New technology centers open
By Bill Christian (WJHL-TV11/Bristol – Wednesday, Dec 12, 2007)
Two ribbon cutting ceremonies on Wednesday officially opened the doors at the new Northrop Grumman information technology facility and the CGI-AMS technology center. Both new buildings are located in Lebanon, Virginia.
42 employees now provide information technology services to customers at Northrop-Grumman and the companies president says around 400 more will be added within a year. CGI-AMS has 235 software developers, analysts and consultants that are already working at the Russell County location.
“It means a lot more of diversification and a lot more different opportunities. This is a mile stone day, something that we’ll all be able to talk about for years to come,” said Mayor Tony Dodi, Lebanon, Virginia.
Former Virginia Governor Mark Warner also attended Wednesday’s ceremonies. He played a key role in bringing CGI-AMS and Northrop-Grumman to Lebanon.
“My best day as Governor came when we made the announcement that these jobs were coming to Southwest Virginia,†said Warner.
Company officials say find workers from Russell County and Southwest Virginia is a top priority.
“We really want to hire right from this area,†said James O’Neill, President, Northrop Grumman.
The arrival of these two new companies has county leaders looking forward to a bright future for Russell County and Southwest Virginia.
“It opens a lot of doors, a lot of opportunities for growth, so that’s what we are really excited about,†Mayor Dodi said.
The new technology centers are expected to create between 600 and 800 jobs in the next few years.