30 Years 30 Heroes: Cindy Lerick

Cindy Lerick is an innovative leader, speaker and trainer for art festivals and events around the world. For two decades, CEL has had the honor of working alongside Cindy as Executive Director of the Uptown Art Fair and President an Executive Director of Cultural Festivals, producers of the Saint Louis Art Fair. Under her leadership, these events earned dozens of industry awards, including multiple Pinnacle and Grand Pinnacle Awards from the International Festivals and Events Association (IFEA).

Setting the highest standards in her industry, Cindy has been a role model to current and up-in-coming event directors and planners. Her creative and innovative strategies have taken events from red to black and raised them up to sought-after status, with artists around the world crediting her for their success.

As Chair of the World Board of IFEA, Cindy was responsible for overseeing the successful operations of IFEA, while serving as an industry leadership advisor to the President & CEO. Most recently, she served as Executive Director of the Sausalito Art Festival Foundation and is a consultant to event directors and managers across the country.

Cindy Lerick’s commitment to hard work with ethics and integrity was instilled in her on the Iron Range of Minnesota, where she was born and raised. Always respectful to her mother’s teaching of “leave things better than you found them,” under Cindy’s leadership, festivals and events have been transformed to the highest level of success.

Thank you, Cindy, for your leadership and for the difference you continue to make!

Published on: October 23, 2018