The Fairfield Area Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors is a 15-director, 6-ex-officio/associate assembly of diverse talent from across the Fairfield business community which convenes monthly to address Chamber policy considerations, community issues of concern or importance and institute directives and recommendations for the leadership of the Chamber. The position of Director on the Chamber Board represents an opportunity to exercise influence over the direction of the Chamber and leadership of the Fairfield community at large.
The Board is charged with maintaining the Chamber’s course and mission through the improvement of the business climate for Chamber members through the stimulation of economic growth, enhancement of political awareness, promotion of civic development and improvement of quality of life in the Fairfield area.
Officers 2010
Jane Anne Harl was born and raised in Centerville, Iowa. She graduated from high school in Centerville and attended college at Central Missouri State University in Warrensburg, Missouri.
Following a long career in the medical field as a clinic manager, Jane Anne joined French-Reneker, an engineering firm, in 1994 as the Director of Administration. She is responsible for the administrative aspect of the Firm and works with the President in Human Resources.
Jane Anne has resided in Nevada, Missouri, South Dakota and back to Iowa following her husband of 38 years, Richard’s career as a Physician Assistant. She and her husband have two sons, Chris and Jesse. Chris brings Stacey to the family and Jesse completes their family with grandson Drake and granddaughter, Madalyn who are a huge part of her life. Family is her most valuable asset.
“I have never lived in a community that is so diverse and contains so many cultures. I hope to bring an open mind and the ability to be both objective and understanding of issues I am faced with.”
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Fred McElwee has been a resident of the Fairfield/Jefferson county community since 1980. He taught industrial education at Fairfield Middle School from 1980-2002. Since then he has been and continues to be the Director of Auxiliary Services for Fairfield Community School District, overseeing school transportation, food services and buildings and grounds. He also worked construction on a part-time basis for over 25 years. Fred is a member of the Lockridge Lions and past member of the Fairfield Jaycees.
Fred has a bachelor of science in education and master of arts in industrial education from Truman State University. He also has his school administration certification from Drake University.
Fred is married to Ann Marie, who works as a draftsperson in the engineering department at the Dexter Company. They have two children, Danielle, a senior at the University of Iowa and Grant, a sophomore at Kirkwood Community College.
As for recreation and hobbies, Fred enjoys spending time at Lake Thunderhead, Mo., woodworking, and finding things to do on his and Ann Marie’s acreage.
Community involvement has been important to Fred as he has been a member of the Fairfield Jaycees, Lockridge Lions and has served on various boards and committees.
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Terry Baker, Vice President of Community and Leadership Development, SendOutCards, 641.919.5778
Terry Baker has been a local entrepreneur since 1985, operating several small retail & service enterprises. Her chamber interests include networking and supporting the needs and interests of small business, especially women-owned businesses.
In Terry’s spare time, she enjoys ballroom and swing dancing and plays pack leader to three delightful pooches.
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Mike Nunn, Vice President of Public Affairs & Treasurer, Bovard Studio Inc., 641.472.0974
Mike Nunn is the president of Bovard Studio for the past 3 years. After growing up in a military family, he has spent the last 35 years in Iowa. His experience is focused mainly with manufacturers as a member of their management team. Mike with his wife Kathy have two children, Jeff and Matt. Kathy is a 6-7-8 grade teacher in the Pekin school district.
Mike enjoys volunteer work and feels that working together we all make a contribution to the community. Mike also serves on the Fairfield Public Library board and the St. Mary’s Finance council. And for fun, in his own words, “I am an avid, yet not accomplished, golfer.”
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Myron Gookin graduated from Fairfield High School in 1976. He attended Iowa Wesleyan College from 1976-1978 before transferring to Iowa State University where he received his Bachelor’s degree 1980.
Gookin received his law degree from Drake University Law School 1983. Prior work experience includes painting, construction in the Fairfield area and broadcasting (radio/TV) in Fairfield, Mt. Pleasant and Ames.
During law school Gookin clerked for Foss & Kuiken in Fairfield and Davis, Hockenberg law firm in Des Moines. Gookin has been an attorney with Foss, Kuiken, Gookin, & Cochran, P.C. for the past 25 years.
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Rosie Witherspoon, Vice President of Public Affairs, At Home Store, 641.472.1016
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Directors
Ginny Hughes is the Community Relations Manager of the Jefferson County Health Center. BS, Business Administration, Regis University, Denver, Colorado. Ginny has served on various boards and committees, including the Jefferson County Trails Council, 1st Fridays Art Walk, Past President of the Fairfield Rotary Club, Rotary Club Board. She is currently a Rotary Assistant Governor overseeing four local Rotary Clubs. Ginny was born on Long Island and spent most of her life in Boulder, Colorado. Ginny and her husband Doug, who is an Iowa native, moved back to Fairfield in 2003.
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Jessica Ledger-Kalen, Royale Concrete , 641.919.8912
Jessica Ledger-Kalen has been the President and Co-Founder of Royale Concrete since 2006. She was born in Fairfield, Iowa but spent twelve years in Wisconsin. She spent time in the market research, teleservices, customer service and sales fields before finding her way to construction and back to Iowa. Her passion is customer service and entrepreneurship.
Jessica is a member of the Leadership Iowa Class of 2009-2010, Fairfield Art Association Board, Greater Area Habitat for Humanity Building Committee, and a member of the Fairfield Young Professionals Organization.
Jessica spends the little free time she has with her husband, Jeremy Waugh. She has diverse interests including food, wine, good books, truck pulls, the arts, architecture, and traveling.
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Shawn Lisk is the 2nd Vice President, Retail Market Manager of MidWestOne Bank.
Lisk graduated from Fairfield High School and graduated from Northeast Missouri State University n/k/a Truman State University in Kirksville, MO with a B.S in Business Administration emphasis in Finance. He worked at Hy-Vee while in high school and worked a couple summers at Agri-Industrial Plastics Company. He began his banking career in 1991 at Iowa State Bank & Trust Company in Fairfield. In 1998 he made the move to Central Valley Bank n/k/a MidWestOne Bank as Vice President and eventually moved to the new drive-up facility as Vice President/Branch Manager in 2001. Most recently he has accepted the position of 2nd Vice President/Retail Market Manager and oversees all retail employees at both Fairfield locations.
Lisk is married to wife Summer. They have three children, 6 year-old Autumn, and 3 year-old twins Ashlyn and Austin.
In his free time, Lisk enjoys softball, hunting, and spending time with his family. He was inducted into the Iowa Softball Hall of Fame last year and his team won the 2007 NSA Super World Championship National Tournament bringing him a ring. He has also been involved with many different clubs and organizations through the years. He has been on the Chamber of Commerce Blast Off committee for 17 years.
“It will be interesting to be a part of the Fairfield Chamber Board with so much going on in Fairfield right now,” said Shawn Lisk. “It will be exciting as we look to the future and work hard to help Fairfield grow. I’m just glad to be a part of it.”
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Seth Miller was born and raised in Batavia, Iowa and graduated Fairfield High School in 1997. He obtained a B.S. with honors from Iowa State University’s College of Business in 2001 graduating with majors in Finance and Management. Seth later obtained his J.D from the University of Iowa College of Law in 2004.
From 2004 – 2008 Seth practiced law at Shook, Hardy & Bacon LLP in Kansas City as a toxic tort litigator in the firm’s environmental law group. Seth moved back to Fairfield in 2008 as Cambridge Investment Research, Inc.’s in-house counsel and currently serves as the Assistant Vice President of Cambridge’s Legal Department.
Seth has worked with his family since 2002 to establish Cedar Valley Winery on the family farm near Batavia, IA. Cedar Valley Winery opened for business in July 2009 and Seth currently serves as part owner and full time winemaker.
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Dillon Murray, Hy-Vee, 641.472.4119
Dillon
graduated from Chillicothe High School in Chillicothe, Missouri. He furthered his education for 2 years at
NWMSU in Maryville, Missouri.
Dillon started working for Hy-Vee in 2000 at the Chillicothe store. He transferred to the Fairfield store in 2006
as Kitchen/Catering Manager. He has completed the Dale Carnegie Course.
Dillon just recently married in August 2008 to Cassie Murray.
In his free time, Dillon enjoys watching sports, hunting, and spending time with his wife.
“Having lived in Fairfield for 2 years I have found a real appreciation for the town and look forward to helping the community in every way possible."
Email Dillion
Jeanie Palmer, Skin Essence, 641.472.4225
Jeanie Palmer is the owner and licensed esthetician of Skin Essence. She is a graduate of Pekin High School, having grown up on her family farm. Jeanie attended The Fashion and Art Institute, Omaha, where she majored in Fashion Merchandising and Design. She has an AA Degree in Business, with an emphasis in Sales and Marketing and has received her esthetics license. She and husband Shane have two daughters: Megan, a freshman at Fairfield High School and Paige a seventh grade student at Fairfield Middle School.
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Scott Reid is the Vice President of Manufacturing for Harper Brush Works.
Reid graduated high school in Marion, IA and graduated from the University of Iowa with a degree in Engineering. Reid joined Harper Brush in March of 2005 as the Plant Manager of the Fairfield operations. In April of 2007 he was promoted to the Vice President of Manufacturing where he over sees all four of Harper’s manufacturing facilities. Reid moved to Fairfield from Grenada, Mississippi where he was the Director of Operations for Advanced Distributor Products, a Division of Lennox International.
Reid has a son, Ryan, who attends Fairfield High School and a daughter, Leslie, who attends Fairfield Middle School.
“I am excited to be part of the Fairfield Chamber Board,” said Scott Reid. “The Chamber has done so much for the residents and businesses of Fairfield and being a member of the Board is an honor.”
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Gus Schaus moved to Fairfield in 1972 and is a Fairfield High School graduate. He served his carpenter apprenticeship under master craftsman Mr. Gail Lyons and also worked with Bill Kurka. By the middle of the 1980’s Schaus and Roger Vorhies for Schaus-Vorhies Contracting with $150 each and by 1987 they incorporated the company.
Today Schaus-Vorhies Companies has done more than $75 million dollars of construction work in and around Fairfield, southeast Iowa, the Midwest and occasionally on the east and west coast. Schaus-Vorhies delivers construction projects in designing, building, construction management, general construction and self performs steel erection and carpentry.
Schaus-Vorhies Companies is a Ceco Building Dealer. Schaus sits on the Ceco Presidents Advisory Council along with eighteen other builders from around the US.
Along with other business owners Schaus has formed or started several other Fairfield-based businesses; Schaus-Vorhies Manufacturing Inc. paint-Line Inc. and Schaus-Vorhies Kleaning Inc. with about 85 employees.
In his spare time, Gus enjoys swimming with his children Quay and Carly and working on home projects.
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Lori Vaughan, a graduate of Fairfield High School and AIB College of Business in Des Moines, IA, where she received an Associate of Business degree, is currently working toward her bachelor’s degree from AIB.
Lori has worked in various positions and lived in various locations due to her husband’s job. She began working at TD&T Financial Group, P.C. in 2002 following five years of operating her own accounting firm. Lori is the Senior Staff Accountant at TD&T Financial Group, Inc.
Lori has been married to husband Scott for 18 years. They have 3 children: Kiersten 17, Morgan, 14 and Spencer 3.
In her free time, Lori enjoys attending high school sporting events, volunteering for the Trojan Booster Club, reading and spending time with family.
“I enjoy being involved in community activities and serve as the Treasurer for the Fairfield Area Softball Association and The African Violet Foundation. I am also an active member of the Fairfield Chamber of Commerce Holiday Committee and First Baptist Church where I spend a lot of time volunteering with various youth events.”
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Ex-Officio
Ed Malloy was elected Mayor in 2001 and is in his thirds term. He served on the Fairfield City Council form 1992–2000. Mayor Malloy is also President of Danaher Oil Company — a fuel brokerage operation that began in Fairfield 1983. Mr. Malloy was one of the founding-members of the Fairfield Entrepreneurs Association in 1989. He serves on the board of the Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation, Iowans for a Better Future and the Iowa State University Extension Citizen Advisory Council.
“The Fairfield Chamber of Commerce has long been a vital part of our community leadership and represents the best of our diverse economy. The Chamber Board of Directors is best exemplified by its vision and caring attitude for our community welfare. It is my honor to serve as one of the “Associates” members of the board.”
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Tom Brooks received his B.A. in Resource Development with Honors from Michigan State University in 1974. Brooks has been actively engaged as a university administrator at Maharishi University of Management for over 27 years. He has experience in all phases of administration.
- Chief Operating Officer, current
- Owner’s Representative, special project to renovate 100-year old Historic Landmark building in the Financial District of Lower Manhattan, 2007–2008
- Co-Founder and Co-Director, M.U.M. Organic Farms. Setting up the farm involved the construction of a one-acre greenhouse operation and 15-acre field production of certified organic produce for our University food service and campus market, 2003–2006
- Chief Administrative Officer, 1993–2003
- Administrative Council Co-Chairperson, 1990-1993
- Personnel Co-Director, 1988–1990
- Assistant to the Development Council Chairperson, 1986–87
- Renovation Project Manager, 1983-1985
- 15 years full-time experience on family farm in Michigan
Tom has been married to his wife, Kathy Wagner Brooks, for 27 years. Kathy also works at the Maharishi University of Management.
In his spare time Tom enjoys hiking, backpacking, canoeing and movies.
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Rustin Lippincott is the Executive Director of the Fairfield Iowa Convention and Visitors Bureau. He has been with the Bureau since February 2007. The Convention and Visitors Bureau was formed in 2004 to promote the diverse events in Fairfield and to attract and create events that will inspire tourism and conventions and to support the continued development of a rich cultural and thriving community.
Rustin is a graduate of the University of Northern Iowa and, in addition to the Fairfield Area Chamber of Commerce, is a board member of the Fairfield 1st Fridays Art Walk, Fairfield Arts and Convention Center and the Fairfield Volunteer Commission. Lippincott and his daughter Jada are excited to be a part of the Fairfield community.
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Dick Reed graduated from Fairfield high school before attending San Diego Community College where he received an A & P license. Reed worked as an aircraft mechanic before owning his own Construction and Home Improvement business for over 30 years. Reed served three years on the Fairfield City Council, twelve years on the Fairfield Planning and Zoning committee and eighteen years on the Jefferson County Board of Review.
Reed presently is the owner of Reed’s Consulting and has served as a Jefferson County Supervisor for the past six years.
Reed and his wife, Mary, have been married for 41 years. They have three grown children and four grandchildren. In his leisure time Reed works on home projects, rides his Harley and enjoys horses.
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Associates
Pat is co-owner of the Gamrath-Doyle Insurance Agency, an independent insurance agency that has been serving the Fairfield area for over 60 years. With over 30 years experience in the insurance industry Pat provides extensive knowledge and expertise in all lines of insurance. Pat is a graduate of Fairfield High School and has been very active in the community for many years. He is a past president of the Fairfield Jaycees and the Fairfield Optimist Club and a past member of the Fairfield Rotary Club. He served six years on the Fairfield Area Chamber of Commerce board of directors including one year as President. Pat currently serves as President of the Fairfield Economic Development Association.
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Roger has been a resident of Fairfield since 1964 graduating from Fairfield in 1975. He has worked at The Fairfield Ledger in production and as circulation manager, Dexter Company, Van Gorp Furniture, Peck’s Billiards and Stonewall Lounge, Arvin-Meritor, formerly Rockwell Automotive for 13 years as supervisor and traffic manager before landing at TrafFix Devices four and one half years ago. He is the traffic and office manager along with other duties.
His wife has been with the Fairfield school system for 21 years and they are the parents of two daughters. Cassie and Carrie both graduated from Fairfield High and Iowa State University. They married graduates from ISU and Roger and his wife are the proud grandparents of new baby girl, Madeline Nicole Templeton.
Roger enjoys his new granddaughter as much as possible. He likes watching sports and plays golf year round as the weather permits. He is an outdoors kind of person.
I am grateful for being asked to be an Associate member on the Chamber board. Manufacturing is critical to the life blood of Fairfield.
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