Chamber Association hosting job fair Thursday

RED OAK — The Red Oak Chamber and Industry Association, in partnership with Iowa Works, will be hosting a job fair Thursday, March 28 partly in response to the layoffs at Fres-Co Systems USA Inc.

In December, Fres-co Human Resource Manager Fred Swinscoe announced a major client of Fres-co decided not to renew their contract, which would require the Red Oak location to adjust its staffing.

While he wouldn’t disclose the client’s name or details about the contract, Swinscoe said they did make coffee bags for the client.

According to an article published earlier in 2012 in the Red Oak Express, Fres-co customers include Starbucks, Folgers, Duncan Donuts and Morning Blend.

Swinscoe recently said the layoffs have been extended through May 10 because the client has still been placing orders.

He declined to comment on the exact number of layoffs that will occur in May.

Following the layoff announcement in December, Red Oak Chamber and Industry Association Director Darrel Steven Carlyle met with local and corporate Fres-co officials to provide assistance.

Thursday’s job fair will act as one way of assisting those employees.

The event is from 1-4 p.m. at the Montgomery County Family YMCA and will feature the following southwest Iowa businesses: Wellman Dynamics, Grapevine Staffing, Advance Services, Inc., Johnson Controls, Eaton Manufacturing, Parker Hannifin Corporation, Spartan Staffing, Good Samaritan Society, Southwestern Community College, Nishna Productions, Inc., Ameristar Casino, OMG Midwest (Old Castle), Iowa Works and Graceland University.

Carlyle said participants in the job fair should come prepared for on-site interviews, meaning professional attire and resumes are encouraged.

The Association will also have a pamphlet available at the fair listing all the openings at the participating businesses.

“Those who are underemployed or those who are unemployed will be able to present themselves to gain employment,” Carlyle said. “This is something as an Association we can do to keep our base in the community while providing employment opportunities for those who need it.”  

This is the third Association-sponsored job fair in recent years; the last was held following the closing of CDS Global in 2010. Carlyle said they plan on making it an annual event.