Fort Bend County Fair Association’s Cindy Schmidt has received the 2023 Texas Association of Fair and Events (TAFE) Professional of the Year Award, the association said in a statement.
As fair manager, Schmidt supervises numerous year-round events in addition to the annual Fort Bend County Fair and Rodeo (FBCFA), including tag-ins, fishing tournaments and crawfish boils.
The state association recognizes all fairs, festivals, rodeos and events held around the state.
The county fair and rodeo takes place in September and is one of the largest in Texas.
Schmidt has served as fair manager for five years, two which were unprecedentedly challenging for the fair and trade-show industry because of the pandemic.
“Cindy earned this enormous honor for her relentless commitment, leadership and absolute dedication to her work for the fair,” the FBCFA said in a statement. “She has consistently pulled her team through uncharted circumstances such as the Hurricane Harvey aftermath, the COVID pandemic and numerous other incidents.”
Schmidt became involved with the FBCFA as a volunteer in 1990. She lives in Rosenberg with her husband Darren. Both are longtime fair supporters and auction buyers.