Ken Fulk

Former Orange County Fair chief executive officer Ken Fulk, who passed away on April 14, left a permanent impact on the Fair organization with his innovations and multiple talents.

While he was general manager of the Fair during the 1970s and 1980s, Ken brought such events to the Fairgrounds as Youth Expo, the Orange County Market Place and the Pacific Amphitheatre.

"I always admired Ken's understanding the Fair's purpose and his contribution to the community it served," said Becky Bailey-Findley, CEO of the Fair. "He was extremely creative. He loved to draw, write and create everything from exhibits to newsletters."

She added: "We will miss Ken tremendously - especially his enthusiasm and love for fairs."

Services were held on April 18 in Wildomar, where Ken had been living. He is survived by his wife, Helen.

Randy Smith

Veteran Fair Board member Randy Smith, whose gruff manner belied his generosity to youthful Fair participants, died March 30 at his Yorba Linda home.

He had been a Fair Board member since 1990, had twice been reappointed to four-year terms, and was waiting to find out if Gov. Gray Davis would name him to a fourth term.

In a memorial service held on the fairgrounds, he was remembered by his family, friends, Fair staff and co-workers for the high regard in which he was held and his exuberance for all things Fair-related.

Summing up the sense of loss, Fair CEO Becky Bailey-Findley said, "The Fair has lost a great advocate and friend. He was a strong advocate of making the Fair a true community asset and a positive contributor to the county. His feelings for the Fair were strong and no one enjoyed it more than he. I know we will all miss him greatly."

Former Orange County Supervisor Gaddi Vasquez, now Peace Corps director, said, "Randy was a big man with an even bigger heart. He was one of the most generous souls I've ever met."

CEO Bailey-Findley said that "the Orange County Fair benefited greatly from the leadership of Randy Smith. His leadership was one of commitment to the fundamental ideals and responsibility to the community. He believed the Fair should provide public benefit and service and should be accessible by all who desired to be a part of the Fair."

Randy was an influential lobbyist who helped to make expansion of John Wayne Airport a reality in 1990.

He was born in Santa Ana, attended Santa Ana Junior College, where he was student body president, and was graduated in 1970 from Cal State Fullerton with a bachelor's degree in political science. He spent six years as a district representative for John Schmitz, the former state senator and congressman.

Randy is survived by his wife, Jeanne Reinhardt Smith, and their three children, Jeff, Candi and Craig.