Grow Fairfield Appoints Ed Malloy as New Executive Director
FAIRFIELD, IA – December 11, 2023 – Curtis Smith, President of Fairfield Economic Development Association dba Grow Fairfield, proudly announces that the Board of Directors has appointed Ed Malloy as its new Executive Director. This announcement follows an extensive search process aimed at recruiting a highly qualified individual capable of expanding upon the tremendous work of previous Director, Joshua Laraby.
Curtis shared “Ed Malloy is uniquely qualified to lead Grow Fairfield given his extensive background in business, public service, and economic development. The Board of Directors is supremely confident in Ed’s abilities, and we’re thrilled to introduce him to our members and community partners as our new Executive Director.”
Ed brings extensive knowledge of the inner workings of Fairfield, as its former mayor from 2002-2020. He led the initiative to create a Strategic Plan for the city of Fairfield in 2002 and during his term as mayor, the community invested in infrastructure, raised its financial standing, and added amenities such as the Fairfield Arts & Convention Center, the Cambridge Sportsplex and outdoor pool, and the Fairfield Loop Trail. His leadership resulted in special designations for Fairfield like Iowa Great Places, Blue Zones, Cultural District, and the Most Entrepreneurial City in America and in Iowa.
In addition to his experience as mayor, Ed was the CEO of Danaher Oil Company until November of 2022, and most recently partnered with his brother Ken in Kembro Fuel Brokers. He also holds the position of development manager for CBC Financial of Fairfield. His knowledge of strategic planning and outstanding communication skills, combined with his economic development experience and ability to build relationships with investors, entrepreneurs, and local government officials make him a great asset to lead Grow Fairfield to continued success in the future.
Ed shared his excitement about his new role, saying “I am thrilled about the opportunity to help create a stronger local economy and build on the successful development of new businesses and job creation with all of our local partners. Fairfield is a leader in rural economic development nationally, and I look forward to adding to our standing.”
Grow Fairfield is a community-based economic development organization, that is committed to making the Greater Fairfield area a better place to live and do business by collaborating with its members, all levels of government and its community partners.
Recent initiatives include successfully welcoming Sun & Fun Motorsports to Fairfield, a new $3.1M investment in the community, opening of a new 185-space childcare center and recently completing a Housing Study and Action Plan for the City. Grow Fairfield continues to demonstrate its commitment to enhancing the economic vitality of the community.
