SEDA awarded for development, expansion efforts

FLORENCE -- Shoals Economic Development Authority Executive Director Forrest Wright said the success of SEDA has, in large part, been because of the individuals in northwest Alabama.

"When people think of this part of Alabama, they see us as one big group," Wright said. "From an economic development standpoint, they think of us as the Shoals. In the business of economic development, it's really important that we maintain that Shoals identity, and we have done that."

SEDA received the 2007 Economic Development Achievement Award from the Alabama Development Office during its 2007 Alabama Manufacturer of the Year Awards Program in Montgomery on Wednesday.

"They've named SEDA as the recipient, but really the Shoals area is the recipient because any economic development organization is only as good as the community it represents," Wright said.

"We have been fortunate to be part of a progressive community."

This is the first award of its kind that SEDA has received from ADO. The organization received the award because of its economic development efforts in attracting new and expanding industries in 2006.

"Competing and succeeding without an interstate is no easy chore. It takes determination, planning and the investment of both time and money in the 'local product' that captures the attention of prospective industry," said ADO Director Neal Wade in a news release. "SEDA strives to have the Lauderdale and Colbert counties area in northwest Alabama recognized as a unified benchmark community known for its proactive business recruitment and expansion environment."

SEDA has been known for helping recruit various industries to the area, including North American Lighting and Walgreens Health Initiatives Call Center in Muscle Shoals, Thacker Casket Co. in Florence, SCA Tissue in Cherokee and helped develop-the recent half-cent sales tax proposal to increase economic-development.

Florence Mayor Bobby Irons said SEDA has been instrumental in bringing business to the Shoals.

"They have been consistent, they have been persistent and they have held the line and have continued to stay on course," Irons said. "They really have done an outstanding job in bringing the projects to where they are. If you look around the state, they've done as much or more than anyone else in this state has done for economic development. I'm proud of them."

Wright said it's not just what SEDA, as an organization, has done that has made the area-successful in economic-development.

"We're sort of the tool that the communities can use to work together, but there are mayors working together and county engineers working together," Wright said. "There are a lot of folks who are choosing to work together because that's the best thing for the community."

Kenda Williams can be reached at 740-5720 or kenda.williams@timesdaily.com.