Rendell delivers promise of jobs
Gov. Edward G. Rendell made a stop in Fayette County this weekend to deliver $5.5 million and the promise of an additional 300-plus jobs for a utility company customer service call center in Fayette Business Park near Fairchance. Rendell announced Sunday that within five years, employment at the call center facility will increase to 500 jobs. The additional jobs will be created because of the consolidation of other of the company’s customer service call centers from other states, according to a press release.
Rendell presented a $5.5 million check to NiSource Inc. to help in the consolidation of its customer service call centers from multiple states to Smithfield.
“More and more companies are recognizing the benefits of moving to Pennsylvania or expanding here,” Rendell said. “Since I took office in 2003, the Governor’s Action Team has worked with companies like NiSource to create and retain more than 164,000 jobs throughout the Commonwealth. I’m proud to say the funding packages offered by GAT contain some of the best incentives in the nation.”
The call center, which currently employs about 170 people, handles customer service calls for Columbia Gas of Pennsylvania and Maryland.
Earlier this year, NiSource, Columbia Gas of Pennsylvania’s parent company announced that an agreement was reached with IBM to continue to provide business transformation and outsourcing services that had been handled by NiSource. On July 1, IBM and its subcontractor, Vertex Outsourcing, began providing the services the call center workers have been handling since it opened in 1997.
NiSource Inc. has entered into a 10-year agreement with IBM to operate the consolidated call distribution center. IBM has subcontracted with Vertex Outsourcing for the work.
The 25,000-square-foot center is leased from Fay-Penn Economic Development Council.
Mike Krajovic, Fay-Penn president, said Fay-Penn is currently working on various options such as finding other available space, expanding the existing building or constructing another building.
“This is a very significant job creation project we’ve been working on,” Krajovic said.
Krajovic said the “spec” building was constructed about nine years ago with the idea of attracting a company to the site. He said the quality of the local workforce led to the decision, adding that JD Power and Associates named the site as the top performing call center for gas companies. Krajovic said deciding which call center to select for the consolidated site was a very competitive situation.
Rob Bouleware, manager of communications and community relations for Columbia Gas of Pennsylvania and Columbia Gas of Maryland, said this is certainly a good opportunity for Fayette County.
He said call centers in Lexington, Ky., and Markle Cliff, Ohio, will be closed and the work consolidated to the Smithfield site.
Bouleware said the decision is a “testament to the dedicated employees at the call center.” He said that the employees were recognized last year as one of the top call centers in the country. “This agreement allows Columbia Gas and NiSource to focus on providing safe, reliable utility and pipeline services to our customers,” Bouleware said.
Fayette County Commissioner Vincent A. Vicites, who attended the Rendell ceremony, said it was good news to hear of jobs coming to the county instead of leaving. “For once, instead of losing jobs in Fayette County, we’re gaining them from other areas,” Vicites said.
“This alliance with IBM will enable us to access new technology and deliver state-of-the-art service for our customers,” said Robert C. Skaggs Jr., NiSource’s president and chief executive officer. Its decision to maintain and expand the call center in southwestern Pennsylvania is a testament to the dedicated employees of this region.”