Fourteen Boatright staff members helped at the fair, taking applications, conducting interviews and handing out bottled water (O’Daniel said they went through 60 cases).

The fair also included appearances by Miss Alabama Anna Laura Bryan and 2006 Miss Alabama Alexa (Jones) Boatright, the wife of company president and CEO Shane Boatright.

O’Daniel said Boatright officials hope to contact new hires within a month. The remainder of the applications will be kept on file in case more positions come open.

Boatright operates a crosstie plant in Montevallo and is opening one in Chilton County, in the industrial park in Lomax. The job fair was an effort to hire 50-100 employees for both plants.

“We got some great applicants,” O’Daniel said. “We’re all thrilled.”

The Chilton County plant is scheduled to open in January 2013.