THE BALLOON MAN

Circus World leader hired to head up Wisconsin Farm

 

Stephen Freese, executive director of the Circus World Museum in Baraboo for the past six years, has been named chief administrative officer of the Wisconsin Farm Bureau.
Freese, 53, will oversee all day-to-day operations and 26 full-time staff for Wisconsin’s largest farm organization. He will succeed Roger Cliff, who will retire this year after a 40-year career with the Farm Bureau
Freese said he pursued the position earlier this year after a state proposal threatened to change the structure of Circus World Museum. Gov. Scott Walker proposed having the Wisconsin Historical Society take over the museum’s operations.
“Most of the (CWM) staff was doing the same thing (seeking other employment) to protect themselves and their families,” Freese said. “There’s never a guarantee of what might change when something’s in the governor’s budget.”
Freese was quoted in newspaper reports at the time accusing the Wisconsin Historical Society of trying to execute a takeover of Circus World.
The Legislature’s Joint Finance Committee removed the governor’s Circus World proposal from the state budget, so Freese said the organization will move ahead as a stand-alone museum.
As CWM executive director, Freese was responsible for all aspects of the operation, including maintenance, grounds upkeep, advertising, special events and customer service. The museum attracted 72,000 visitors in 2012.
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