Rockingham County Fair initiates search for new general manager

After five years as general manager of the Rockingham County Fair Association, Jeff Ishee is leaving the post and will be returning full-time to a career in farm broadcasting and journalism.

“Serving the Fair Association as General Manager has been a highlight of my professional life,” said Ishee. “I am proud of the progress we made over the past five years and sincerely hope that I can return as a volunteer for the Fair at some point in the future.”

Brian Carpenter, president of the Rockingham County Fair Association, said “We have been truly blessed to have had Jeff with us for the past 5 years. Under his guidance we have experienced continued growth both during Fair week and throughout the rest of the year. All of us at the Fair wish him the best, as he follows his heart.”

Ishee has worked for more than 20 years as a farm broadcaster and writer based in the Shenandoah Valley. Employed primarily at WSVA radio, he also hosted the nationally broadcast television program “Virginia Farming” on public television and RFD-TV for nine years. Ishee started a syndicated radio program in 2002 called “On the Farm” which now airs daily in seven states in the Mid-Atlantic Region.

“I look forward to devoting more time to building my radio business as well as other broadcast and journalistic efforts,” said Ishee. “My goal is to devote the remainder of my career to serving farm families and consumers providing them with timely information about agriculture, gardening and rural issues.”

Ishee recently wrote his 750th garden column for the Staunton News Leader newspaper. In 2009, Virginia Farm Bureau announced that the top award in its annual agriculture journalism contest will be named the “Ishee/Quann Award for Media Excellence.” The award honors Ishee and the late Homer Quann for their many years of service to the industry of agriculture in Virginia.

It’s clear that Ishee appreciates the hard work and effort that goes into managing the Rockingham County Fair.

“Since 1996, I have not missed a single day of the Fair,” said Ishee. “To see it recognized year after year as one of the leading agricultural Fairs in North America is a testament to the volunteers and community that work so hard to make the Fair successful. I’m really going to miss working here.”