Debi Durham, the Director of Iowa's Economic Development Authority, visited Fairfield this month as part of her statewide tour. Her itinerary in Fairfield included:

• Breakfast with FEDA members
• A FEDA sponsored meet-and-greet banquet
• Tours of local businesses: Cambridge Investment Research, Inc., Revstone Foundry, and Agri-Industrial Plastics
• A tour of the Fairfield community

The following is excerpted from an article written by Mark Newman, Ottumwa Courier, Staff Writer. 

It’s a compliment of sorts, but residents should not want it to be true: Iowa is one of this nation’s best-kept secrets.

“We’re going to change that,” said Debi Durham, Iowa’s Economic Development Authority director. “I see my job as chief salesperson of the state.”

“We’re one of the best-run states in the country,” said state Rep. Curt Hanson, D-Fairfield. “We don’t need [that] to be a secret.”

He said Durham does something more of us need to do — she “educates” people about Iowa’s strengths.

Part of the problem, Durham said, may actually be one of the characteristics some people admire in Iowans: They don’t brag about getting a job done. They just get the job done.

“Iowans are humble by nature,” Durham said.

She told the Courier even if some Iowans won’t talk about their strengths, she has no problem bragging about her state and its people.

“I tell that story. That’s part of my job,” she said.

Read the complete article, here.