By Chip Brownlee
Alabama Political Reporter
Another win for Alabama’s economic development push was announced Monday as a Southern-based technology firm gears up to expand into Brewton, Alabama, hiring 300 new workers.
Gov. Kay Ivey announced in a press release Monday that Provalus will invest about $6.5 million in a new technology service and support center. Provalus is a subsidiary of the Atlanta-based Optomi, a corporation that the Governor’s Office said is focused on filling its technology, business and support positions with domestic labor.
“Our main mission is to provide value from the U.S. by bringing jobs back, especially to rural areas,” Provalus President Chuck Ruggiero said.
The new support center is part of Provalus’ “Project Sherlock” which aims to bring jobs back to rural areas in the US. Rural communities, due to infrastructure and education requirements, often lose out on other state economic development projects that are awarded to larger cities and counties.
Training for the first group of staffers at the Provalus location has already begun, and once the level reaches 50 employees, construction will begin on the first of three new buildings. Together, the buildings will be more than 60,000 square feet.
“I’ve made a commitment to attracting 21st Century jobs to Alabama so that our hardworking citizens can count on a more secure future for their families and communities,” Ivey said. “Provalus’ technology-focused jobs will create this kind of opportunity in Brewton while reinforcing the message that Alabama is open for business.”
The Provalus location will house business process outsourcing, information technology outsources and Helpdesk services to several clients, which includes many Fortune 1000 companies.
“Alabama’s economic development team is sharpening its strategic focus by targeting promising opportunities that center on innovation and technology,” said Greg Canfield, secretary of the Alabama Department of Commerce. “Technology is the lifeblood of business today, and our team is going to make sure Alabama is positioned for the future.”
The Provalus center will generate substantial economic growth for Brewton, Mayor Yank Lovelace said. Over 20 years, the payroll from the facility will amount to more than $200 million, according to a Department of Commerce analysis.
