Susan Long, (former*) Ouray County Fairgrounds and Event Center Manager

Story by Kathryn R. Burke

[Ridgway, Colo. October 15, 2013] Susan Lee Long is the current Manager of the Ouray County 4-H Event Center and Fairgrounds in Ridgway, Colorado. She has been in this position for almost eight years. She also resides in Ridgway.

As the manager of the 4-H Event Center and Fairgrounds, she has been fortunate to meet many of the citizens, organizational members, and business owners in Ouray County. She has been instrumental in developing existing events into larger venues, as well as, bringing many new venues to our county’s Event Center and Fairgrounds.

She understands the need for a ‘spirit of cooperation’ within the community. In 2012, a survey estimate of visitors to the 4-H Event Center and Fairgrounds for different types of meetings and events was over 16,000.

Susan’s background is very diverse. She has over 45 years in business, including her work here in Ridgway. Her experiences in marketing, publishing, communications, printing, advertising, political campaigns and consulting includes working for large corporations, small companies, and overseas work. She was instrumental in producing the first commercial yellow pages for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Some of her volunteer endeavors include her work with amputees, especially those returning home from the military.

Susan, now widowed, was married for 32 years. Robert and Susan had four children (two now deceased), four grandchildren, and seven great-children. She has lived in large cities and small towns, and on various family farms and ranches in New Mexico. She spent 4.5 years in Saudi Arabia in the 1980’s. Originally from the mid-west, she spent 25 of her adult years living in New Mexico. More recently, Susan spent six years in Scottsdale, Arizona before moving to Ridgway.

*Update: Susan Long has now retired. Her former assistant manager, Erin Stadleman, is now the Fairgrounds and Event center Manager.

This article also appears on website for the Woman’s Club of Ouray County. Designed and maintained by Kathryn R. Burke