300 Job Coming To Russel Co.

Declaring it an "unprecedented announcement for the coalfield region," Gov. Mark R. Warner on Friday personally delivered notice that CGI-AMS Inc., a wholly owned U.S. operating subsidiary of CGI Group Inc., will invest $6 million to open a software development and systems integration facility in Russell County's Regional Business Technology Park.

CGI-AMS provides information technology services to the government and private sector. Warner said the company will create 300 new jobs within 30 months. Virginia competed against Alabama and Utah for the company's expansion.

"CGI-AMS is offering the kind of jobs that will truly transform the region's economy. The company will bring 300 jobs that provide above-average wages and great benefits to qualified employees who are ready to work," Warner said during the announcement at Lebanon High School. "I congratulate everyone involved in bringing this outstanding project to the commonwealth. In terms of salaries and number of jobs, it's the best announcement in a decade for Russell County."

Warner told the Times-News he rates Friday's announcement his most satisfying during his tenure as governor.

"Today was a great day. I think the most significant economic development day as governor," he said.

Warner said Virginia Coalfield Economic Development Authority Executive Director Charlie Yates "said he'd never seen a bigger day. And I hope and pray that we will look back and say, "?That is the day Southwest Virginia's economy really began to reform.' We're talking over $51,000 for an average annual salary. These are software design jobs, the kinds of jobs where there are very few places we can point to where we moved these kinds of jobs to rural America."

Founded in 1976, CGI Group is among the largest independent information technology and business process services firms in North America. CGI and its affiliated companies employ about 25,000 professionals to provide end-to-end IT and business process services to clients worldwide from locations in the United States, Canada, Europe and Asia. CGI's annualized revenue run-rate is currently $3 billion, and as of the end of June the group's order backlog was $10 billion.

CGI-AMS President Donna Morea said as the U.S. subsidiary continues to expand, the Russell County facility "will be a key location to support business initiatives with federal, state and local government organizations, as well as commercial sector clients. Our new facility represents our concrete commitment to developing a U.S. center of excellence with a focus on software engineering as part of our global delivery model."

Morea said her company is enthusiastic about having an "opportunity to positively impact Russell County's economy by emphasizing jobs and skill sets that enable participation in a global economy."

The Virginia Economic Development Partnership worked with the Virginia Coalfield Economic Development Authority and the Russell County Industrial Development Authority to secure the project. Warner approved a $700,000 Governor's Opportunity Fund grant, the Virginia Tobacco Commission approved another $700,000, and the Virginia Department of Business Assistance will provide training assistance through its Workforce Services Program.

"This project is a continuation of our economic development strategy to recruit advanced technology jobs to the coalfield region of Southwest Virginia," said VCEDA Executive Director Charles Yates. "We have worked for more than a year to bring this project to a successful closure, and we will request $1.55 million at our next board meeting to assist CGI-AMS with its location here. This location signals a new beginning for technology jobs in the region."

[imported_hhstigerfan]

I wonder how many of those jobs will be filled with people from out of the area though. A lot of my old high school friends are going into technology related fields, so maybe they will find their way to the company.

[imported_Counts]

Before anyone gets to excited over this the early word I am hearing about this is that this will be a call center for the companies tech support. In other words just another Call center (I hope I am wrong I would love to get back into programming) I will try to get more info on this and if anyone else has any addition info please share it with everyone.

[imported_hhstigerfan]

Oh great. Another call center. Wonder how long it will take for those jobs to get outsourced over seas too? [img]/LDPforum/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smirk.gif[/img]

[imported_Counts]

I don't know anything for sure but was told by someone that "Should know" that it would be a helpdesk call center that is not how the paper reads and I am hopeing that it is more than just another call center

If it's the one i am thinking it's to be high tech jobs. Computer software job and other high tech jobs. Salaries in the 30-50,000 dollar per year range. Or that was the way it was put out.
This was one Governor Warner announced as his biggest ever one time accomplishments economically for one region of Virginia.

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Declaring it an "unprecedented announcement for the coalfield region," Gov. Mark R. Warner on Friday personally delivered notice that CGI-AMS Inc., a wholly owned U.S. operating subsidiary of CGI Group Inc., will invest $6 million to open a software development and systems integration facility in Russell County's Regional Business Technology Park.


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