Local banker who is ‘deeply involved’ in Fairfield community earns volunteer award

It’s easier to ask Fairfield school board member Scott Clark to list the local organizations he doesn’t volunteer for rather than the nearly dozen he does.

For that and more reasons, Clark was recently named Fairfield Chamber of Commerce Community Volunteer of the year.

Clark has been on the Fairfield Board of Education since being appointed by the board to fill a seat vacancy in 2020 created by the then board member Carrie O’Neal moving from the city.

He won election to O’Neal’s seat in 2021 and is on the November ballot seeking a full four-year term on the governing board for the 10,000-student school system that serves both the city of Fairfield and Fairfield Twp.

Scott, who is a father of three Fairfield school children, is a district manager with First Financial Bank.

In announcing Clark’s award, chamber officials said the 56-year-old local banker “is deeply involved in the Fairfield Community as a volunteer.”

It’s all an extension of a world view established years ago after getting married and starting a family with his wife Lori, said Clark, whose family has lived in Fairfield for 17 years.

“My volunteering really started when I got married and we had our first child. The initial experiences have enhanced my volunteering efforts by having empathy and compassion, sharing my values and beliefs, a sense of responsibility, and cultural awareness along with wanting to make a positive impact,” he said.

Beside his work on the school board, which under Ohio law pays a nominal, per-meeting fee, Clark is also involved with: Rotary Club of Fairfield; Fairfield Schools Business Advisory Council; Fairfield Prevention Coalition; Fairfield Community Foundation Board; Fairfield Chamber of Commerce; Fairfield YMCA Advisory Board; City of Fairfield Parks & Rec Board and a pastor and children’s director at Lakota Hills Church.

“Community volunteering is a passion for me for many reasons, including the sense of fulfillment in helping others and the opportunity to make a positive impact in my community, especially with students, youth and families,” said Clark.

His extensive involvement in the community helps with his school board duties, he said.

“Volunteering allows me to build meaningful relationships and deepens my understanding of the community’s needs and strengths. It is a powerful way to stay engaged with people, places and issues that matter most.”

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