COUDERSPORT- Potter County’s newest employer will begin job
interviews this week for its new facility in Coudersport.
Empereon Marketing expects to have as many as 600 people working
by the end of 2008, including 150 to be hired over the next three
months.
Empereon will operate a modern customer contact center at the
former “tennis center” in west Coudersport, which was headquarters
for a call center operated by Adelphia and, later, Time Warner.
Time Warner is donating the building to the Potter County
Redevelopment Authority, which will lease it to Empereon. The
company does expect to buy it eventually.
Empereon, based in Phoenix, Ariz., is an outsourcer handling
customer contacts for cable giants Cox, Time Warner and Charter, as
well as major newspaper/media chains.
Initially, the Coudersport center will handle outbound calls.
Later, the center will accept inbound customer service and
technical support calls, as well as Internet contacts.
A ,1 million financial package from the state helped Empereon
choose Coudersport. It included a ,450,000 grant, as well as a
low-interest loan of ,350,000 for machinery and equipment, and a
,200,000 job training loan.
Empereon issued a news release over the weekend assuring local
job-seekers that the opening is imminent.
“Equipment delays from key technology suppliers have forced
Empereon to delay the original opening day of Oct. 1 to a projected
date of Oct. 28,” the release said. “These delays are out of the
hands of Empereon and are in no way a reflection of our commitment
to bringing jobs to the area.”
Jamie Evens, formerly a customer service manager for Adelphia
and Time Warner in Coudersport, has been named the general manager
for the Empereon facility.
Evens said hiring will start around Oct. 15.
“We would like to personally thank the Coudersport community for
making this transition as easy as possible,” Empereon said in its
release.
“The ‘Welcome’ banners, the cooperation and work of the Potter
County Redevelopment Authority, Time Warner Cable, Level 3
Communications, Northcentral Pennsylvania Regional Planning and
Development Commission, the Governor’s Action Team, and many other
groups have saved us countless hours of energy and expense.”
Redevelopment Authority Executive Director John Wright said the
agency continues to recruit employers for other former Adelphia or
Time Warner properties in Coudersport.
