For the 2022 New York State Fair, Sean Hennessey was the interim director.

Two days before the start of the 2023 fair, the "interim" is gone from his title.

Gov. Kathy Hochul announced Monday that Hennessey has been appointed state fair director.

"Since his appointment as interim director of the Great New York State Fair in 2022, Sean has proven himself to be an innovative and capable leader," Hochul said. "I am proud to officially welcome him as director and look forward to working with him to ensure the growth and vitality of this unique New York tradition, our Great New York State Fair."

Hennessey was named interim director after Troy Waffner's departure in May 2022. Waffner spent nearly 10 years leading the fair, first as acting director and then, in 2018, he was named director by former Gov. Andrew Cuomo.

A New York City native, Hennessey moved upstate when he attended SUNY Canton. He met his wife at the college and they settled in Black River, a village in Jefferson County.

After working an industrial engineer in the private sector, Hennessey joined the Jefferson County Board of Elections, first as deputy elections commissioner and, later, as elections commissioner.

His first job in state government was with the Office of General Services, an agency that oversees state properties. He was the superintendent of the state government building in Watertown before becoming a regional superintendent who managed state-owned facilities in other upstate cities, including Syracuse.

Hennessey was an assistant commissioner of operations with the state Department of Transportation before joining the fair. He was hired by the state Department of Agriculture and Markets, which oversees the fair, as an assistant fair director. But with Waffner's departure, he was elevated to interim director.

As an interim director, Hennessey ran the 2022 fair. During his short tenure as the fair's leader, he has emphasized quality over quantity. While the fair hopes to attract a lot of visitors, breaking all-time attendance records isn't as high a priority as it was before the COVID-19 pandemic.

"I am privileged to be part of the Great New York State Fair, a true tradition and cultural institution in New York state," Hennessey said. "I am grateful and humbled by Governor Hochul's appointment of me as director and look forward to opening the 2023 fair as director alongside the fair team."

The fair opens Wednesday and runs through Labor Day, Sept. 4.