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Festival Loses Leader Brooks

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By DAVE NICHOLSON

The Tampa Tribune

Published: June 14, 2008

PLANT CITY - For the first time since 1975, Patsy Brooks is no longer on the staff at the Florida Strawberry Festival.

Brooks, who started as a secretary and climbed through the ranks to general manager, retired June 2. She declined comment on her departure.

The festival board has decided to hold off on trying to hire a replacement because the remaining 17 or 18 staff members have said they can handle the workload, festival President Gary Boothe said. The supervisors have told the board, "This is a team effort and we can pull this off," he said.

Three department heads have jointly assumed leadership, Boothe said. They are Lee Baskt, who is in charge of advertising and sponsorships; Ellany Johnson, who is in charge of the office; and Dale Goodall, who is the head of maintenance.

Brooks' festival career began as a secretary - one of only two full-time employees at the time. Two years later, she was promoted to assistant manager, a job she held for 18 years.
Brooks was named festival general manager following the 1995 retirement of Ken Cassels, who served 13 years.

Brooks, who is known for her strawberry red outfits, is a native of Plant City.

Reporter George H. Newman contributed to this story. Reporter Dave Nicholson can be reached at dnicholson@tampatrib.com or (813) 865-4432.

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