Governor Gilmore announces combined total of 260 new jobs
Richmond - Governor Jim Gilmore today announced that McLean-based AB&C Group will expand its direct response fulfillment operations into Winchester and Orange County. Investing $1.35 million in the project, AB&C Group will hire 135 employees in the City of Winchester and 125 employees in Orange County. The Winchester facility will serve as a distribution center while the Orange facility will house a customer service center. Virginia successfully competed with West Virginia, Missouri and Oklahoma for the investment.
"The AB&C Group investment demonstrates how diverse regions of the Commonwealth can benefit from Virginia's economic success," said Governor Gilmore. "I am delighted that this exciting company continues to grow and prosper in Virginia."
Founded in 1972, The AB&C Group is a full-service direct marketing and response fulfillment company. The firm employs more than 650 people in McLean and Charles Town, West Virginia. Processing millions of orders each year, The AB&C Group provides fulfillment services to member-based organizations, catalogers, publishers, fundraisers, and other direct marketers. In addition, the company has creative, printing and mailing capabilities and creates strategic marketing programs for diverse markets. Recently, The AB&C Group was recognized as one of the top 10 best fulfillment companies in America and AB&C's Call Center was the only one rated "Superior" in a Purdue University/Ameritech study.
"Everyone in the Virginia state government from the Governor to the many state, city and county officials have been very eager and helpful in assisting us with our facilities in Winchester and Orange," said R. Michael O'Hara, Chairman and CEO of The AB&C Group. "Their aggressiveness made the difference!"
The Virginia Economic Development Partnership assisted the company with both decisions. The Winchester-Frederick County Economic Development Commission and Frederick County assisted The AB&C Group with its decision to locate its distribution center in the Shenandoah Valley.
The Thomas Jefferson Partnership, Orange County and the Town of Orange assisted the company with its decision to locate its call center in Orange County. The Virginia Department of Business Assistance will provide workforce training services to the company.
"The AB&C Group's decision reflects positively on the business climate we have developed in Virginia," said Secretary of Commerce and Trade Barry E. DuVal. "There is a high demand for direct marketing services in today's marketplace, and I am pleased that a homegrown Virginia company will continue its success here."
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