State Fair of West Virginia - WOWK 13 Charleston, Huntington WV News, Weather, Sports

Marlene Pierson-Jolliffe, CEO of the State Fair of West Virginia in Lewisburg, recently was elected the 2013 chairwoman of the International Association of Fairs and Expositions.

Pierson-Jolliffe's selection came during the final business session of the 122nd IAFE Annual Convention. 

Pierson-Jolliffe has served as CEO at the fair since November of 2004. Prior to becoming fair manager, she was assistant manager and sales and marketing coordinator for the fair from 1989-2003. 

Between her stints with the state fair, she served as the executive director of the Greater Greenbrier Chamber of Commerce in Lewisburg.

She has a bachelor of science degree in travel industry management from Concord College. She earned her master of science in parks, recreation and tourism management from Clemson University. She has served on the WVNS CBS 59 advisory board, the Greater Greenbrier Chamber of Commerce board of directors, the CVB board and as a BB&T Bank community advisory director. 

She earned her IAFE certified fair executive designation in 1997 and served as IAFE Zone 2 director and on the National Independent Concessionaires Advisory Committee from 2007 to 2009. She has served on the IAFE membership committee; advertising, promotions and public relations committee; and sponsorship committee. 

She now serves as liaison director on the Industry Relations Committee; on the West Virginia Association of Fairs and Festivals' board of directors and the West Virginia University Extension Service's visiting committee. 

She has served as basketball coach for the fifth- and sixth-grade girls in the Ronceverte Lions Club Youth League.