Jeff Seymour, 27, Blackwell, Okla., has been selected as the first full-time economic director of the Franklin County Development Council. His duties will include attracting new businesses, and jobs, to all of Franklin County. 

“We look forward to having Jeff on staff and bringing his experience, knowledge and skill set to all of Franklin County and its citizens,” David Lee, Ottawa Area Chamber of Commerce board member, said. 

Lee, as well as others in the community, selected Seymour from several candidates. Seymour, who has spent more than two years as economic director in Blackwell, Okla., is expected to take his new role in early November.

Seymour will take the place of interim director Blaine Finch, who will help train and mentor Seymour in the coming months. The existing groundwork already provides Seymour with a good starting point to his duties in Franklin County, he said. 

“I’m particularly excited because of the existing cohesiveness between the entities with the [Ottawa Area Chamber of Commerce] and the City [of Ottawa],” Seymour said at a press conference Tuesday. 

While his economic development work has been done in Oklahoma thus far, Seymour said he feels that will translate well in the Sunflower State. 

After taking over as director, Seymour said he wants to emphasize that his office works for all of Franklin County and not only Ottawa. 

“This is a county-wide organization, it isn’t just a City of Ottawa organization,” Seymour said. “We’re all about the development of Wellsville and the other towns in the county. ... I’m very excited and I appreciate the opportunity.”

For more on this story, See Wednesday's Herald.