LOUISVILLE — The Kentucky State Fair Board removed President and CEO David Beck during a special meeting on July 1, 2025. Mike Berry was appointed as interim president and CEO on the same day.

Governor Andy Beshear appointed new members to the board via a June 29 executive order that voided the terms of current appointees. This action followed a June 25 Kentucky Supreme Court ruling that found a 2021 state law exceeded the legislature's authority by shifting appointment power from the governor to the agriculture commissioner.

Beck had served as fair board president since 2018. Kentucky Commissioner of Agriculture Jonathan Shell stated that the new board members were prematurely appointed because the governor acted before a 21-day period for the court opinion to become final had ended. "Putting aside the legalities of all this, I'm disheartened by the total chaos the Governor has chosen to initiate on the eve of what should be the greatest State Fair in Kentucky history," Shell said.

Shell noted that most of the new board members have Louisville ties. State law requires the governor to appoint board members with consideration for geographical distribution throughout the state. "This event should not be about politics and egos. It should be about promoting the interests of agriculture and exhibiting Kentucky's finest," Shell added.

House Speaker David Osborne criticized the reorganization. "Under David Beck's leadership, the Kentucky State Fairgrounds and Kentucky Venues experienced remarkable growth and significant improvements," Osborne said. He quoted a statement regarding Beck's role: "Working alongside state and local leaders, David developed a long-term vision for the fairgrounds and other properties, secured funding for major capital investments, and oversaw projects that strengthened one of the Commonwealth's most important economic and cultural assets." Osborne further stated, "The reorganization sends a clear message that the governor does not care about a board's record of success, but rather how many political allies he can stack on it."

At a news conference on July 2, Beshear addressed Beck's removal, stating that Beck was not willing to work with or be accountable to the governor. "We are at a really important time for the fair board and for Louisville, where we can really step up in class," Beshear said. He added, "What that takes is more and better communication and cooperation between organizations like the fair board ... and that was a challenge that won't be a challenge now going forward."

Berry previously led the Kentucky Derby Festival from 1997 to 2019, retiring as its longest-serving president and CEO. Beshear appointed him as secretary of the state's Tourism, Arts and Heritage Cabinet in 2019, a position Berry held until 2023.

The board oversees Kentucky Venues, which operates the Kentucky Exposition Center, where the annual Kentucky State Fair is held and approximately 600,000 visitors attend. The board is overseeing a $180 million expansion as part of a multi-year, $470 million modernization project at the exposition center.