(1) The office of manager of the Colorado state fair authority is hereby created. The board shall appoint a manager of the Colorado state fair authority who shall have knowledge of livestock, agriculture, horticulture, industry, recreation, education, and scientific facilities, processes, and products of the state of Colorado and who shall have experience in fair management and promotion. The manager shall serve for an indefinite term and shall not hold any other public office but shall devote his or her entire time to the service of the state in the discharge of his or her official duties. The appointment or removal of the manager shall be subject to the provisions of section 13 of article XII of the state constitution and the statutes enacted pursuant thereto. Notwithstanding any law to the contrary, the office of manager of the Colorado state fair authority shall be a position in the senior executive service for purposes of section 24-50-104 (5)(c), C.R.S.

(2) The manager shall be the chief administrative head of the Colorado state fair authority under the direction and supervision of the board and shall have general supervision and control of all activities, functions, and employees of the Colorado state fair authority and shall exercise all necessary powers incident thereto. The manager shall exercise all the powers and functions of the board in the interim of its meetings and shall perform such other duties as may be prescribed by the board or by law.

(3) Any current state fair authority employee who was previously certified under the state personnel system and who is returning to the state personnel system pursuant to this part 4, as amended by House Bill 97-1342, enacted at the first regular session of the sixty-first general assembly, shall be eligible for reinstatement.