The 22nd District Agricultural Association, the owner and operator of the Del Mar Fairgrounds, fired its CEO during Tuesday's board meeting.
The board voted 8-1 to oust Carlene Moore after several hours of discussion in a closed session, with board member Phil Blair casting the lone vote against the firing. The board did not give a reason for the decision.
The termination came after several people spoke out against Moore during non-agenda public comments, urging the board to fire her.
Former 22nd DAA president Russ Penniman told the board there was widespread dissatisfaction with Moore among longtime staff members.
"Some employees mentioned they simply were waiting for their pensions to vest so that they could retire," he told the board. "Public evidence of fairgrounds leadership challenges continue to mount.”
Donna Ruhm, a former commercial director for the San Diego County Fair, said she retired after the 2021 fair because of what she called toxic leadership.
"The once collaborative, respectful environment changed in a heartbeat to one where management's distrust and lack of respect for staff resulted in top-down decisions made without experience or foresight, and often resulted in reversal," she said. "One voice dominated, experience was sidelined and staff felt frustrated, devalued and even threatened."
Last year, chief administrative officer Melinda Carmichael filed a lawsuit against the district alleging retaliation from Moore after reporting a toxic workplace environment.
Moore was hired as deputy general manager in 2019 and was appointed interim CEO in 2020 after longtime CEO Gary Fennell retired. Her tenure coincided with one of the most difficult periods for the fairgrounds, during which more than 60% of the staff were laid off due to the pandemic.
The pandemic forced the cancellation of several events, which accounted for about 90% of the fairgrounds' revenue, putting the 22nd DAA in financial strain. Most events have since returned, and last year the San Diego County Fair reported revenue of $10.1 million.
Moore's tenure also saw several high-profile controversies. She was accused of rigging the bid for the contract to run the midway at the San Diego County Fair. The district settled that suit for $500,000.
The district also agreed to settle with the Department of Justice in 2024 for more than $5.6 million related to a Paycheck Protection Program loan Moore obtained during the pandemic. The DOJ said that, as a government-owned agency, the 22nd DAA was ineligible.
Board chair Sam Nejabat will serve as interim CEO for 10 days, after which the board will reevaluate the position.
