by Julie Cryser
CITY EDITOR
(June 11)
A New Jersey-based telemarketing company that recently announced plans to open a new center in Clarksburg will announce Friday that it also will bring 120 jobs to Elkins.Civic Development Group plans to open a new center in the West Virginia Wood Technology Center's business incubator by early July, about the same time the center at Rosebud Plaza, just off U.S. Route 19, opens in Clarksburg, according to a Bell Atlantic-West Virginia area manager.
Company, state and city officials will gather at 1:30 p.m. Friday at the center to announce the opening and welcome the company. Civic will move into 10,000 square feet of the building, leasing the space from the Randolph County Development Authority.
"It gives us a nice diversification to our economy," said Denver Barnett, the development authority director.
Randolph County has expanded its wood products manufacturing over the last several years, Barnett said, but the county has lacked growth in other areas. Barnett said Civic chose Elkins because of an available workforce, space and "we've got a great quality of life."
Chester Wojcik, vice president of business development for the company's West Virginia operations, could not be reached for comment Wednesday.
Civic has found a willing and qualified workforce in West Virginia, he said during the announcement at Rosebud.
Development officials said the Rosebud facility could grow as Civic's contracts grow, but there has been no mention of possible expansion in Elkins. Barnett, however, said the county is ready for any expansion.
"We have designed the space in such a way that some expansion can take place," he said.
Civic is a full-service telemarketing company, serving customers ranging from credit card companies to cellular phone companies.
The company pays around $7 an hour to start out and offers a full line of benefits.