Sedalia, MO [4/9/26] – In a milestone moment for West Central Missouri, Amazon has officially opened its first delivery station in Sedalia, bringing significant job creation and faster delivery speeds to the region. The facility, known as WSM9, was celebrated with a ribbon-cutting ceremony attended by Missouri Governor Mike Kehoe, Sedalia Mayor Andrew Dawson, and local officials, underscoring the significance of Amazon’s investment in the community.
The 63,000-square-foot facility, which opened in December 2025, has already created 150 direct jobs with starting wages of $19 per hour. Two Delivery Service Partners have hired an additional 115 drivers, and 75 Amazon Flex drivers have signed on, bringing total employment impact to 340 positions in the Sedalia area.
“One of the reasons Amazon came to Sedalia was a strong, dedicated workforce, and we’ve been proud to extend our company’s investment into the community with great job opportunities,” said Jason Appleton, Operations Manager at WSM9. A Sedalia native and Smith-Cotton High School graduate, Appleton returned to his hometown after nearly 10 years with Amazon to lead the facility’s launch. “It’s been great to help not only create many new jobs here in Sedalia, but also visit some of my favorite food spots again such as Kehde’s BBQ and Goody’s Steakburger.”
Economic Development Sedalia-Pettis County played a pivotal role in bringing Amazon to the region, and the partnership continues to demonstrate what collaborative economic development can achieve for west central Missouri.
“Amazon and their leadership team have been great to work with.” says Jessica Craig, Executive Director for Economic Development; “This investment speaks volumes about the strength of our workforce and the collaborative spirit of our community. Projects like this don’t happen without alignment between local leadership, community partners, infrastructure readiness, and a shared vision for growth. Our office is proud to have played a role in working to bring these opportunities to Sedalia and Pettis County; and even better to have Amazon located right here in our very own Industrial Park.”
The Sedalia station serves a 70-mile radius stretching from Leeton to the west, Windsor Place to the east, Glasgow to the north, and Warsaw to the south. In its first four months, the facility has processed more than half a million packages and currently handles approximately 4,200 packages daily.
Andrea Fava, Amazon’s Vice President of US Public Policy, emphasized the collaborative effort behind the project. “The operation here in Sedalia is part of a larger $4 billion investment we announced last year to expand Amazon’s delivery network in rural America, creating jobs and bringing even faster delivery to our customers in less densely populated areas,” Fava said, noting that Amazon’s Missouri rural delivery network expansion represents a nearly $100 million investment.
Sedalia is one of six new rural delivery stations opening across Missouri, with facilities in Scott City, Brookfield, and Maryville already operational and sites in Monett and St. James expected later this year. Together, these facilities are creating nearly 400 direct jobs in rural communities statewide. Since 2010, Amazon has invested more than $7.1 billion across Missouri, contributing $7.1 billion to the state’s GDP and employing more than 9,500 workers statewide.
Beyond economic impact, WSM9 employees have also demonstrated community commitment, donating 60 volunteer hours to local organizations including Open Door Food Pantry + Thrift Shop.