NARS announces new jobs at Cape Girardeau facility

National Asset Recovery Services is adding at least 100 new positions to its Cape Girardeau staff, Chris Buehrle, founder of NARS, announced Tuesday.

Chris Buehrle, founder of National Asset Recovery Services, announces a workforce expansion of at least 100 jobs at its Cape Girardeau call center Tuesday, June 14, 2011. (Fred Lynch)

"These new customer care positions will bring our workforce to over 600 people and growing," said Buehrle, a native of Cape Girardeau.

The announcement was made during a ribbon-cutting ceremony for a new playground at the business' day care facility, daycare@work, which is now open to the public.

The playground expansion was funded with a $30,000 Missouri Child Care Facility Improvement grant and about $3,000 raised by NARS employees.

It includes a wooden play structure for children older than 2 and an infant and toddler area with a plastic tree house. Bike riding areas for each age group were also installed.

"We opened our doors five years ago and had a vision of a NARS campus that includes not only the day care, but a health facility and a deli as well as a world-class call center. It was our vision to have that all under one roof. Today this is the final step in what we had envisioned," Buehrle said.

About 50 children attend the day care, but it has a capacity of up to 90 children ages 6 weeks to 12 years.

The decision to open the day care to the public was partly due to requests from employees whose extended family members also wanted to use the facility. Children and grandchildren of NARS employees pay a discounted rate at the day care, which offers extended hours from 5:45 a.m. to 8 p.m.

"A lot of working parents are thankful that the day care doesn't close at 5 or 6, giving them the ability to facilitate their own working schedules," Buehrle said.

The majority of the 100 new entry-level employees will work in NARS' Cape Girardeau call center, but the company is also adding to its work-at-home agents. The company would not disclose the wages for its new positions.

They are all full-time jobs with work weeks averaging 35 to 40 hours per week. All full-time NARS employees are eligible for benefits after a required waiting period, including medical, dental and vision insurance. They may also earn paid time off and bonuses.

"It's very reassuring for a mayor to drive down William Street these days and see that parking lot full, knowing this is a very vibrant industry for our city and continues to be and will be even more so with the addition of 100 jobs," Mayor Harry Rediger said.

The new positions are being added to meet growing client needs, said David Owenby, NARS senior vice president.

"They've given us the opportunity to expand the programs with their volumes because of the confidence they have in NARS and NARS results," Owenby said.

NARS and its affiliate companies, Pinnacle Financial Group and Integrity Financial Partners, employ more than 3,500 people at call centers in Cape Girardeau, St. Charles and St. Louis in Missouri; Minneapolis and Monticello, Minn.; Decorah, Iowa; Columbus, Ohio; Overland Park, Kan; Panama City, Panama; and Montego Bay, Jamaica.

Those interested in applying for the positions being added at NARS may do so in person or online at www.narsnet.com.

mmiller@semissourian.com

388-3646

Pertinent address:

2102 William St., Cape Girardeau, MO