$10 Million Facility To Employ Up To 400
Chesapeake - Governor George Allen today attended a groundbreaking ceremony for the Chubb Group of Insurance Companies, celebrating their first Rapid Response Unit service center. The $10 million facility expects to employ more than 250 people when it opens in 1998, and as many as 400 in the future. Virginia successfully competed with New Jersey and Orlando, Florida, for the investment.
"Today, we are breaking ground and planting the seeds for Chubb's Service Center for the whole U.S. east of the Mississippi. Thank you all at Chubb for such an outstanding decision for Virginia," said Governor Allen. "Chesapeake and the entire Hampton Roads region are alive with a thriving, vibrant economy that is helping to fuel our Commonwealth's drive towards expanding opportunity and greater prosperity. Here in Chesapeake, Chubb is strategically located to take full advantage of Virginia's positive tax and reasonable regulatory policies. This facility is a tremendous vote of confidence in Virginia's pro-growth business environment and in our very best asset -- the people of the Commonwealth."
Chubb will construct a 65,000 square foot state-of-the-art building in Chesapeake's Battlefield Corporate Center to house the Rapid Response Unit, which will handle claims east of the Mississippi River and will serve as a training center for future employees. The company selected Virginia because of its capable workforce, quality of life and central location on the Eastern seaboard.
"Chubb is confident that the high quality of Virginia's employees will allow us to maintain the standard of excellence our customers expect from our claim service," said Doris Johnson, managing director and senior vice president of Chubb & Son, Inc. "The Rapid Response Unit demonstrates our commitment to look for new ways to respond to the needs of policy holders."
Governor Allen presented a $300,000 Governor's Opportunity Fund grant to the City of Chesapeake to assist with site development. The Virginia Economic Development Partnership, the Hampton Roads Economic Development Alliance and the City of Chesapeake assisted the company with its decision. The Virginia Department of Business Assistance will provide workforce training services.
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