Both parents immigrated with their families from Norway and settled in the area of the Canada–United States border in North Dakota and Minnesota.
Selland was also involved with E Clampus Vitus as a charter member of the Jim Savage Chapter.
Selland was the genesis of Downtown Fresno redevelopment by backing and pushing through the Victor Gruen designed Fulton Mall (Fresno) which would turn a six-block portion of the city's main business center into a walkable pedestrian mall.
The accident was a result of driver negligence of missing a stop sign in dense fog.
The crash killed Selland and Fresno Chamber of Commerce President Herbert Ferguson while severely injuring Richard Worrel and driver Lloyd Weber just thirteen days after the assassination of John F.