Selma, Dallas County makes national list for corporate expansion by leading industry magazine

The City of Selma has been ranked the number 40 “micropolitan” area in the nation for corporate expansion in 2023 by Site Selection Magazine.  

Selma Dallas County Economic Development Authority Executive Director Wayne Vardaman made the announcement in a press conference March 26 at the Center of Commerce Building. 

Vardaman said Site Selection Magazine has been the “economic development bible” since 1954. He also explained that micropolitan areas are those with a population of 10,000 to 50,000. 

In 2023 seven projects brought industry to Selma and Dallas County. Three of those were recognized by Site Selection Magazine. Vardaman listed the seven projects as Advanced ATC, Colclasher Enterprises, Harvestone, Resicum International, Yellowhammer Networks, Seoyon E-Hwaand PBM, which Vardaman said is a project name not the company name. He explained the company is not yet ready to make a public announcement. 

Vardaman said it took a team to get these industries to locate in Selma and Dallas County. “Our slogan is, ‘When we work together, together we work,’” Vardaman said.

Vardaman thanked Jim Corrigan, executive director of Craig Field Airport Industrial Authority; Judge Jimmy Nunn, chair of the Dallas County Commission; and James Perkins Jr., mayor of Selma. Vardaman also thanked the EDA Board and especially Aubrey Carter, who chaired the board.  

Receiving recognition like this puts the city in the national spotlight as a good place to locate industry. Vardaman said Selma and Dallas County boast four industrial parks with infrastructure in place. He also said he has heard nay sayers say that there is no industry in Selma. But that is not true. 

“There are 37 manufacturing and distribution industries in the area,” Vardaman said.  

Nunn said being listed in Site Selection Magazine is good news for Dallas County. He added when this gets out, more industry will be looking at Dallas County as a potential location to expand. And he thanked the team that works so hard behind the scenes to get industry here. 

Perkins said in the aftermath of Hurricane Zeta, last year’s tornado and an international pandemic, “Selma still rises, and we continue to evolve.” Now that Selma is in the national and international spotlight, “This is the appropriate time to let people know that things are happening in our community,” Perkins said.

Aubrey Carter of Alabama Power Co., who was chair of the EDA Board last year, said working on the seven projects that got industries tolocate in Selma and Dallas County was a labor of love, but it was labor. He added it could not have beenaccomplishedwithout thehard work of the whole team. 

The discussion turned to workforce, jobs and housing. These industries bring from 20 jobs to hundreds of jobs, according to Vardaman. Most of the jobs start at $20 per hour. The investment by these companies represents some $70 million. However, much of the workforce, some 5,000 people, who come to work in Selma live somewhere else. 

Perkins said affordable housing is a major problem. “Before the tornado, we had a housing shortage. Now we have a housing crisis,” Perkins said.Solving the housing problem is a No. 1 priority for the city. “Having adequate modern apartments and housing means the workers can live here,” Perkins said. 

The question was asked why Selma’s retail sector has not grown with the manufacturing industry. Perkins said solving the housing crisis will help the retail industry. But he added, “This announcement today will go along way to telling the retailers that the disposable income is here, (it’s) just not staying.” 

Perkins said street resurfacing, pipe replacement, the opening of Reflections last week on Water Avenue and the lighting of the bridge are all intentional efforts to attract more business. Vardaman added, “We’re changing the image” to attract more industry.

“The work is not done; it’s ongoing,” Vardaman said. “But we want to build on these successes.”