Call center to bring up to 450 jobs to Lexington over next two years

A national customer service company says it will add up to 450 jobs in Lexington over the next two and a half years, state officials announced Thursday.

Faneuil plans to lease a building at 1500 Aristides Blvd. and spend $12.2 million equipping it, according to a news release from Gov. Matt Bevin’s office. The company said it hopes to employ approximately 200 people this year and may hire as many as 450 by the end of 2021.

Headquarted in Hampton, Va., Faneuil’s call centers provide customer, back office and technical support to private companies and government. It employs 5,500 people nationwide.

Lexington Mayor Linda Gorton said the company will bring a boost to the local economy. Last year, Trane announced it was closing its Fayette County operation, which resulted in the loss of more than 600 jobs. Lexington and other cities, which depend on taxes on wages, have had to tighten belts this year as job and wage growth have begun to slow after years of record growth.

“Our unemployment rate is low, but we still have citizens who need jobs,” Gorton said. “Faneuil is bringing jobs with benefits that will meet the needs of many of our citizens.”

The company will receive up to $1.5 million in incentives from the state if it meets certain job and investment targets. Faneuil can also use the Kentucky Skills Network, which provides companies no-cost recruitment and job placement services as well as reduced-cost job training, according to Bevin’s office.

Faneuil recently received a contract to handle customer service for Los Angels Metropolitan Transit Authority. It recently announced it will open new call centers in Wichita, Kan., Orlando, Fla., and Sacramento, Calif.

The average hourly wage of call center employees will be $13.50, according to state documents. It is not clear when Faneuil will begin hiring.

This story was originally published July 25, 2019 at 2:48 PM.