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Whitewater company to fill 100 positions

WHITEWATER — A Whitewater telecommunications company plans to create 100 jobs over the next six weeks, potentially offsetting the number of positions lost when collections agency Sallie Mae closed last year.

The jobs created by iPacesetters will be similar to those cut at Sallie Mae, company representatives said. Formerly Charlton Group, iPacesetters employs teleservice representatives, a spokesperson said.

After iPacesetters acquired the company, it was able to assume larger contracts, and it needs additional staff to handle the demand, said Hiring Manager Tony Giangreco.

"We got more work coming from our clients than we can handle from our staff," said Giangreco. "It's long-term contracts coming in, and we're expecting even more."

Whitewater's job market has been uniquely balanced over the last four months. Trostel Ltd. announced last year it would lay off 87 workers just weeks before Husco International revealed plans to add nearly the same amount.

Sallie Mae then closed in November, leaving 116 people out of work. Now iPacesetters plans its expansion, creating nearly the same number of telemarketing positions.

Giangreco said wages for the new jobs likely will start between $7.25 and $10 per hour, plus incentives and commission. Some of the company's top earners make more than $20 per hour, he said.

City Manager Kevin Brunner said the telemarketing business came to Whitewater about five years ago. Giangreco said iPacesetters rents a vacant facility next door to its location at 411 N. Newcomb St., and that space could be put to use if its workload keeps expanding.

"It's good news, obviously, when a business is doing so well that it's expanding and creating new jobs," Brunner said. "We're very pleased."

The company's biggest contracts come from cable providers—Time Warner, Charter Communications and Comcast. The security of the cable industry in an unstable economy helped iPacesetters to expand, Giangreco said.

WHITEWATER'S JOB MARKET

Whitewater's job market has been on a rollercoaster:

Oct. 4—Trostel Ltd., a custom seals and molded rubber manufacturer, announces it will lay off 87 workers.

Oct. 21—A state grant helps hydraulic controls manufacturer Husco International expand, creating 90 jobs at its Whitewater plant.

Nov. 1—Sallie Mae closes its doors after the federal government begins to assume more responsibility for student loans. About 116 people are out of work.

Jan. 25—D.R. Plastics, a recycling company, receives an expansion loan, expected to create about eight full-time jobs.

Feb. 3—Telecommunications company iPacesetters announces it will hire 100 permanent positions over six weeks to handle its growing business.