AIG to open technology center in Charlotte, create 230 jobs

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Uptown Charlotte will soon be home to a technology center for an international insurance company.

American International Group, or AIG, will house its new technology center inside the BB&T building on College Street in uptown.
 
The insurance company has more than 63,000 employees worldwide and plans to hire for 230 high tech jobs in the Queen City. It will pay an average salary of more than $100,000 a year.

It's welcome news to Charlotte Mayor Pat Cannon, who said boosting the economy and tackling unemployment is high on the city's agenda.

"This is a grand opportunity for us with some very good, high paying jobs that's going to mean well for our community overall," Cannon said.

AIG already has a presence in North Carolina. Its mortgage insurance division is headquartered in Greensboro and it has property and casualty insurance offices in Charlotte.

After a nationwide search for locations, company executives decided Charlotte was the best place for its new technology center. The company did not ask for any local incentives and said the area's talented workforce made the move a no-brainer.

AIG Executive Vice President & Chief Administrative Officer Michael Cowan said, "The people we think we can hire here and the community are really important."

North Carolina Governor Pat McCrory was at the announcement, and said, "To have the executive of AIG tell us the talent was one of the major reasons for recruitment is a real attribute to our state and to Charlotte."

AIG received a job development investment grant from the state -- but it must meet certain job creation and performance requirements.

Over 10 years, the state award could yield the company around $5 million if all 230 jobs are filled.

AIG plans to invest more than $5.5 million in the city. It's set to launch the new operation this year and plans to be fully staffed by 2017.