Call center going in Sears site

When Cape Girardeau native Chris Buehrle left Cape Girardeau years ago to start his own company, he never imagined his hometown would one day play such a prominent role in its expansion.

But it has.

On Thursday, Buehrle -- along with a slew of local economic development officials and government leaders -- announced that a new call center is coming to Cape Girardeau's Town Plaza that could create as many as 400 new jobs over the next few years.

"Growing up in Cape, you can only imagine how proud I am today," said Buehrle, president and founder of National Asset Recovery Service Inc.

St. Louis-based NARS is a business process outsource company founded in 1993 as a collection agency. Now the company describes itself as a call center outsourcing firm. NARS also has an 1,100-employee facility in Panama City, Panama, and more than 1,000 employees at a center in Montego Bay, Jamaica.

While the company will eventually set up shop in 40,000 square feet of the old Sears building on William Street, company demand has prompted NARS to set up temporarily in Auburn Park Place near West Park Mall with 150 employees, said Mitch Robinson, executive director of Cape Area Magnet.

The job total could grow as high as 300 jobs by this time next year and more will be added as more clients come on board, Buehrle said.

The announcement was the largest, in terms of new jobs by one company, in "at least" 15 years and probably closer to 20 years, Robinson said.

"It's a recognition that rural areas have the means to meet the needs of projects like this," he said. "It's a perfect match."

Buehrle said he intends to be operating at Auburn Park Place by the end of the year and in the remodeled Sears building by the second quarter of 2007. Buehrle said he didn't know yet what the remodeling cost would be, except that it would be in the millions of dollars.

NARS will occupy 40,000 square feet of the eastern portion of the old Sears building, while the building's owner, Greater Missouri Builders Inc., searches for a tenant for 25,000 square feet for the western side of the building, said property manager Karina Hibbeler.

Cape Girardeau Mayor Jay Knudtson said the deal -- a collaboration between NARS, the city of Cape Girardeau and the local chamber of commerce -- took several months to work out. NARS executives were initially worried the area couldn't provide enough quality labor.

"This project will anchor the redevelopment of a major area of our community," Knudtson said, adding that the deal will mean a good deal to drawing more interest to Town Plaza.

The company wanted to wait to see how much interest there was at the Southeast Missourian-sponsored Career Fair. More than 850 applicants turned out, allaying the company's worries, Knudtson said.

"People came out to the job fair and waited in long lines," Buehrle said. "I never imagined so many people would come out and anxiously want to be a part of our family."

Another key factor: The Missouri Department of Economic Development offered the company $466,173 in New Job Training Bonds to provide money for training and $500,000 in development tax credits to help buy equipment for the new facility.

The Sears site will be remodeled with 400 work stations and the potential for 500 jobs, Buehrle said. The company is also considering adding a day care, a fitness area and a deli, he said.

Buehrle said one of the clients for the center will be Charter Communications. Charter will use the call center for overflow calls into its St. Louis call center for its new telephone service, said Paul Berra, Charter's senior director for government affairs.

smoyers@semissourian.com

335-6611, extension 137