News Room

September 9, 2003

New Operations Centre in Kingston Positions Assurant Group for Continued Expansion of Canadian Risk Management Business

Executives Thank Community Leaders for Their Support of $6.4 Million Project

KINGSTON, Ontario: Assurant Group executives today thanked community and government leaders for their support of its new operations centre during an open house and ribbon-cutting ceremony at the recently completed $6.4 million facility at 1287 Gardiners Road.

“This state-of-the-art centre sends a clear message to our clients that Assurant is committed to the Canadian market and is responsive to their demands for improved economics and efficiencies,” said Bruce Camacho, president and chief executive officer. “We are confident that both current clients and prospects will be impressed by what you have helped us accomplish over the past eleven months.”

Assurant companies underwrite, market and administer specialty risk management products and services for consumers through partnerships with leading financial institutions and retailers.  In Canada, the company’s primary products are creditor insurance sold through banks and credit card companies, extended service contracts for consumer goods and vehicle service contracts.

Other Assurant executives joining Camacho for the ceremony included Craig Lemasters, executive vice president and chief marketing officer; Steve Phillips, managing director, Assurant Group Canada; Doug Haase, vice president, contact centre operations; and Kathy Burke, vice president, customer service Canada.  Ms. Burke manages the Kingston centre.

The construction of the Kingston centre is enabling Assurant to consolidate customer service, claims and other support functions previously located at two locations in Toronto.  The staffing plan for the 45,000 square-foot facility includes a 254-seat call centre, 80 claims associates and about 60 management and support staff.  The 14.5-acre site also can accommodate future growth, including construction of a second building.

“The Kingston centre is fundamental to our high growth business strategy,” said Phillips, who heads Assurant’s Canadian businesses. “This operation allows us to meet the growing needs of our clients and expand our business through new products and new clients. Our growth also will produce more jobs in Kingston and career opportunities for the employees who fill them.”

Ms. Burke said that Assurant has been very impressed by both the quantity and the quality of the labor pool in Kingston.  The company has hired about 120 locally over the past four months and expects to add about 40 more by Oct. 1.  About 40 managers and other employees also have or will soon transfer to Kingston from Toronto as part of the move.

The Kingston centre began taking calls and processing claims on July 21.  Assurant is using a phased-in approach to bring the facility on line, hiring and training new employees in groups of 10 to 20.  Its current staffing plan calls for increasing total employment at the site to about 245 by yearend 2003.

Ms. Burke said Assurant continues to have a special need for employees who are fluent in both French and English.  For information about current job opportunities, applicants should call 613.634.9984 or 1.800.550.2827.

Assurant’s Phillips said that the company was especially grateful for the support it has received from the Kingston Economic Development Corporation (KEDCO).  In addition to educating Assurant about the advantages of locating in Kingston and helping it identify a building site, KEDCO also has been instrumental in Assurant’s employee recruitment efforts, Phillips said.

Tapp Development Corp. of Oklahoma and Farrington Design Group of Atlanta oversawdevelopment of the project.  Chandos Construction Ltd., Edmonton, Alberta, served as general contractor.  Major subcontractors and suppliers included J. Harrison Excavating & Pipeline Ltd., Fitzgibbon Construction Ltd., Lafarge/Dibblee Construction Ltd., A&A Asphalt Inc., Sign-A-Rama, Sousa Ready Mix, Fabbro Mason Contractors, M.I.G. Structural Steel, Dafoe Roofing Ltd., Vitrerie Gauthier Glass Ltd., Drywall Plus Ltd., LeGroup BAO, Joe Da Costa Painting & Decorating, INDCOM Flooring and Carpet Specialist, Title King Select Door & Frame, Canadian Washroom Products Inc., SMED International, DialOne Wolfedale Electric Ltd., Sirron Systems, Allen Mechanical and Tyco/Simplex Grinnell.

The Canadian architectural and engineering team for the project included Lassing Dibben Consulting Engineers, Atira Engineering, TSH Engineers Architects Planners, AWS Engineers and Planners Corp., The Scott Wentworth Landscape Group Ltd., and DBA Engineering.

Headquartered in Atlanta and Miami, Assurant does business throughout North America, Latin America and Europe.  The company has more than 6,000 employees and operations in 11 states in the United States, Canada, Argentina, Brazil, Denmark, Ireland, Puerto Rico and the United Kingdom.

Assurant is part of Fortis, an international financial services provider active in the fields of insurance, banking and investment.

Media contact

James A. Sykes
Director, Corporate Communications
Assurant Solutions
260 Interstate N. Circle, SE
Atlanta, Ga. 30339-2111
Telephone: 770.763.1015
FAX: 770.859.4325
E-mail: james.sykes@assurant.com