Posted by Patriot, a resident of the Carriage Gardens neighborhood, on Dec 19, 2012 at 9:18 am

Congratulations Rick on your new positon--you will be missed at the Alameda County Fair. Thanks for always trying to improve the quality of the entire fair each and every year. Thanks for always recognizing the dedicated service of our United States Military Forces by having a Military Appreciation Day each year. Also for your bold move to go to only one show per night at 7 P.M. which turned out to be a good move for the fair and for the show attendees as well. Again good luck to you up in Sacramento in your new role--looks like I will have to make a trip this summerto the California State Fair to see how you are doing--no doubt that you will introduce good changes there too.

Posted by Long Timer, a resident of the Another Pleasanton neighborhood neighborhood, on Dec 19, 2012 at 9:57 am

So sorry to see him go. Big shoes to fill. Our 17 day Alameda County Fair has been in top 10 county and STATE fairs in the country numerous times in recent years...first class, clean, good vendors, entertainment, all around.

As a local maybe he can mentor for us.

Posted by JJJ, a resident of the Another Pleasanton neighborhood neighborhood, on Dec 19, 2012 at 10:50 am

Sorry to see Rick go. He has had a huge positive impact on the Alameda Country Fair.

I was amazed to read that the 26 Directors on the Alameda County Fair Board. That sounds like a classic case of government run amok. All sorts of efficiencies would result if that number were reduced to 9.

Posted by Wow!, a resident of the Mohr Park neighborhood, on Dec 19, 2012 at 9:29 pm

How did they let him get away? He's turned our once run down fairgrounds into something we are all proud of. I bet the people at the State Fair noticed that our fair is now the 33rd largest fair in America! Our whole community will miss the Pickering family. :(

Posted by Ken Mano, a resident of the Willow West neighborhood, on Dec 20, 2012 at 11:24 am

I really did't know Rick until last week when he spoke at an Eagle Court of Honor and found that he is also President of the SF Bay Area Council for the Boy Scouts.. No wonder the Fairgrounds provides space for East Bay Standdown for our homeless and needy veterans. No wonder we were able to get into the Fair last year for a donation of Food. No wonder space was provided for Kids for Hunger at the Fair last year. No wonder so many Eagle Scouts were able to find Service projects at the Fairgrounds. No wonder the Fair does so many things for the community and also became one of the most successful and profitable in the country.

What a great example of community service, sorry to see him go.

Posted by D, a resident of the Laguna Oaks neighborhood, on Dec 20, 2012 at 1:58 pm

The Alameda County fair has been amazing since he has been running it. I pray that the new CEO does his hard work justice and keeps the momentum he has worked so hard to maintain.