Posted on August 22, 2024 at 5:00 PM by Emily Saveraid
Curtis Claeys is a lifelong resident of Clinton County and has been very active in the 4-H program. Growing up, he was a nine-year Welton Jr. Farmers 4-H club member, showing various livestock projects. While Curtis has many memories in 4-H, the county basketball tournament, the county fair, and exchange trips are at the top of his list.
In the 1990s, Curtis served as the Welton Jr. Farmers leader for 13 years and was an active member of the county 4-H youth committee for seven years. During the county fair, Curtis served as the beef superintendent for three years and bucket/bottle calf superintendent for eight years. Over the years, he has judged bucket/bottle calf projects at county fairs in the area. Curtis has also served on the County Fair Board for 23 years, president for five of those years, helping to make our county fair the best it can be. Curtis now serves on the Iowa State Fair Board, where he has been for the last seven years. He has served as treasurer and is currently serving as the vice president.
Curtis and his wife, Diane, have been married for 48 years. They have two children, Nicole and Kendall, and six grandchildren. He looks forward to helping them with their 4-H projects. He and Diane like to travel south in the winter and get away for a few weeks. Every once in a while, he likes to pick up a golf club.
Curtis is very proud that he is a first-generation farmer, and his son Kendall is following in his footsteps. In 2018, the Iowa Cattlemen's Association awarded Curtis the Iowa Commercial Producer of the Year award.
