Myrtle Beach Regional Economic Development Corporation Hosts Ribbon Cutting for Startek Inc.
South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley, Along with County Representatives and Project Partners, Officially Welcome New Customer Support Center to Horry County
October 13, 2014, Conway, S.C. – Leadership of Myrtle Beach Regional Economic Development (MBREDC) today hosted a ribbon cutting ceremony for STARTEK Inc., a customer support center located in Myrtle Beach, S.C. South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley, as well as county representatives and the project’s partners were in attendance to formally welcome STARTEK to Horry County and address the significance of a company of this size and scope with more than 615 jobs and an annual economic impact of more than $45 million selecting the area for expansion.
“On behalf of Myrtle Beach Regional Economic Development and the tremendous support we’ve received from state, county and city leadership, as well as our private business partners throughout our community, we are thrilled to have STARTEK here in Myrtle Beach and look forward to a long-term successful relationship with the company,” said Fred Richardson, MBREDC. “When we recruit companies to locate or expand in our area, we look for stable companies with a proven record of good corporate citizenship. Today, we are proud to announce that this is what we’ve found in STARTEK and what we believe will be a perfect fit for our community. With today’s announcement, we announce a true ‘win-win”, for Horry County, and our leadership, businesses and citizens couldn’t be happier to celebrate with STARTEK today. All of the dedication and efforts by leadership and staff of MBREDC are celebrated today, as STARTEK is the largest company we have announced to date, and that is an accomplishment reached by a collaboration of local leaders and business partners, without whom today would not be possible.”
“We couldn’t be happier to have STARTEK in our area, are excited about their future here and look forward to the many jobs they are providing for those within the Myrtle Beach and Horry County area,” said Mark Lazarus, Horry County Council Chairman.
In December 2013, STARTEK Inc., a global provider of business process outsourcing services, announced plans to locate a new customer support center in the Myrtle Beach area. The announced project investment of approximately $10 million will create hundreds of new jobs and result in an annual economic impact exceeding $45 million, according to studies done by economists at Coastal Carolina University.
“We come into a new location with the intention of becoming a valued community member and in fact, just recently, at another location which also opened in 2014, we were named employer of the year”, said Chad Carlson, STARTEK President and CEO. “We do this in a few ways, including ensuring community involvement as one of our core processes. Our expansion in Myrtle Beach is to support STARTEK’s continued growth.”
Carlson also addressed specifics about the company, job creation and the benefits of selecting the area for expansion.
The development of the new customer support center is a public-private partnership consisting of the company, a local development team, and a host of public and private sector partners. The new 50,000 square foot facility was built at Towne Center in the fast growing Carolina Forest section of Horry County is being developed by TCP Capital, LLC with Roger Grigg as Managing Partner. STARTEK Inc. will serve as tenant under a multi-year lease with the development company.
STARTEK began hiring team members beginning in January 2014 and has hired approximately 170 to date. The company is continuing to interview candidates and accept applications and encourages those interested in employment opportunities visit http://www.STARTEK.com/careersto apply.
Factors that contributed to the company’s site selection decision include the quantity and quality of the area workforce, proximity to training resources at Horry-Georgetown Technical College, telecommunications infrastructure in the area, and the quality of life in the Myrtle Beach area.
Over the last two years, The Myrtle Beach Regional Economic Development Corporation has identified call centers as a targeted industry for recruitment. This announcement is a significant win in this industry category and is the result of a collaborative effort among multiple representatives on the local, regional and state level. Notable project contributors include: the Myrtle Beach Regional Economic Development Corporation, the South Carolina Department of Commerce, Horry County Council, the TCP Capital, LLC team, Santee Cooper, Horry Telephone Company, Horry Georgetown Technical Collage, the North Eastern Strategic Alliance (NESA), and ReadySC.
About STARTEK Inc.
STARTEK is a comprehensive contact center and business process outsourcing service company with approximately 11,000 employees, we call Brand Warriors who for over 25 years have been committed to making a positive impact on our clients’ business results. Our mission is to enable and empower our Brand Warriors to promote our clients’ brands every day and bring value to our stakeholders. We accomplish this by aligning with our clients’ business objectives resulting in a trusted partnership. Our STARTEK Advantage System is focused on improving customer experience and reducing total cost of ownership for our clients. For more information visit www.STARTEK.com.
SOURCE: Myrtle Beach Regional Economic Development Corporation