GOVERNOR CULVER ANNOUNCES IBM TO BRING 1,300 HIGH-TECH JOBS TO DUBUQUE
- Release Date: Thursday, January 15, 2009
- Dateline (city): Dubuque
- Contact: State of Iowa - European Office
- Attachment:
DUBUQUE Governor Culver joined with representatives from IBM and local officials to announce today that IBM will open a new technology service delivery center in Dubuque. It is expected that the project will create up to 1,300 high-quality jobs.
“Today’s announcement is about three things – Jobs, Jobs, Jobs,” said Governor Culver. “I want to welcome IBM to Iowa, and thank them for bringing these 1,300 high quality, good paying jobs to our state. Today’s announcement is one more sign that people around the country are discovering what we have known all along – that with our highly skilled workforce, inviting business climate and quality of life, Iowa is a great place for business. As Governor, I will not rest when it comes to bringing jobs like these to Iowa.”
Working with the Governor’s Office, the Iowa Department of Economic Development, the City of Dubuque and Dubuque Initiatives and the Greater Dubuque Development Corporation, IBM has signed a 10-year lease, with optional extension years, to occupy the historic Roshek Building in downtown Dubuque. The City of Dubuque, Dubuque Initiatives and IBM plan to upgrade the facility to make it a “green” building. The renovation of the building will utilize industry-leading energy-efficient technology.
“We selected the City of Dubuque for our new delivery center based on several criteria, including the strong positive public-private partnership within the city, its competitive business model and the talent and skills that Iowa and the Midwest have to offer,” said Mike Daniels, senior vice president, IBM Global Technology Services. “We continue to invest in IBM’s future and recruit the skilled persons we need to grow our business. The Dubuque service center is a model for creating new opportunities and we look forward to working with the City and the State of Iowa to accomplish great things together.”
IBM intends to employ several hundred people in the new facility by the end of this year and up to 1,300 by the end of 2010. IBM will work with institutions of higher learning in the tri-state area of Iowa, Illinois and Wisconsin for recruitment and training of potential employees. In addition, IBM will look for opportunities to partner with these schools to enhance their curricula to better prepare students for opportunities in the IT industry, including the types of roles found at IBM. The total project cost is expected to exceed $100 million.