By ​Krista Klaus

The Lee’s Summit Economic Development Council recently announced that EXL (NASDAQ: EXLS), a leading operations management and analytics company, has officially opened a new 20,000-square foot service hub at the Summit Technology Campus.

“We are excited that EXL chose Lee’s Summit for the location of its next customer service operation. Businesses such as EXL help strengthen our economy and provide quality job opportunities for our talented and highly trained workforce,” said Lee’s Summit Mayor Bill Baird. “Lee’s Summit is well positioned and committed to an economic policy that supports business growth while nurturing new ideas.”

The announcement of EXL’s hub at 777 NW Blue Parkway is the largest job creation project for Lee’s Summit in five years, according to Lee’s Summit EDC President and CEO Rick McDowell. The EXL center is expected to scale to 250 agents by later this year, according to a company release.

“The sheer number of jobs being created is impressive, but even more exciting is the type of high quality jobs EXL is bringing to Lee’s Summit,” McDowell said. “EXL is precisely the kind of company we want to see growing and thriving in our community, and Lee’s Summit has precisely the kind of work force EXL and companies like EXL need to be successful. That combination makes this a win-win.”

EXL’s choice to open its office at the Summit Technology Campus offers an interesting parallel for the City of Lee’s Summit, according to Mayor Pro Tem Beto Lopez. Built in 1961 to house Western Electric’s regional operations, the 1.3-million square foot facility represented a dramatic turn in the course of the city’s history and contributed to the city’s population more than tripling over two decades.

“That investment altered the Lee’s Summit landscape in every way imaginable- geographically and demographically as well as economically,” Lopez said. “In much the same way, we believe that EXL’s choice to open its regional service center in Lee’s Summit and scale to 250 positions truly signals a new chapter in our growth story.”

The Lee’s Summit office caps off a year of expansion into multiple U.S. markets for EXL.

“As the work we perform for our clients becomes more complex and strategic, in areas such as digital, or touches highly regulated areas, we will continue to assess our global footprint to deliver greater value to our clients,” said Pavan Bagai, EXL president and chief operating officer at EXL, in a release.

Regional and state economic development officials touted local workforce, as well as Missouri’s central time zone and neutral accent as selling points for customer support operations like EXL.

“The Kansas City region is a popular destination for companies looking for a central location in the U.S. and seeking employees with a strong work ethic, and highly efficient customer support operations,” said Tim Cowden, President and CEO, Kansas City Area Development Council. “We’re thrilled to see a company like EXL commit to the Summit Technology Campus.”

“Missouri’s expertise in financial services, health innovation, and transportation and logistics, ensure we are developing the talent needed to provide high-quality business services support across these industries,” said Steve Johnson, CEO of Missouri Partnership, the state’s public-private economic development organization.

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