RR snares IT services provider sales center for HP building
Calif.-based PCM plans to hire 224 people
PCM, a California-based IT services provider, said Monday it will open a sales center in the HewlettPackard building in Rio Rancho this summer, with the first group of more than 200 employees coming on board in August.
Gov. Susana Martinez, who was joined by state and city officials, and PCM representatives, made the announcement of the firm’s expansion to New Mexico at Rio Rancho City Hall. The governor and other state officials went on a recent trade mission to California, where they asked the company’s CEO to consider New Mexico.
That helped economic development officials cinch the deal with the El Segundo-based firm.
The state will contribute $700,000 in LEDA funding for infrastructure improvements to accommodate PCM. LEDA is New Mexico’s closing fund. Also, the company will get more than $568,676 from the state’s Job Training Incentive Program to help it hire and train the workforce it needs.
Martinez said more private-sector companies are “in the recruitment pipeline” to relocate to the state, which will result in an improved economy.
“We are willing to go anywhere to grow jobs in New Mexico,” said Martinez. “We want to make sure the private sector is growing — not just government employment. We want these companies to see that New Mexico is open for business.”
“These incentives help the state remain competitive” as it vies with other states recruiting new employ-
ers, she said.
PCM, which will lease 30,000 square feet in the HP building, provides technology support to clients that include the NFL’s Cincinnati Bengals and Green Bay Packers, Sea World, Wendy’s, GE and other international organizations, according to a news release. Salaries of the sales positions will range between $45,000 and $65,000.
According to Matt Geisel, the city of Rio Rancho’s economic development and business relations manager, PCM will employ 224 employees over the next four years and will bring a $12 million payroll to the city.
PCM will begin hiring for entry-level to managerial positions in July and will occupy their portion of the HP center in the City Center in August.
“We are honored that PCM chose to locate its sales center in Rio Rancho,” Mayor Gregg Hull said. “PCM is an established, proven company that will create high-quality, well-paying jobs for New Mexicans.”
Frank Khulusi, CEO and founder of PCM, said, “Meeting with Gov. Martinez and her team in California was a game-changer. Learning about New Mexico’s improved business environment and talented workforce was a deciding factor in expanding our operations to this state.”
The publicly traded company, which will generate $2.2 billion in sales this year, provides access to more than 300,000 IT products, such as tablets, slate, notebooks, desktops, servers, storage and networking from leading manufacturers like Cisco, HP, Apple, Adobe, Lenovo and Microsoft.
Tom Ducatelli, executive vice president of commercial sales for PCM, said the campaign to bring the company to New Mexico was so compelling that the company scrapped plans to staff up in another facility.
“When we look at expanding our sales team, these are more than jobs — they are careers,” he said. The company has an extensive training and career development program for staffers to move up the ladder.
“We will be here for a long, long time,” he said.