Sallie Mae plans to create 2,000 jobs in the U.S. by reversing previous outsourcing actions and bringing all of its overseas operations back to America.
Albert Lord, chairman and CEO of SLM Corp. (NYSE: SLM), commonly known as Sallie Mae, spoke Monday morning on cable TV network CNBC, making the announcement.
Lord said the jobs would be created during the next 18 months, and that most of the new positions in the U.S. would be at call center operations, in technology and loan servicing.
"For 37 years, we have been dedicated to helping America’s students enhance their lives through an investment in higher education,” Lord said. “We also contribute economically to the many communities where we operate our business. The current economic environment has caused our communities to struggle with job losses. They need jobs, and we will put 2,000 of them into U.S. facilities as soon as we possibly can.”
Sallie Mae has operations in 20 cities across the U.S., and manages $180 billion in education loans and serves 10 million student and parent customers.
A large number of jobs -- in areas of call center operations, back office work, loan processing and information technology -- have sat overseas for nearly in 10 years, according to Martha Holler, a Sallie Mae spokeswoman.
“Jobs are needed here at home,” she said. “It’s a different economic environment right now. We know first hand the economic value we bring to communities.”
The main locations that will hire the workers are: Lynn Haven, Fla.; Fishers, Ind.; Wilkes-Barre, Pa.; Killeen, Texas; and the company’s newest facility in Newark, Del.
Its Wilkes-Barre facility will add 600 of the 2,000 new jobs, where it offers loan payment processing and other call center work.
Lord and Rep. Paul Kanjorski, D-Pa., and Sen. Robert Casey, D-Pa., are holding a press conference at the Wilkes-Barre center to make the announcement.
Holler noted that some of the jobs could end up at its Reston, Va., headquarters.
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