Chamber Announces New CEO

The Fairfield Area Chamber Board of Directors is pleased to announce Darien Sloat will be the new CEO for the Fairfield Area Chamber of Commerce.  Darien’s first day will be November 27.

Darien is no stranger to the Chamber family having served nearly six years on the Chamber’s Board of Directors. Darien served as President-Elect last year and as President this year until he took a leave of absence during the Executive Director/CEO selection process.

“As we looked at communities in which to raise our family, Roberta and I chose Fairfield because of the balance we saw between education, fine arts, and athletics," says Darien.  "We have not been disappointed in our choice. We have a rare gem of a community and I am honored to be given the opportunity to lead this program, a program that has gained so much momentum in recent years, due in large part to the staff and dedicated members of the Chamber Board.  I am proud to call Fairfield home and excited to help make it better.”

Darien is currently the Fairfield Branch Manager at Temp Associates, a family owned business based in Muscatine, Iowa in 1986 who has had a presence in Fairfield since March 2007. Holding a B.G.S. from the University of Iowa, Darien’s previous positions include Director of Human Resources, Administrator of two care facilities, social worker and counselor.

​Darien has worked in Fairfield for 20+ years, but moved to Fairfield from Washington, Iowa in 2003 with his wife Roberta and their three children, Madeline, Max, and Claudia. Roberta has a degree in Social Work from the University of Iowa and is an employee of the Washington County Department of Human Services, and about a year ago became the Coordinator of the First Five Program for Washington and Henry County. Prior to her current position she worked for Washington County for 18 years, first as a Parent Educator and later as the Manager for that program.  Madeline teaches vocal music in the Mount Pleasant School District, Max teaches high school English in the Grinnell School District, and Claudia will graduate from Grandview University in Des Moines this spring with a Bachelor’s of Science degree in Nursing.
 
Theater is shared passion in Darien’s family, and the entire Sloat family engaged in all aspects of the Fairfield Area Community Theater (F.A.C.T.) since moving to town. Darien enjoys set-building for shows with F.A.C.T., the High School, the Middle School, as well as the High School Large Group Speech Team and the Maharishi School Speech team.

Darien is a past member of the Board of Directors for the Fairfield Area Soccer Association and coached soccer in Fairfield and Washington for many years. Darien spends his  remaining free time  with friends, using the trail system in Fairfield, walking the dogs, golfing, fishing, and playing cards. 

Departing CEO, Detra Dettmann, is very excited for this next chapter for our Chamber. "I first met Darien when we moved town in 2005 after we enrolled our 8-year old daughter in soccer and Darien was her volunteer coach," says Detra. "I was immediately struck by Darien’s gentle spirit and genuine care for others. These qualities made him a great soccer coach and mentor for kids, and will also make a him an outstanding leader for the Chamber.  Having known Darien for over 12 years, I’ve seen his sincere love for Fairfield and his dedication to service. I feel those are the most important qualities a Chamber’s leader can possess. The future of our Chamber is very bright."

Detra's last day with the Chamber is November 17. She leaves the Chamber after 17 months of service to join her husband who accepted a position in northeast Iowa in January. "While my time here has been short," says Detra, "It's truly been one of the most rewarding experiences in my professional career. It has been an honor and a privilege to serve our members and the community. Fairfield will always be a very special chapter in my life and hold a special place in my heart."
 

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