Celebrating Art Pokorny East Council Returns to North Carolina State Fair for Annual Rally... With a Twist! Jessica Gottsche, East Council Coordinator
Vendors and Fair Management, and worked with the other NICA Founders to establish the Association in 1993. In October, the East Council held its third Jessica Gottsche, NICA East Council Annual Rally in Raleigh, NC, with our hosts from Coordinator, began the event by welcoming the the North Carolina State Fair. However, this year, there was a small twist in plans as news of Arthur 60-plus attendees and letting everyone know that they were there to celebrate someone quite “Art” Pokorny’s upcoming retirement started to special. Telling a story about how this someone circulate, and the North Carolina State Fair was and Jessica had a quite a bit in common, both to be Art’s last stop before retiring to Florida. beginning their careers at The Big E, and even Earlier that month, Art was also honored with a Lifetime Pass, or Golden Ticket, to The Big E from having the same secretary, all while watching Art as he realized he was that someone. It was the Eastern States Exposition (ESE). This is the highest honor the Fair awards and is reserved only then announced that all the proceeds from the for those who have had a longtime, positive impact event would be used to award a NICA Foundation Scholarship in 2022 in Art’s name. Several on the Fair. members in attendance announced that they Art, a NICA Past President, Founder, and would make a donation, and the Council was 2011 Hall of Fame Recipient, has been a part thrilled to raise over $8,000 for the Foundation! of the Fair Industry for 62 years. He began his The East Council and the Pokorny family career on the Fair Staff at The Big E for 30 years, want to thank Kent Yelverton, North Carolina moving up to Assistant General Manager and Vice President before leaving to become a Mobile State Fair Manager, James Romer, Assistant Fair Manager, and Letrice Midgett, Commercial Space Concessionaire. He and his wife Barbara traveled Administrator, for their continued to support the East Coast running their pizza and ice cream operations for the next 32 years. When he became of the event. And, a special “Thank you!” to our donors and sponsors for making Art’s retirement a Mobile Concessionaire, Art saw the need for better communication and workmanship between celebration one to remember! ▲ 20
December 2021 NICA News