The Illinois State Fair announces that they have a new manager to lead them this upcoming year. Luke Sailer of Chatham was appointed as the new division manager of fair and promotional services from the Department of Agriculture. He previously was the assistant Illinois State Fair manager. His department runs the state fair in Springfield, the Du Quoin State Fair, county fairs and horse racing in the state. The 25-year-old native of Carmi succeeds Kevin Gordon, who retired after leading the fair in 2016 and 2017. Agriculture Director Raymond Poe says that the management experience of Sailer, which he has gained as being the assistant state fair manager and his southern Illinois agricultural background made him a winning combination as the new leader. Sailer says that he wants to build on the success of past fairs while “continuing to modernize our events going forward.” Sailer is now the 4th state fair manager in the past 3 years.