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Michael Steele has been named executive director and CEO of the Utah State Fair and Fairpark in Salt Lake City.
Steele, former general manager of the Rio Tinto Stadium in Sandy, was chosen to run the fair and park by the organization's board of directors. He started on Jan. 2.
Steele "was the ... most qualified choice for the CEO position. We were looking for a very specific candidate to fill the position. With his extensive experience, [Steele] fit the mold perfectly," Chairman Roger Beattie said in a statement.
Steele managed Rio Tinto Stadium for seven years and played a role in its opening, Fairpark officials said in a statement.
He has 17 years of experience in the hospitality, sports and entertainment industries, including five years as director of operations at the Madison Square Garden training center in New York.
He lives in South Jordan.
Among Steele's first tasks will be to work on the final stages of a master plan study to determine uses for Fairpark.
The Salt Lake Tribune