Jobs Announcement for KCG in Pennington Gap

August 23, 2010

Pennington Gap, Virginia

          I am pleased to return to Pennington Gap today to mark a major step forward in our ongoing efforts to create jobs for Lee County residents.

          KCG Industries, which I introduced to Lee County, has acquired a new contract with Macy’s, Inc., and as a result, the company will hire 50 additional employees.

          KCG is a great Lee County success story. The company came to Pennington Gap as part of my Showcasing Southwest Virginia program five years ago, and with the addition of the new jobs announced today, by this Fall, the company will employ 250 or more individuals.

          The 50 employees who will be hired as a result of today’s announcement will be handling credit card activations and customer service for Macy’s. These positions will be paid a competitive wage with the potential for daily bonuses. KCG also offers health insurance options for employees, a portion of which is paid by the company.

          The outstanding success we are celebrating today has its beginnings in my Showcasing Southwest Virginia Program, which to date has created more than 5,000 jobs throughout the Ninth Congressional District.

          In January of 2005, discussions began between my office and Paul Kavanaugh of KCG. Learning of their need to find a site quickly for a new customer service center, I immediately arranged a tour of Southwest Virginia that spanned three days and a large part of my Congressional District. A second tour of the region followed in April of 2005, this time with an emphasis on Lee County.

          Within days of the April visit, Paul informed us that he had an immediate need for a new call center, that he was highly impressed with our region, and that he decided to move forward with a call center in Pennington Gap.

          Since that time, KCG has flourished in Lee County and has become a welcome corporate citizen, providing valued jobs for the community. In addition to the work to be performed for Macy’s, KCG has as its clients Aon Integramark and a number of other banks and credit card companies.

          The remarkable success of KCG in Pennington Gap demonstrates the effectiveness not only of my Showcasing Southwest Virginia Program, which introduced KCG to Lee County in 2005, but also of the leadership of several individuals to whom I would like to offer thanks today.

          Tim Long, Director of the Lee County Industrial Development Authority, and the Lee County IDA have provided excellent assistance to KCG as the company has worked to expand its presence in Lee County. I thank him today for his outstanding efforts.

          I also want to recognize George Cridlin, Chairman of the Virginia Coalfield Economic Development Authority Board of Directors. VCEDA has provided key assistance to KCG over the years to enable it to grow, and we will be hearing from George shortly.

          The Virginia Tobacco Commission has also provided key assistance to KCG, and I want to thank them for their help with this project and for their ongoing commitment to economic development in Southwest Virginia.

          Finally, I want to thank Paul and Kathy Kavanaugh for their commitment to Lee County and to the region, and I want to congratulate them on winning this significant new piece of business. They have become a major economic asset to Lee County.

          KCG represents an excellent employment opportunity for the region, and the company has already begun hiring these new positions. I would encourage any job seeker who is interested in applying to contact Kathy Kavanaugh, Director of KCG Industries of Pennington Gap. Her number is 276-546-2890.

          Let me now welcome Kathy to the podium. She will be followed by George Cridlin.