Press Release
Contact: Florence Economic Development Partnership
Phone: (843) 676-8796
For Release EST, March 3, 2008
Florence, South Carolina
Zenta Establishes Operations in Florence—will employ up to 250
The Florence County Economic Development Partnership (FCEDP) today announced that Zenta, a leading world-class Business (BPO) and Knowledge Process Outsourcing (KPO) company, has established a 35,000 square foot operations center in Florence, South Carolina, and will employ up to 250 people. The move to Florence is a result of growing client outsourcing needs for residential mortgage services and further commitment by Zenta to expand its residential mortgage and financial services platform.
“We are extremely excited about the opportunity in Florence,” explains Jack Freker, Zenta’s president and chief operating officer. “The Florence location will allow Zenta to service a premier institutional banking client. It will also serve as a strategic onshore platform for other Zenta clients in the residential mortgage, banking and financial services industries.”
“The Pee Dee region continues to distinguish itself as a competitive location to do business,” said Senator Hugh K. Leatherman. “As state senator and resident of Florence County, I am thrilled another industry leader has chosen to locate here.”
The opportunity for Zenta in Florence developed as other participants in the mortgage industry are seeking ways to reduce fixed costs and utilize business process outsourcing to transition to a variable cost model. Such a transition allows Zenta clients to better control costs in an environment where activity and loan volume cyclicality has created waves of hiring and firing within the industry. By outsourcing certain activities, clients can pay for services on an “as needed” basis and reduce capital requirements that come from employing large staffs of back office personnel. Clients also find that in most cases, efficiency and performance is enhanced when transitioning to Zenta’s proven model.
“We are pleased to welcome another outstanding company to our community,” stated County Council Chairman, K.G. “Rusty” Smith. “Florence County continues to attract world-class businesses that provide quality jobs for our citizens. We look forward to a long and successful partnership with Zenta.”
Craig Evans, a 20 year veteran of the residential mortgage industry, has been hired as a Vice President and will head the Florence operations. Most recently, Mr. Evans served as a senior executive with Bank of America’s correspondent lending operation with approximately 200 employees. He had previous experience with Washington Mutual, Fleet Mortgage and First National Bank of Chicago. Mr. Evans serves on the Florence County Economic Development Partnership board of directors. “Our role in the economic development of Florence County would not be possible without the commitment of the private sector organization, Florence County Progress, Inc. Their continued support of FCEDP allows us to achieve our goals and objectives. It is so exciting to have a company of this caliber invest and create new jobs in our community,” stated Dr. Charles Gould, Chairman of the FCEDP and President of Florence-Darlington Technical College.
In addition to locations in the U.S., Zenta also operates in locations throughout the world, providing clients with the flexibility to utilize an onshore, offshore and/or hybrid model. Depending on the work being performed and client needs, various approaches can be implemented to help meet or exceed quality, productivity and savings goals.
About Zenta:
Founded in 2001, Zenta is a world-class knowledge process outsourcing (KPO) and business process outsourcing (BPO) company, offering a full range of back-office, voice and onsite support solutions such as credit card servicing, consumer lending servicing, accounts receivable management, mortgage services and real estate capital market analytics in the following verticals: commercial and residential real estate, consumer credit, insurance and financial services and diversified business services. The company currently employs more than 4,000 staff in New York; Los Angeles; London; Mumbai and Chennai, India; Philadelphia and Charlotte.
For more information about Zenta, please visit http://www.zenta.com. For more information on Florence County Economic Development Partnership, please visit www.fcedp.com or contact our office at 843-676-8796.
