Forrest Wright
THE SHOALS – After 28 years of service, Shoals Economic Development Authority (SEDA) President Forrest Wright announced his intent to step aside as President on May 31st. Wright will continue His service to the Board in the role of Special Advisor to the SEDA Executive Committee and Manager of Properties until His retirement in March 2020.
As SEDA’s president, Wright directed economic development activities for Colbert and Lauderdale Counties and their municipalities. During his tenure, Wright oversaw SEDA’s role in countless economic development projects, and was instrumental in bringing employers such as Essity, FreightCar America, North American Lighting, Tasus and CBC INGS to the Shoals. Equally as important was SEDA’s role in the expansion of numerous local companies, large and small, which serve as the backbone of the growing Shoals economy. With Wright at the helm, SEDA has managed the creation of more than 15,000 direct new jobs with over $2.6 billion in capital investment.
Under Wright’s leadership, SEDA has grown from a fledgling startup to a nationally recognized professional regional economic development organization. “Our board members and local leaders, past and present, are truly the people I credit with the overall success and growth of SEDA. These community visionaries saw beyond city and county lines to grow our community as a successful region. It was through their investment of time and talent that our organization is where it is today,” said Wright.
Besides the growth of the Shoals as a regional powerhouse, another major achievement during Wright’s tenure was the creation of the Shoals Economic Development Fund. The SEDA organization with the support of the Economic Development Fund has become the standard by which successful economic development organizations throughout the nation are measured.
At the creation of SEDA, the Shoals was dominated by two major employers and was experiencing double digit unemployment rates. With the guidance of Wright, the Shoals business community has become diversified allowing the area to better withstand downturns in the national economy and greater employment opportunities during strong national economies.
“When I came into office in 2000, there was double digit unemployment. Through Forrest and the SEDA staff’s recruitment efforts, the Shoals unemployment rate is now at three percent,” said Muscle Shoals Mayor David Bradford.
“I feel like Forrest Wright has always been the ultimate professional,” added Bradford. “He did a lot of work without regard to any one city or county. He has always been a straight shooter about putting the facts out there and letting the officials make the decisions. His main goal was to deliver all the site possibilities to the client and allowed them to choose.”
Before assuming the SEDA Presidency in April 1991, Wright served as the Executive Director of the twentyseven county Southern Kentucky Economic Development Corporation. He also served as the Economic Development Training Manager for the Barren River Area Development District in Bowling Green, Kentucky.
Wright holds a Public Service Master’s Degree in Regional Economic Development and a Bachelor of Science Degree in Geography, both from Western Kentucky University. He is a graduate of the University of Oklahoma’s Economic Development Institute and is a Certified Economic Developer. Wright was the recipient of the Alabama Department of Commerce’s prestigious Dave Echols Award for Distinguished Service in Economic Development, the North Alabama Industrial Development Authority President’s Award, and the NAACP President’s Award for the Shoals Region. He also served as a Past President of both the Kentucky Industrial Development Council and the Economic Development Association of Alabama, as well as serving on the Board of Directors of the Japan America Society of Alabama and the North Alabama International Trade Association.
“For the past 28 years, it has been my privilege to work with and for a remarkable Shoals Area,” Wright said. “I am grateful to have been the beneficiary of a very supportive Board of Directors and local leadership that always had the best interest of the Shoals area at heart. The greatness of the Shoals today is built upon the efforts of those board members and local leaders, past and present, who worked tirelessly to come together as one community.” Wright went on to add that the success of SEDA is directly related to a quality staff that, like the Board, worked tirelessly to make the Shoals a better place to live, work, and play.
“I want to thank Forrest for his dedication and service to SEDA,” said SEDA Board Chair Ron Kirkland. “He has been a driving force behind successfully bringing business and industry to the Shoals and creating jobs.”
Media Release/Christi Graham/Shoals Economic Development Authority
