LOXLEY — The Loxley Civic Center was the setting for a job fair, sponsored by area chambers of commerce and the Baldwin County Economic Alliance April 27 from 9 a.m. until 2 p.m.

Employers representing 32 local companies with job openings were on hand to hand out job applications, answer questions and conduct interviews with job seekers. All of the exhibitors were members of one of the area chambers.

Georgia Greene, bakery manager and Lisa Parrish, personnel training coordinator, were at the job fair representing Sam’s Club, which is scheduled to open on Highway 181 in Malbis in late June.

Greene said she has worked form Sam’s Club for over five years and will be commuting from Pensacola to work at the new store. Parrish has 17 years with the company and they were quick to say the company is a good one to work for.

Parrish said they are looking for people to do everything from supervisory jobs to the door-greeters, who offer greetings and buggies to those entering the store and then check receipts when they leave.

“We’re looking for 150 people and we’ve had a great response,” Parrish said shortly before 2 p.m.

Quality Filters, a company that manufactures air filters at the Robertsdale Industrial Park, had a booth which had attracted many potential employees, according to George Spottswood, chief executive officer of the company.

“We could put six to 10 people to work right now in production,” he said.

Carla Gray, general manager of Cracker Barrel in Foley, said business at her booth had been brisk and she had gotten several resumes and had conducted interviews “on the spot.”

Linda Mong and Kim Perrone, representing Whitney Bank, where enthusiastic in their praise of the job fair.

“We not only had the chance to talk to prospective employees, but also to get our name out there, which is valuable advertising,” said Perrone, a human resources assistant.

Iris Chandler, who owns and operates Aunt Sarah’s Bakery, Deli & Catering in Robertsdale, made the rounds of all the booths, handing out boxes of baked goods from her restaurant.

Kathie Barton with the Eastern Shore Chamber of Commerce was at the registration table and as people exited the job fair, she asked for comments. She said that by 2 p.m., over 300 people entered the job fair looking for just the right job and many left feeling that they had found one.

“Numerous people told me they had found quite a few jobs they liked. One woman who came in said she wasn’t very hopeful, she said, because she had a master’s degree in religion. She came out all smiles because Huntingdon College had an opening for a religion teacher, Barton said.

“Other comments indicated several people felt they had gotten some good leads and more than one person called the job fair ‘amazing,’” Barton said. She also said several people had suggested a holding another job fair on a Saturday.

Many of the potential employers were also pleased with the job fair. Lana Mosley of Clark Personnel said, “I was very, very happy. People brought in resumes. I’m very glad I did this,” she said.

Barton said there had been a steady stream of people coming into the job fair from the time the doors opened at 9 a.m.