is credited with being cool, calm and collected, as well as open minded and imaginative. She was named to the top job as the interim after the resignation of Ed Barlow in January. During her 25 years with the 31st District Agricultural Association - the administrators of the state owned Seaside Park - Boester-Quaid has also worked as a business assistant and concessions manager, so “She’s intimately familiar with many aspects of the operation,” said Gherardi, one of the nine-governor appointed directors.“There is a wealth of talent in the staff,” Boester-Quaid wrote in a prepared statement that also noted that she was honored and grateful to be given the opportunity to lead Seaside Park.Seaside Park has an annual $6.8 million operating budget, about a third generated by the annual Ventura County Fair. Under Boester-Quaid’s guidance, this year’s fair, held 12-days in August, drew more than 300,000 visitors and produced a record $1.57 million in carnival sales, a 10 percent increase over 2004.