CORDELE, GA -
A technology infrastructure like no other community in south Georgia will mean 500 new jobs for Crisp County.
Chexar Network announced today they'll expand their Georgia operations in Cordele making a 1.9 million dollar investment in the community.
The company hopes to put 250 people to work just after the first of the year.
Community leaders have spent years developing the community to make an opportunity like this possible.
Right now it's an empty shell, but by the first of the year, hundreds of employees could fill the parking spaces in this plaza, headed to work. Businesses nearby are excited about their new neighbors.
"It's exciting to see how Cordele is growing and we're just excited to see these people come in and help us and be apart of this community and we're looking forward to them," said Brent Willis, Game On Sporting Goods & Logos Screen Printing and Embroidery.
It will mean new business for downtown Cordele.
"It's all about jobs and if we have jobs then people can live and work in Crisp County and have a good quality life," said Bob Evans, Cordele Crisp County Industrial Development Council Member.
Chexar Networks will open two locations on Seventh Street and on Frontage Road, near Interstate-75. It was Crisp County Power's access to broadband service that got them noticed.
"No other community around us had the broadband capacity to be able to support this so it really made us unique in the ability to provide them with exactly what they needed," said Bruce Drennan, Cordele crisp County Industrial Development Council Exec. Director.
Their work ready workforce, trained at the technical college and tax incentives from the state also attracted the company. They'll look for 250 employees to start and add another 250 at the two risk management centers.
"They will actually be making credit decisions, their operators will evaluate a check to determine whether it should be paid, they take responsibility for the payments of that check," said Evans.
"The build-out will take about a month, the actual training for the workers is about a 45 day process for them to get everybody up to speed, they want to be up and operating by January," said Drennan.
It's hasn't been easy, leaders say it's been an effort 35 to 40 years in the making, building on infrastructure, schools, and recreational opportunities. It's an effort that will likely pay off for seven surrounding counties that will likely make up the workforce for Chexar Networks.
You can apply for jobs with Chexar Networks through the Georgia Department of Labor web site.
Chexar's announcement isn't the only good news, Big Tex Manufacturing, the largest utility trailer maker will soon add another 400 jobs and Helena Chemical will also be adding jobs.
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