Mayor Todd Strange speaks about the companies who invest in Montgomery at the 2014 Success Starts Here Industry Announcement on Tuesday, Dec. 16, 2014, at the Montgomery Chamber of Commerce in downtown Montgomery, Ala.

While the area's industry recruiters were working to land the next big Montgomery company, a century-old Capital City manufacturer was quietly adding new equipment to prepare for growth. And across town, a longtime auto supplier was expanding its parking lot because it has hired so many people recently.

City leaders gathered Tuesday to applaud those kinds of stories from 19 companies, which invested a total $91.9 million here and created 280 jobs in 2014.

With no gaudy announcements at the time, much of it may have flown under the radar. Even some of the company names may be unfamiliar.

"Many people ask me about Lear," said Duk Kim, Montgomery plant manager for Lear Corp. "They say, 'Is it Learjet?'"

The tier-one supplier has been making seats for Hyundai here for nine years and keeps expanding along with Hyundai Motor Manufacturing Alabama. One of the projects this year involved creating space for all of those new workers to park.

"Next year there will be another program that's coming, so I see us continuing to grow with the community," Kim said.

Les Massey of Whitfield Foods told a similar story, describing how new equipment at the Alaga Syrup-maker and PepsiCo bottling plant prepares the Montgomery company to add more workers in the near future.

Montgomery Mayor Todd Strange said the 19 companies' commitment to their future here is the most important investment.

"While 285 jobs is a good number, it's not THE number," Strange said. "The number is that 5,700 (existing) jobs that we have assurance are going to be here tomorrow."

National wood products provider Conner Industries recognized the area's potential this year and wanted to be a part of it, Conner's Bryan Welch said. "In August we decided to invest a measly $150,000 basically on total speculation," he said.

They set up in a 30,000-square-foot facility, and they expect to add up to 50 jobs within two years and could add a second 30,000-square-foot building.

Strange said stories of expansion and success like the ones told by Welch will help the area lure more new companies.

"When we get people coming in here…. the first person we send them to is existing industry to tell that kind of story," he said. "That sells."

The companies that were recognized at the event included AEP Industries; Burt Steel; Conner Industries; CS Eng; Dow Corning Alabama; Dyvis; F&E Sportswear; Hyundai Motor Manufacturing Alabama; KJ USA; Kukdong USA; Lear Corporation-Montgomery; MOBIS Alabama; Norment Security Group; Online Commerce Group; Ozark Safety Services; PHA Body Systems; Premier Transportation; Whitfield Foods; and Wind Creek Hospitality.