ICT GROUP TO EXPAND IN ARKANSAS
May 4, 2004
Conway, AR — ICT GROUP, Inc. (NASDAQ: ICTG), plans to hire additional employees at its Arkansas customer support centers in Conway and Morrilton, according to officials at the company, the Conway Development Corporation (CDC), the Conway County Economic Development Corporation (CCEDC) and the Arkansas Department of Economic Development (ADED). The facility in Conway will add 98 jobs.
"It's exciting that ICT GROUP is expanding its Arkansas operations," said Gov. Mike Huckabee. "The company has a track record of providing quality service to its clients. ICT GROUP was named one of the 'Best Places to Work in Pennsylvania' in 2002. We are certain this winning tradition will continue in Conway and Morrilton as ICT GROUP grows."
Headquartered in Newtown, Pa., a suburb of Philadelphia, ICT GROUP is a leading global provider of customer interaction and business services outsourcing solutions with more than 40 contact centers in 11 states and seven countries. The company opened its first Arkansas contact center in Morrilton in 1999, and in 2002, added a second facility in Conway. Both operations provide specialized sales and service support solutions for clients in the insurance and financial services industries.
According to John J. Brennan, Chairman, CEO and president of ICT GROUP, "We are pleased with the consistent, quality service we have been able to deliver from our Arkansas operations, and we are happy to be expanding in this region, which has provided us with a strong, solid workforce with proven customer service skills and industry knowledge. We look forward to continuing our relationship with the business community here and the great people of this community."
"We are very pleased that ICT GROUP has chosen to expand their operations in Conway," said Bill Hegeman, CDC president. "Their commitment to our community is encouraging, having just opened the Conway center two years ago." The CDC commissioned an economic development study in 2000 that indicated Conway should target its marketing and recruitment effors toward companies like ICT GROUP.
"ICT GROUP's expansion further strengthens our diverse economic base in Conway. We appreciate their continued investment in our community," said Mayor Tab Townsell.
"When ICT GROUP made the announcement in 1999 that they were coming to Morrilton, they provided a great boost to the morale of this community," said Barry McKuin, CCEDC president. "ICT has continued to grow and we are extremely pleased with this new expansion in Morrilton and Conway."
Morrilton Mayor Stewart Nelson said, "We are glad that ICT has been pleased with our workforce and decided to hire even more of our great people. ICT is a valuable member of our community."
ICT GROUP has consistently been named among the Top 50 customer service providers by Customer Inter@action Solutions magazine and has also been recognized among the Fortune 100 Fastest Growing Companies (02) and Business Week Hot Growth Companies (02).
"ICT GROUP's expansion is great news for the Arkansas business community," said Larry Walther, ADED director. "The fact that they chose Arkansas to expand their business is evidence of the many opportunities the state has to offer to a diversified industry base."
The new positions will provide customer service support for mortgage and other financial services products. Interested applicants should contact the Arkansas Employment Security Department in Conway at 1500 N. Museum St., 501-730-9894.
CONTACT:
Brad Lacy, Director of Economic Development
Conway Development Corporation
501-329-7788
