On Thursday, Direct Auto and Life Insurance on Citizen Parkway held a ribbon cutting ceremony to celebrate its growing business and recent addition to the list of Selma-Dallas County Chamber of Commerce members.

“We’re growing by leaps and bounds,” said Cindy Hartwig, Regional Sales and Marketing Manager for Alabama, Georgia and Mississippi.

According Selma-Dallas County Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Sheryl Smedley, there are more than 80 Direct Insurance stores across the three states, with the majority being in Georgia.

For her part, Hartwig attended two ribbon cutting ceremonies in Mississippi last week.

Direct Insurance bought what used to be Fisher Insurance, which had two locations – one in Selma and another in Wetumpka. Both will now be Direct Insurance shops.

The local store is doing a drawing for an oversized stocking stuffed with toys and plans to give another one away to a local charity. Hartwig said the store also gives away book bags at the start of each school year.

“We’re all about giving back to the community,” Hartwig said.

Direct Auto and Life Insurance has been in operation for nearly 25 years and is getting ready to open 20 new stores across Alabama.