The Fairfield Chamber of Commerce held our 2023 Annual Dinner on October 3 at Receptions.  It was a great night learning to be BOLD with Julie O’Neill.

Congratulations to Scott Clark, our Community Volunteer Award winner for 2023.

Scott is deeply involved in the Fairfield Community as a volunteer.

A resident of Fairfield for 20 years, Clark and his wife, Lori, have three children who attend Fairfield City Schools. Scott attended Miami University and is the Business Development Manager for First Financial Bank.

Just a few examples of his community involvement: 

• Fairfield City School Board
• Rotary Club of Fairfield past President
• FCSD Business Advisory Council
• Dougie & Ray’s (helps FSCD students in need)
• Fairfield Prevention Coalition
• Fairfield Community Foundation Board
• Fairfield Chamber of Commerce
• City of Fairfield Parks & Rec Board
• Purple Monkey Project
• Past Children’s Director at Lakota Hills Church

Cesar Roman Gonzalez, Branch Manager of US Bank presents the Small Business of the Year award to representatives from Taqueria Mercado.

Lourdes Leon and her team have built an incredible Mexican business hub around Taqueria Mercado, with a restaurant, grocery, and bakery all in one shopping center. 

In the past year, the business refreshed its exterior, including new paint and signage.

Reviews of Taqueria Mercado mention how great the desserts are, how customers are welcomed with “open arms,” and how they have the best menu with authentic taste.

We are proud to have Taqueria Mercado as part of our Chamber and to present this award to them as Small Business of the Year.

Justin Krueger, President of Mercy Health – Fairfield Hospital presents the Community Improvement Award to representatives from Koch Foods.

Koch Foods started in Fairfield in 1999 with two small production lines that produce chicken and other proteins. Over the years, the company completed multiple expansions and grew their first plant to seven production lines. This growth has made Koch the city’s second largest industrial employer and its largest water and wastewater utility customer.

In 2021, Koch announced construction on a second plant. Representing an investment of more than $250 million, Plant B became operational this year. Koch can now boast ten production lines and more than 1,500 employees, a number that continues to grow as the company adds jobs to staff the new lines. The expansion allows Koch to remove constraints on its production capacity and grow sales while continuing to invest in the community.

This investment is also significant for Koch’s employees on several different levels. Koch Foods is known for its rich and diverse working environment, which features staff at its Fairfield location that call eight different languages their native tongue. Furthermore, nearly 90 percent of Koch’s leadership originally began as hourly employees.

Koch foods continues to be an important part of Fairfield’s economic development and we are proud to present them with the Community Improvement Award for 2023.