STARTEK Inc., a global provider of business process outsourcing services, plans to locate its new customer support center in the Myrtle Beach area, South Carolina. The company’s investment of $10 million is expected to create as many as 665 new jobs over a five-year period.

The company will lease a new 50,000 square-foot-facility being built at Towne Center in the Carolina Forest section of Horry County. During construction of the facility, the company will operate and conduct employee training in a temporary space provided by Horry-Georgetown Technical College’s Grand Strand Campus. Completion of the new facility is scheduled for fall 2014.

“Our continued growth and as our entry into the healthcare industry were all factors in our decision to choose Myrtle Beach for our new expansion. The workforce, the welcoming business climate, and the location matched our requirements,” said Chad Carlson, President and CEO of STARTEK. “The local and state authorities have been great to work with and we look forward to a great partnership with the Palmetto State.”

According to the South Carolina Department of Commerce, factors that contributed to the company’s site location decision included the quantity and quality of the area workforce, proximity to training resources at Horry-Georgetown Technical College, telecommunications infrastructure in the area and the quality of life in the Myrtle Beach area.

“The best resource we have here in South Carolina is our people,which is why we excel in delivering quality customer service,” said Gov. Nikki Haley. “Today we celebrate STARTEK’s decision to invest $10 million and create more than 600 new jobs along the Grand Strand.”

“South Carolina is known the world over for our hospitality, so companies in the service industry see our state as a natural fit,” said Secretary of Commerce Bobby Hitt. “We welcome STARTEK to the area and appreciate their commitment to invest in our state.”

The Department of Commerce said the news is the result of a collaborative effort among multiple representatives on the local, regional and state level, including; the Myrtle Beach Regional Economic Development Corporation, the South Carolina Department of Commerce, Horry County Council, TCP Capital LLC, Santee Cooper, Horry Telephone Company, Horry Georgetown Technical College, the North Eastern Strategic Alliance and readySC.

"I can't think of a better way to end the 2013 calendar year for the MBREDC than to celebrate the decision of STARTEK to locate a large customer service center here in our community,” said Fred Richardson, Chairman of the Myrtle Beach Regional Economic Development Corporation. “The hard work of all the EDC's allies and partners is generating significant results."