WOODLAND HILLS, Calif., Feb. 4, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Farmers Insurance, one of the largest multiline insurer groups in the country, announced today that it plans to significantly expand its operations in Phoenix which could eventually raise its employee base from approximately 500 full-time employees to more than 1,500 employees.
"We are thrilled to announce the selection of Phoenix as the location to expand our operational footprint, which will bring hundreds of new jobs to the region and add to the economic vitality of the greater Phoenix community," said David Travers, chief operations officer for Farmers Insurance. "I want to thank Governor Doug Ducey, former Director of Insurance Andy Tobin, Phoenix Mayor Greg Stanton, Councilwoman Thelda Williams and their staffs for their support in bringing this project to fruition."
As currently envisioned, staffing for the new jobs will occur in phases and could ultimately triple the number of full-time Farmers positions in the Phoenix area. The first group of employees could begin working in the new building by early next year.
"This project is further evidence that when companies determine the best place to consolidate their national footprint Arizona comes to the top of the list," said Governor Ducey. "Arizona stands ready to welcome those companies into our pro-business environment, and we're especially pleased to welcome Farmers Insurance. This expanded operation will employ over one thousand five hundred Arizonans in high-value jobs. We thank Farmers Insurance for their commitment to Arizona and look forward to helping them thrive even more in our state."
"We congratulate Farmers Insurance for choosing Arizona as the place to grow their operation," said Tobin. "This is clearly a win for Arizona and the talented residents of our state who are again being recognized as desirable employees by one of the leading companies in the country."
The new Farmers building will be used by the organization to provide operational support for its customers and agents across the country. Members of the Farmers Claims team will also be located in the new facility.
"The decision by Farmers Insurance to locate a significant operations center in Arizona is excellent news for our state," said Sandra Watson, Arizona Commerce Authority President & CEO. "Several other states competed aggressively to win this business, but Arizona's skilled and abundant workforce, low cost environment and unmatched quality of life for employees could not be beat. We are excited to welcome Farmers Insurance, and we thank them for their investment and confidence in Arizona."
Farmers already has more than 500 employees in Arizona, primarily in their claims operation, the majority of whom are located in the greater Phoenix area. Farmers is also a major provider of personal lines insurance to Arizona, ranking as the second largest provider of automobile and homeowners insurance in the state.
"Farmers decision to build a new office in north Phoenix -- adding more than 1,000 quality professional jobs -- is a huge win for our economy and a strong testament to our skilled workforce and collaborative efforts to make our region a perfect choice for expansion or relocation," said Mayor Greg Stanton.
"I am proud to add my voice in congratulating Farmers in choosing Phoenix, specifically District 1, for their expansion plans," said Councilwoman Williams who represents District 1 which includes north west Phoenix. "Phoenix is very much a city on the move and by growing their presence in this city, Farmers Insurance is demonstrating in a very clear way that they, too, are a dynamic and growing organization."
In addition to expanding its employee presence in the area, Farmers is also looking to increase the number of agency owners, local entrepreneurs who provide sales and customer support as small business owners, across the state. Those looking to explore agency ownership opportunities can do so immediately by visiting beafarmersagent.com.
"We are excited that Farmers Insurance has chosen to expand their presence in the region, with the announcement of their new operations center in Phoenix," said Chris Camacho, president and CEO of the Greater Phoenix Economic Council. "While our region is known for boasting an incredible quality of life and attractive business climate, it is becoming increasingly aware to companies outside the market that the Greater Phoenix region is a hot spot for businesses looking to scale their operations, thanks to our deep labor pool and expansive community infrastructure."
About Farmers Insurance
"Farmers Insurance®" and "Farmers®" are tradenames for a group of affiliated insurers providing insurance for automobiles, homes and small businesses and a wide range of other insurance and financial services and products. Farmers Insurance is proud to serve more than 10 million households with over 19 million individual policies, across all 50 states, through the efforts of more than 48,000 exclusive and independent agents and approximately 21,000 employees. Farmers Insurance Exchange, the largest of the three primary insurance insurers that make up Farmers Insurance, is recognized as one of the largest U.S. companies on the 2015 Fortune 500 list.
For more information about Farmers Insurance, visit Farmers.com, Twitter and Instagram, @WeAreFarmers, or Facebook.com/FarmersInsurance.
About the Arizona Commerce Authority (ACA)
The Arizona Commerce Authority (ACA) is the state's leading economic development organization with a streamlined mission to grow and strengthen Arizona's economy. The ACA uses a three-pronged approach to advance the overall economy: recruit, grow, create – recruit out-of-state companies to expand their operations in Arizona; work with existing companies to grow their business in Arizona and beyond; and partner with entrepreneurs and companies large and small to create new jobs and businesses in targeted industries. Visit www.azcommerce.com for more information.
About the Greater Phoenix Economic Council (GPEC)
A true public/private partnership, GPEC is the regional economic development organization for Greater Phoenix. Working with its 23 member communities, Maricopa County and more than 170 private investors, GPEC attracts quality businesses to this dynamic region. By creating a high-performance economy through capital investments and jobs, Greater Phoenix companies enjoy a business climate where they can compete and thrive in today's global economy. Since 1989, GPEC has worked to achieve an economically sound and sustainable region. For more information, visit www.gpec.org.
Media Contacts:
Farmers Insurance: Luis Sahagun, 818-292-3574 or luis.sahagun@farmersinsurance.com
ACA: Susan Marie, 602-845-1231 or susanm@azcommerce.com
City of Phoenix: Cynthia Weaver, 602-568-8126 or cynthia.weaver@phoenix.gov
GPEC: Michelle G. Kauk, 602-481-1459 or mkauk@gpec.org
Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20130731/LA56061LOGO
SOURCE Farmers Insurance
