"Duluth is a great location for this new call center because the strong work ethic and technology we need to be successful are already here.”
- Jim Smiley, US West Communications VP for Minnesota. US West announced that the company would open a new call center in Duluth that would employ 140 people.
“I honestly don’t know why more companies aren’t moving from the Twin Cities. Productivity has been boosted 25 percent and $1.2 million in operating expenses have been saved.”
- Kathy Walstead-Plum, United Health Care VP, Claims and Service. United Health Care has moved the bulk of its claims processing operations from the Twin Cities to northern Minnesota.
“We’re pleased to be part of Duluth’s downtown business community. Now that our staff is in one location, we can embrace our focus on operating and expanding our pipeline system.”
- Hugh Sangster, President and COO, Lakehead Pipeline Company, Inc. Lakehead’s headquarters, which employs about 360 people.
“We were treated better here than anywhere else. We chose Duluth because of its high quality of life.”
- Alan Klapmeier, President, Cirrus Design Corporation. Cirrus is an airplane design and manufacturing company.
“Duluthians spend 23 percent less time away from their desks than their Minneapolis counterparts. That means workers are spending less time out sick or in training meetings and, in an 8-hour day, Duluth workers spend almost 2 hours more being productive.”
- Millie Halden, Processing Services Director, announcing the establishment of a new processing center for Norwest Services, Inc.
