April 14, 2008

Moncton (CNB) - Virtual-Agent Services (VAS), an Illinois-based provider of contact centre solutions has entered into an agreement with the Provincial Government for the company’s third phase of growth, Premier Shawn Graham announced today.

The company will establish new facilities to create up to 500 new jobs for residents in rural areas. 

"Our government is proud to continue to work in partnership with VAS as it grows and creates even more job opportunities for New Brunswickers," Graham said. “New Brunswick is being recognized by firms nationally and internationally as the place to be for business success and VAS’s continued growth is a testament to that.  Working with firms like VAS, which are creating vital job opportunities, particularly in rural New Brunswick, will help us to achieve our goal of self-sufficiency by 2026."

Graham was joined at today's announcement by Néri Basque, VAS executive vice-president of IT and Strategic Development and Minister of Business New Brunswick Greg Byrne.

"The co-operation and support of the Province and the enthusiasm of each community has contributed to our healthy growth.  Additionally, our Aliant partnership creates the wonderful opportunity for our expansion to reach rural and sub-urban areas of New Brunswick," Basque said. "We are looking forward to more announcements in 2008 throughout the province."

VAS currently employs more than 1,000 people in New Brunswick and with this new agreement that number will grow to more than 1,500 employees.The company has now officially opened centres in Doaktown, Minto, Saint-Louis-de-Kent, Saint Andrews, St. George, Neguac, Petitcodiac, Chipman, Norton, Rogersville, Hillsborough, Bouctouche, Nackawic, Stanley, Bristol, Perth Andover, Plaster Rock and two operations in Sussex.

“Transforming and diversifying our economy is fundamental to building a self-sufficient New Brunswick,” said Byrne.  “New Brunswick has had a very good partnership with Virtual-Agent Services as it has grown over the last nine years and it is encouraging to see the company has recognized it as the place to be successful.”

The Government of New Brunswick will be providing VAS with a forgivable loan in the amount of $7,500 per job created. The funding will assist the company with training new employees, and with other implementation costs at new facilities.

Virtual-Agent Services is headquartered in Schaumburg, Illinois and maintains a Canadian field operations office in Moncton. It serves a client base that includes companies from a number of industries including hospitality and travel, catalogue and retail sales, utility, financial, insurance, and roadside assistance. VAS has pioneered the Distributed Workforce Concept to provide a series of fully functional transaction centres located throughout New Brunswick. The company's centres are located in communities with highly skilled workforces and are linked under a common telephone system to form one large virtual operation.

MEDIA CONTACTS: Ryan Donaghy, communications, Business New Brunswick, 506-453-2694; Laura Camastro, Virtual-Agent Service, 847-925-2340.