The Fairfield Area Chamber of Commerce is proud to celebrate our Small Business Members during the 2018 Small Business Week. In the Fairfield Chamber, more than 200 member businesses have less than 25 employees and contribute well over 1,000 jobs for our community. The Chamber is featuring five exceptional small business members during the National Small Business Week set for April 30th-May 4th.

The five small businesses which are receiving the 2018 Small Business Awards are All-American Pest Control, Smith Auto Parts & Sales, Americus Diamond, Cedar Valley Winery, & Radiance Dairy. Each of these businesses have been loyal to the Chamber and our community as they have built their businesses from the ground up! Please make sure to thank these five, and our many other Small Businesses, during the 2018 Small Business Week! 

Cedar Valley Winery
Science, art and a lot of love go into the wine making process at Cedar Valley Winery. Since 2002, the Miller family has grown the winery from zero to three thousand grape vines growing across eight acres. David Miller shared with Chamber Ambassadors that this business is ‘a long term commitment and a generational business’. Seth, Penny, Pam and David each spoke about how this has truly become a family business were everyone has a role they can fill. Grapes are picked by the youngest family members all the way up to those family members who, just like their wine, get better with age! While many wineries add in juice from out of state, Cedar Valley takes pride in only producing wine made from grapes grown here in Iowa. Their local roots have allowed them to grow significantly as they now distribute as far as 100 miles away. 

Radiance Dairy
A herd of Jersey Cows and the Thicke family call 730 acres northeast of Fairfield home. This piece of land has allowed one of Fairfield’s staple businesses to thrive. Radiance Dairy was founded in 1980 then purchased by the Thicke’s in 1992 and moved to its current location in 1996. Radiance is an organic, sustainable, grass-fed Dairy which processes milk, cheeses, and yogurt! Twenty some Fairfield restaurants and the local grocery stores rely on Radiance to provide them with dairy products! They are now a part of the Iowa Food Cooperative which allows people from across the state access to their products online. Another example of a local business making a positive impact in southeast Iowa! 

All American Termite & Pest Control, Inc. 
From the vision and hard work set forth by Phil Laux Sr, All American Termite & Pest Control was formed in 1971. Currently, this third generation family owned and operated business provides pest control services all across Southeast Iowa and into Missouri. Their knowledgeable staff includes ten technicians and three office staff that are available to serve the needs of their customers. Their repeat business and continued growth reflects the quality service and fair price that All American offers. 

Americus Diamond
A precious gem in our community, Americus Diamond is a retail businesses that makes Fairfield shine. Through their broad range of advertising in the Tri-State area, they are a magnet for the Fairfield Community. Iowa natives, Kim and Christopher Kufner have owned the business since 1990 and state that more than half of their business comes from outside of Fairfield. They treat customers with the same courtesy and respect regardless of the customer’s budget. They enjoy seeing customers leave their shop proud of their purchase and excited to give it to someone they love! 

Smith Auto Parts and Sales, Inc
Smith Auto Parts began in 1969 as a body shop owned by Wayne Smith. Over the years it shifted into the salvage business. In 1989 after working in the auto field for several years, Tim Smith began working with his father Wayne in the family business. Tim and his wife Sherri currently own and operate the business which recycles about 500 cars a year. Their business sells aftermarket vehicle parts at a fraction of the cost of new. They also rebuild vehicles and sell scrap metal. Smith Auto Parts has been a Chamber Member for over 45 years and has made a point to always support our community. 

Celebrate Fairfield’s rich history! The Carnegie Historical Museum will be hosting a Business After Hours on Thursday, April 26th from 4:00-7:00 pm. Light appetizers and Cedar Valley Wine will be served. The Carnegie Museum is on the third floor of the Former Fairfield Public Library. The Foundation will unveil Gene Copeland’s recently donated collection of Edward S. Curtis photographs of Native Americans. Curator, Mark Schafer, commented this is a ‘Beautiful complement to our Native American collection which the Museum has preserved for over 100 years.’

The Carnegie Museum Foundation’s mission is to collect and interpret the history and culture of Fairfield, Jefferson County and the surrounding area. The museum features Roman Antiquities & one of the Midwest’s foremost collections of Native American pottery. The Carnegie Historical Museum is an Iowa Century Museum. Members of the museum board and foundation will be available to answer questions about the museum and the building's history.

The Chamber Business After Hours is a free, monthly networking event open to Chamber Members, their guests and the general public.  If you are interested in hosting a Business After Hours, please contact the Chamber at 641-472-2111 or by email at Chamber@FairfieldIowa.com.

The Ambassador Program is now accepting applications for fifteen new Ambassadors and three additional Program Sponsors. Last year Ambassadors met with over twenty members on visits and welcomed members and the general public at several dozen additional Chamber functions. 

The mission of the Ambassador Program is to:

• Welcome new businesses into the Chamber family
• Connect with potential members
• Celebrate with current members as they reach milestones such as grand openings, ribbon-cuttings, anniversaries, or new owners and managers
• Serves as goodwill representatives of the Chamber at events throughout the year and at our many Business After Hours functions

​How much time will this take?
New Ambassadors will receive a one-hour orientation on Ambassador etiquette and procedures for making contact with new and prospective members. Visits to new and existing members usually will take a half hour an d up to an hour if there is an optional tour. Welcoming at Chamber functions can take a half hour or more depending on your interest in mingling after the initial entry of guests.

What is the cost?
Program Sponsors will invest $300 per year and includes one Ambassador position if desired. Program Sponsors cover the cost of Ambassador photos in the Fairfield Ledger and are listed as sponsors under each photograph. You can also apply to be an Ambassador without being a Program Sponsor. The financial investment to be an Ambassador is $50 per year and one Ambassador shirt.

Do I have to attend all functions?
While we would like to see Ambassadors attend all member visits, we understand that you also have a business to run. We ask that you attend as many visits as possible. 

Can my business have more than one Ambassador?
Businesses can apply to have a second Ambassador for an additional  $50 annual investment. The benefit of having a second Ambassador is that your business has a higher likelihood of being present since you have two people who can now possibly attend events.

How do I apply to be an Ambassador?
You can come visit us at the Chamber and fill out an application or send the completed application to  CEO@FairfieldIowa.com.

How do I apply to be a Program Sponsor?
Contact Darien Sloat at the Chamber office. (641) 472-2111 or his cell phone at (641) 919-0550, or email CEO@FairfieldIowa.com.

What happens next?
The Ambassador Planning Committee meets monthly and will review all applications submitted. You will then be contacted regarding the outcome of those meetings. If have been selected for one of the open positions, you will then be scheduled for an Ambassador training and orientation meeting.

​The Fairfield Area Chamber of Commerce is pleased to provide Jefferson County residents the opportunity to share their views with state lawmakers during a series of four public forums during the Iowa legislative session. The second Legislative Forum of the season will be held on Saturday, April 21st at the Best Western Fairfield Inn. This monthly session will be held from 7:30-9:00am on the third Saturday of January, February, March, and April.  Legislators will provide a brief update followed by open Q&A moderated by Chamber Executive Director, Darien Sloat.  Coffee and Donuts will be provided to participants.

Thank you to our generous sponsors who make this event possible and also provide an opportunity for high school students to attend as their guest and learn about the political process. 2018 Legislative Forum Sponsors include Edward Jones Investments - Brian Olson, Fairfield Community School District, First National Bank, Iowa State Bank of Fairfield, Jefferson County Farm Bureau, Jefferson County Farmers and Neighbors (JFAN), Maharishi School, Morrissey Law Office, and Sierra Club. For more information, please contact the Chamber at 641-472-2111 or email Events@FairfieldIowa.com.