Monster’s grand opening in Florence was bigger than many imagined when the deal was consummated more than a year ago. Stunning as it might sound, State Commerce Secretary Joe Taylor Jr. believes Monster’s relocation was more important than Boeing’s decision to build a production facility in Charleston.
The Maynard, Mass.-based operator of the Monster.com jobs Web site eventually will bring 750 jobs to its beautiful new facility off Interstate 95 in the Pee Dee Touchstone Energy Commerce City. And while that pales in comparison to thousands of jobs and billions of dollars Boeing will bring to Charleston, it sends an important signal to businesses considering relocation to the region.
Already, more than 150 employees are working full time, with jobs being filled every day to help the company meet swelling demand for its services. Those jobs are welcome relief in Florence County, where the unemployment rate was 11.7 percent in September.
“Eleven months ago, we were standing here on a pile of dirt. I say that to remind you of the progress Florence County and South Carolina continue to make,” State Sen. Hugh Leatherman, R-Florence, said. “The people of our area have a work ethic like no other. It’s paying off, as the Pee Dee region continues to attract a diverse mix of world-class companies who provide excellent employment opportunities.”
Ironically, Monster specializes in connecting people with jobs, a significant business during challenging economic times. It uses the catchy slogan, “Your Calling Is Calling.”
“Monster is in the business of making a difference in the human condition,” Gov. Mark Sanford said. “This is not just a call center. Every person who works here needs to know: This is not just a call center. Monster is about giving people a chance to start over.”
Taylor’s remarks came last week in Anderson, where he was talking to local officials about tax benefits in attracting large employers. Taylor told the group the Boeing announcement was big, but not as big as Monster, The Independent Mail in Anderson reported.
“They have probably more information on jobs than anyone else, and they picked us,” the newspaper quoted Taylor as saying. “South Carolina is very good at celebrating defeats. We have to celebrate our victories, too.”
Clearly, Monster was a victory for Florence County. Those involved deserve to celebrate. We laud the governor, Leatherman, Florence County Council Chairman K.G. “Rusty” Smith Jr. and the Florence County Economic Development Partnership, led by Joe W. King, for their leadership and vision. Others too numerous to mention played significant roles in bringing Monster here.
Residents and job seekers in Florence County have emerged as the ultimate winners. The Monster facility has the ability to add employees rapidly, depending on demand. Local residents can apply for jobs in Florence by going to hiring.monster.com.
“We chose Florence because it has the talent, standard of living and educational resources we needed to bring premier service to our customers,” said Art O’Donnell, executive vice president of Monster’s Global Customer Services. “This opening represents another major milestone for Monster as we continue to expand our products and services to help connect job seekers and employers.”
The Monster name carries prestige for Florence County, just as Boeing bring tremendous cache to South Carolina. We hope more companies follow their lead.
— Unsigned editorials represent the views of this newspaper. Editorial Board members are Mark Laskowski (regional publisher), James Bennett (regional editor), Sam Bundy (sports editor), Kimberly Ginfrida (news editor), David Johnson (regional circulation director), Charles Tomlinson (Lake City News & Post editor) and Jackie Torok (metro editor).
