OTTAWA — The 28-year-old chamber of commerce president and economic development director of Blackwell, Okla., has been named the new economic development director of Franklin County Development Council. Jeff Seymour was picked in part because of his role in helping Blackwell recover from “what may have less than ideal from an economic development perspective” regarding environmental issues as “brown fields” and the pollution left by the shutdown of a large zinc smelter, said Blaine Finch, interim economic development director, said. Seymour said Ottawa and Franklin County have some strengths including its transportation network and its friendly atmosphere. He said he plans to continue FCDC’s emphasis on improving its work force pool. Seymour, who has given his 60-day notice to Blackwell, is scheduled to take the economic development reins in November. Seymour will become the county’s first full-time economic development director, FCDC chair David Lee said. He succeeds Tom Weigand who was Ottawa Area Chamber of Commerce president and economic development director for Ottawa/Franklin County Economic Development, the predecessor of FCDC, and took a similar position at Junction City.
Wednesday, Sept. 5, 7 a.m.