Mayor James Perkins Jr. has just returned from what he aptly termed a &uot;marketing trip&uot; to South Korea.

He traveled halfway around the world in order to sell the South Koreans something. What he was selling was Selma.

Perkins was hoping to lure one of the tier one suppliers &045;&045; and the jobs that go with hosting one of those suppliers &045;&045; for the Hyundai automotive manufacturing plant to be built in nearby Hope Hull.

The competition is fierce. Selma was one of four cities represented on this trip alone. Other cities are also competing for those same jobs. As Perkins stated, &uot;This is a competitive process, and if we’re not at the table we’re not in the game.&uot;

Still, the mayor is guardedly optimistic about Selma’s chances to land a major supplier. That’s good news.

Selma has much to offer potential businesses. Craig Field is a major asset in the hunt for companies that may be contemplating doing business here. It assures shippers and receivers of rapid, reliable transportation. U.S. Highway 80 offers even more flexibility for their transportation needs. Selma is also blessed with rail connections. Because much of Selma and Dallas County has been designated a federal tax renewal community, the area can also offer a number of tax incentives that other cities cannot.

Although he made the trip alone, Perkins lauded the team effort that went into compiling the data behind Selma’s story. But no set of facts and figures can adequately tell the whole story.

Selma’s strongest asset has always been its people. We believe James Perkins is a good choice to tell the story behind the story, to close the sale. He has worked hard at the local, regional and state levels to lead our economic development efforts.

We pledge him our continued support and applaud his efforts to tell Selma’s story both here and abroad.