Windstream to add 210 jobs in Little Rock
by July 13, 2010 1:05 pm 88 views
Windstream plans to create 210 new jobs and retain 300 existing jobs in central Arkansas.
Windstream Corp., which has headquartered its national offices in Little Rock since it was formed in a spin-off from Alltel in July 2006, celebrated its fourth year as a stand-alone company with the announcement for the capital city.
The Little Rock-based rural telecommunications company currently employs 825 in its Little Rock offices, 1,150 in Arkansas, and 9,500 nationwide in the 23 states it serves with telephone and broadband services.
"I am extremely pleased to announce that Windstream has chosen to make Little Rock its permanent home," said CEO Jeff Gardner, in this report from TalkBusiness.net.
The decision to formally locate in Little Rock comes as a 5-year lease expires on its current campus in west Little Rock. Since Windstream launched in 2006, it has acquired 5 out-of-state companies which caused the company’s management team to consider other options for a headquarters location.
"In the end after careful analysis we decided that the best course for the company was to remain in Little Rock," Gardner said.
"We’re excited that Windstream has decided to make Little Rock its permanent corporate headquarters, and to bring even more quality jobs to central Arkansas. Technology-based jobs are vital to our future economic success," said Gov. Mike Beebe, who used about $1 million from his quick action closing fund to seal the deal.
Roughly $4.5 million in additional performance-based state incentives have been offered to Windstream.
Yesterday (Juy 12), Windstream priced a private placement of $400 million in senior notes. The 8.125% notes, which are due Sept. 1, 2018, carry an issue price of 99.248 percent to yield 8.25%. The offering is expected to close on July 19.