An international company’s plan to open a customer care center in Norman will bring hundreds of new jobs to the city and a potential direct and indirect payroll impact in the range of $50 million annually, officials said Wednesday.

The company, Advanced Call Center Technologies, or ACT, is headquartered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. According to a release, it provides 24-hour customer service support, including fraud and dispute management, claims processing, and other services to a variety of business clients, including in the financial industry. Established in 1997, it employs more than 10,000 people worldwide who provide services in eight languages.

ACT President and CEO Hunter Croft said the company’s investment in Norman is central to plans for growth.

“We’re ecstatic about the opportunity to be a part of the Norman community, and it comes at an exciting time in our business journey, having just completed the transition to an employee-owned company,” he said. “Our new customer care center capacity has room for over 500 new teammates.”

Norman Economic Development Coalition Chief Executive Officer Lawrence McKinney said the “ripple effect” of ACT’s Norman site selection will be even greater. In all, he said it could result in creation of more than 1,000 jobs.

“We’ve been working with site selectors, company officials, and local and state leaders on this project since June of 2021 and are incredibly pleased with the leadership and cooperation necessary to announce ACT as Norman’s newest corporate citizen,” he said. “ACT will occupy the former Sitel Building in the Norman Industrial Park off Highway 9 and will have an immediate impact locally and throughout the county.”

According to a release, expectations are that:

• On top of 770 direct jobs, 440 additional business-to-business jobs will be created.

• 135 business-to-consumer jobs will be created.

• New jobs will represent a combined total payroll of $49 million annually.

• Investments will yield $15 million annually in city, county, school, state and federal taxes.

Norman Mayor Breea Clark said she and the city of Norman are eager to welcome ACT and hundreds of new, quality jobs.

“I am confident they will love their new home and all we have to offer here in Norman,” she said.

Other ACT locations are in Douglas, Arizona; Carmichael, California; Junction City, Kansas; Harlingen, Texas; Johnson City, Tennessee; and Logan, Utah; as well as in Montego Bay, Jamaica, and Guatemala City, Guatemala.

“We are excited to welcome ACT to our state,” Oklahoma Department of Commerce Executive Director Brent Kisling said. “Oklahoma’s diverse talent pool continues to attract companies.”

Cleveland County Commission Chairman Darry Stacy said it took deliberative and effective collaboration to bring ACT to Norman.

“Economic development is a team sport that takes time to achieve,” he said. “Companies like ACT, which create primary jobs are the economic drivers of cities and counties. We look forward to working with them to get these jobs filled as quickly as possible.”

Added NEDC Board Chairman and Oklahoma Electric Cooperative CEO Patrick Grace: “NEDC staff and the board of directors have worked hard behind the scenes with both parties to ensure a win for ACT, the property owner, and Norman. I think we have achieved that, and I am excited to see these new jobs coming.”

To find out more about economic development efforts in Norman, online go to www.selectnorman.com.

This story originally ran on the JournalRecord.com.