AMERICAN EXPRESS TRAVEL OPENS NEW ATLANTA AREA TRAVEL COUNSELOR CUSTOMER CALL CENTER
New facility in Lawrenceville creates 100 new jobs
LAWRENCEVILLE, GA, February 29, 2008 -- American Express Travel, one of the world's largest travel agencies, has expanded its operations in the Atlanta area and has opened a new, larger travel counselor customer call center in Lawrenceville, GA. The new facility will be staffed by approximately 350 American Express travel counselors, including 250 counselors who will move from the company's previous customer call center in Norcross and 100 new counselors enhancing the company's travel service operations in the Southeast. A ribbon cutting ceremony marking the official opening of the new facility was hosted by the company earlier today.
In addition to the Lawrenceville customer call center, American Express also operates two American Express Travel Service retail office locations in the Atlanta area (Alpharetta and Lenox Square), where customers can walk-in to work directly with travel counselors and utilize financial services including foreign currency exchange and purchasing Travelers Cheques. American Express Travel has had a presence in the Atlanta area for 20 years, opening its first office, the Norcross customer call center, in February 1988.
"We are committed to the Atlanta area and delighted to be opening our new, larger facility in Gwinnett County," said Laurie Farquhar, vice president, Platinum and Centurion Travel Services, American Express Travel. "With a location in Gwinnett County, we are able to retain our existing employees and fill our new travel counselor positions with strong, qualified people in a beautiful new center."
With a large global presence and the need for a qualified workforce, American Express represents a key business segment that Gwinnett County is seeking to nurture through its economic development initiatives. The company's move to Lawrenceville and subsequent membership in Partnership Gwinnett, the county's economic and community development initiative, represents a great success for Gwinnett County.
"American Express is a strong, viable corporation that brings great promise of success to the Gwinnett community," stated Jim Maran, President and CEO for the Gwinnett Chamber. "We are very pleased they have chosen to remain and expand in the area, providing our citizens with great job opportunities."
For more information on local job opportunities, please visit www.americanexpress.com.
About American Express Travel
American Express entered the travel agency business in 1915 and today is one of the world's largest travel service networks. The company has more than 2,200 Travel and Foreign Exchange Services* locations worldwide in more than 140 countries.
American Express Company (www.americanexpress.com) is a leading global payments, network and travel company founded in 1850.
About the Gwinnett Chamber and Partnership Gwinnett
Named one of the top three large chambers in the United States by ACCE, the Gwinnett Chamber of Commerce's membership varies from FORTUNE 1,000 companies to innovative startups, and stretches across the Atlanta region, from Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport to UGA in Athens. Representing more than 7,200 members, the Gwinnett Chamber is the Southeast's 6th largest chamber and focuses on creating and growing quality job opportunities while enhancing the community's quality of life.
Partnership Gwinnett is Gwinnett's economic and community development initiative. Led by the Gwinnett Chamber of Commerce and a host of public and private partners, the initiative targets the retention and expansion of existing Gwinnett businesses in addition to the development of new business. Partnership Gwinnett's five-year goal calls for the creation of 65,000 new jobs and $5.8 billion dollars in new wealth.
